So where does everyone summah?

I'm still doing the running!  This continues to be a surprise to me.  I finally made 5 km yesterday, doing 10 and 1's (run for 10 minutes, walk for 1 minute), and did it in 31 minutes.  I'm told by running friends that this is good, but mostly I am improving on my own times and distance, which is what I want.  I'm not terribly competitive, so having other people be faster than me is not motivating.

With all the rain here, it has become beautiful and green.  Our trees have grown more in May than they did all last year.  Very exciting, as our goal is to have them grow large enough to pretend we are not surrounded by neighbours on every side.  Think...suburban oasis.  Turns out we're not too social when we are at home.

This has inspired me to look at summery photos from last year.  And the post title, for those who didn't recognize it, is from Friends when Phoebe is trying to be a fancy pants when she meets Mike's family.  I have been stimming on this phrase since I heard it a few weeks ago, and Dan says it perfectly, and whenever I ask him to.  That's love.

Dan uploaded my photos from last summer (thanks hon!), so I'm going to add a few pics now.

This is looking back from  the dock towards my aunt and uncle's house on the lake in Kelowna.  This is where we go for a week every summer, "the beach house."  The lake was so high there was no beach last year.

This is the beach house.  As you can see, we are slumming it when we are there.  We basically have our own house on a beach, with manicured lawns,  roses scenting where we dine, and a lovely vista to view while drinking wine.  And we are going there again in three weeks!  Thanks, Uncle Elbow for living life well, and sharing it with your family!

I love the tan lines here.  In my youth that would have been burns, treated with Solarcaine and Noxema (reactive, not preventative - hello, it was the 70's!!!).  How I treasure these sweet brotherly moments.

Chariots of Fire

As we do every year, Dan and I took last week off (always the week of my birthday and Mother's day).  And yes, there MAY have been assorted gifts and the time off may have taken shape like Oprah's favourite things (but are Treena's instead).  We like to have day-dates, those activities we used to do as a couple, before we had kids.  Golf in the middle of a week day (we were both a good 40 years younger than all the other groups), and Dan was one of two men waiting to tee off.  I thought it may be a good business opportunity for us, with him taking on a second job of gigalo (how DO you spell that word??) We also biked across part of Fish Creek, then spoiled it grandly by having beer and wings on a patio, with the sun baking us.  It has been a LONG LONG winter.  And not that the kids were neglected.  We played ball, threw the aerobie, went for bike rides.  Basically, the most active I've been in about five years, all in one week.

Which brings me to my New Thing.  I run now.  Yes, me.  I know the three people who read this, and have known me either my whole life or many years, think I must be fibbing or exaggerating at this point.  Jenn feels this demonstrates all the signs of a nervous breakdown, and is coming on the next plane from Saskatoon.  Historically, I do not run.  I do not choose sports that include a running component.  I would speed walk from a fire or mugger. I have mocked people who run, stating statistics that include fun facts like 50% of people who die of a heart attack are regular runners.  Sure, the other argument is that the remaining 50% were fatties with bacon clad arteries.

Speaking of arteries, whipping cream has been present in the fridge this last week, too.  Bought twice, a litre at a time (in the guise of having it on strawberry shortcake, which we did do).  This significantly contradicts any physical gains I have made since starting the running.  Like the old lady in the Frank's hot ads, I put that $^!% on everything!  I heavy handedly pour it over bananas, then sprinkle the contents of the bowl with refined white sugar.  Then I make alfredo sauce from scratch, then drizzle it over enriched white pasta.  I wash it down with a cider, which is not on any diets either.

Back to running.  I'm a bit like Bridget Jones as I embark on this, feeling the need to acquire all the stuff necessary to be successful at this.  Luckily, coinciding with my birthday made it so I didn't need to buy it all myself.  Got new pink shoes, yellow shirt and yellow/black shorts (think flight of the bumblebee), and Dan showed me how to make my nano track all the important stuff when I run, like pace, distance, time.  It's like having a new toy!  And now I'm making progress, so I'm getting addicted!  (to the running not the stuff, although new bras that weren't worn when 4 Non Blondes were on the radio, are on the agenda - gotta keep the ladies limber).  

