Gord and I signed up for a boot camp. That's right, we are paying someone to make us feel like we are lazy, out of shape people. The truth hurts. We've done a couple of nights and are pushing ourselves beyond what we thought our bodies were capable of handling, as displayed in our grunting over every move the following days.

We went for a walk on Nose Hill early last week and then a hike in K. country last weekend in order to 'prepare' for our new adventure. If we only knew that this would be easy in comparison!

As much as we don't like Calgary sometimes, I really do like Calgary...sometimes. Who else has an 11 square kilometer park in the middle of their city that is home to all kinds of native plants and deer and where you can see eagles and hawks flying over head and, and, well, I don't know what else, but it's really pretty!

Our wee 10k hike at Station Flats in Kananaskis. It was hard but beautiful:)

 

It was one of the hottest days we've had all summer and afterward we stopped to have a little picnic at the side of the road. Anthony wanted to take a picture of us so here we are in all of our let's-try-not-to-look-too-tired glory. And below is how we really felt. Not for long though - session three of boot camp is just around the corner. Booyah!! (I'm sorry body that I let you go for so long and get so weak ...I promise it will get better!)

Stampede

Last week we went to Stampede. It was part of our monthly dates present my sister bought for our wedding present. Gord and I aren't fans of Stampede (besides the obviously hilarity of it all of course, but you don't actually have to go there to laugh at it, you know?) but some how every year we end up there at least once, and every year say 'let's not do that again'.

 

This year besides the food, sticky pavement, scantily clad teenage girls and drunk beer garden goers, we went to the Rodeo (our present). In between every 3-8 seconds of bull riding, cow roping and chap flapping moment there was 5 minutes of advertising, inside announcer jokes and irritating mini doughnut boy who wouldn't come close enough for me to get his attention! Let's not do that again next year!

 

Until next year Stampede...

I heart Sundays

Today was perfect - we all slept in a bit (ok it wasn't all perfect - sleeping in means missing Stampede breakfast you planned to go to which means we wanted to go out for breakfast which means that by the time we did make it out the door we were all a wee bit hangry...but that's besides the point), we went for breakfast and then we went canoeing. 

It was part of our 'year of dates' from Karen and Paul as our wedding present. Canoeing was technically June's date, but the weather sucked, and technically Anthony was with us so maybe that's not a date, but it was still lots of fun with great weather (not too hot, not too windy - perfect) and the boy's first canoe ride was 'not bad'. My shoulders are killing me and my steering skills however could use some work...but still, it was perfect!


No gardening today, but in indoor news my prayer plant started to flower. Apparently the fact that they need to be root bound (it's new and in a bigger pot than necessary) and have high humidity (come on, we live in Calgary) just doesn't matter for this wee plant.

Friends

I have one of the greatest friends out there. Her name is Christine. We met in high school.This is us about 12 years ago at symphony of fire in Toronto

 

We moved in together in Toronto while going to college and learned how to use up all the dishes in your cupboard, make pancakes, and that we didn't really like most of the people we hung around with but we did like each other.

 

With my last four hundred dollars in my bank, Christine convinced me to go to Calgary with her to drop off her portfolio to the art college. This is Chris in Calgary phoning her parents asking if it's okay if we just stayed and didn't come home. We liked it in the mountains. A lot.

 

So a few weeks later (after we did go home) I ended up moving to Banff to work, and by the fall Chris was living in Calgary going to school. But, she pretty much spend all her spare time in Banff where we had one big year of amazing friendships, beer, and the kind of laughter that makes you pee your pants. I also could not have survived this year without her; having Christine by my side while I tried to make sense of my mom's death means more to me then she will ever know.

 

At the end of the year, I moved to Calgary (with Chris of course) to go school, but not before we drove the country all the way to Newfoundland. We camped the whole way and apparently really enjoyed salad. 

 

 

After two year in Calgary, Chris moved home to Ontario and I went to BC for a while. We thought that was far apart, but we learned how far far really is when she moved to Adelaide...it's really far! We saw eachother a twice over the next 5 years and then Gord and I had our own adventures in Australia with Christine and Jon and it was fantastic!

One of the things that makes Christine so great is that she is thoughtful and kind. For all the time she's lived in Aussie land, even though I fail miserably at sending things her way, I've always got birthday and Christmas presents or 'just cause' presents in the mail. 

Well, this week we received our wedding present; hand blown cups and bowl from her recent show, and a custom knife holder from another artist (and a pattern for me!). But not only that, but she was so kind to put in two wee gifts for Anthony too. Seriously, how can I ever thank you? I can't begin to explain (without crying anyway) what that little gesture means to me.

 

Thank you thank you thank you for being such a wonderful friend over all these years.

Love you Chris!!

The Circle

We've tried to fix the circle (obviously not very well). So what do you do with an irritating circle in the middle of your lawn?

  

Turning it into a no fuss no muss rock garden!

Garden update

 Things they are a growin'! It has been sunny and beautiful and even hot here for a few days and it's been wonderful. I can't remember the last night I wore a sweater (ok it was about 4 days ago) but it's a fading memory. It's amazing what a little sunshine can do for your sanity and happiness as well as your garden. I'm beginning to think we may actually know what we are doing!

The radishes are pretty much ready to be harvested. We pulled this one out the other night and each shared a piece - I had no idea they were so spicy! They don't taste like that from the store. The carrots and beets and peas still have a ways to go but our little success is making us more confident and as we sit on deck on our new furniture in the warm sun we plot and scheme more veggie and garden plans for next year....