Coming to the end of the allotted space.  Coming soon:  blog titled "I quit running today."

Here's a few of our recent adventures.  We spontaneously decided to go spend the night in Canmore at a "lodge" (tourist for "small cabin") then went to see the ice sculptures at Lake Louise.  We also saw dog sled races and the boys tried out cross county skiing for the first time.  Rogue bought a 2 piece puzzle ring and Knox bought a lego Chima speeder set (this is written in at Rogue's insistence for your reading pleasure).  Dan and I got each other's company.  We also got to go to a Flames game, thanks to Michelle offering ups tickets, and the boys got new jerseys.  Knox tapped out before the first period ended, but Rogue asked one million questions, resulting in a a new infinite knowledge of hockey.  Finally, there was a photo I felt I HAD to take, and as you can see, the snow was a titch deeper than I had expected, but I was committed by that point. 

I'm back!  For the three of you who care!

Back in business!!!  Had to redo my password to get back at it.  Let's give this a whirl.

Bedtime

Dan and I are upstairs, and he calls down to the boys "Are you guys ready for bed?"
Rogue: "No." Then whispering to Knox "say no."
Knox: "No...Daddy what did you say?"

Now Knox is upstairs and his leg isn't working.  Repeated efforts to stand are unsuccessful, until Dan says this friend of his had this happen to him, and he ended up needing a cast and couldn't take part in Christmas.  Hallelujah!  I witnessed a miracle!  Knox managed to struggle to his feet with the pain entirely gone!

First of all, this photo has nothing to do with today's blog.  But note the tiny smiley faces on Rogue's toes, and the little faces in the background.  These boys always share the SAME SQUARE on the couch, then wonder why they don't get along.  They play, then fight, then play some more.  When they do fight, the best punishment is telling them they are FORBIDDEN to play together, that they must stay alone in their rooms for an indiscriminate length of time.  This inevitably leads to them sneaking out of their rooms, plotting against me, to continue their role playing without my knowledge.  I love that type of deception.  I mean, who's deceiving who?


So I arrive today in Vancouver for a health and well being conference for persons with disabilities and...the sun is shining, the grass is GREEN, and the trees still have leaves.  WTF???  Am I still in Canada?  I have just left the land of snow, slippery roads and tobogganing and have arrived one hour later (or at exactly the same time when you account for the time change) in the month of September.  I have successfully travelled in time!!!  Went for dinner with the co-worker I am here with, and then sent some drunken texts (I am still learning) to my husband, which I always seem to do on these occasions.  I also got upgraded to a king sized SUITE, which is at least four times the size of the hotel room Dan and I had in New York.  I have my very own kitchen, circa early 80s, complete with a Kelvinator stove and a smell right out of Grandma's house.  Yeah, that's right.  You heard me.  I do have a beautiful, close up view of the downtown core out my patio window, which is pretty cool.  Tomorrow's sessions run from 8:30-8:30, which seems a bit much.  It includes supper,which I am anticipating to be sandwiches and fruit.  If I aim low I can only be impressed, right?  Okay, I'm heading to bed now  It's 8:49 locally, which means NEARLY 10:00 at home.  No wonder I'm exhausted.  Nighty night.

Pride of Parent

Last night I bore witness to what appeared to be a miracle.  A week ago, the boys attended swimming class, and did the usual routine.  Then, this week, they swim.  All of a sudden, Rogue can FULLY swim, on his front, on his back, he can somersault into the water off the edge, he is trying to do handstands - who is this kid?  He was so confident, and just willing to try anything!  And Knoxy.  He can back float like a dead man, so I told him to "do his swim moves" while he was floating.  And then HE was swimming.  They blew my mind.  I could not stop watching them, and asking them to do it again and again.  Already they exceed anything I can do in the water, and I am so proud of them both.  So proud.  I love you boys.