It's August 28th and as the end of the month approaches I look back at the summer with disappointment. It seems most everything was a bust this summer. Our holiday to Vancouver Island and the cancellation of our trip to Disneyland were both major disappointments. I find it funny that we wait all year for this little window of time (July and August) hoping it will be warm, sunny and most of all, fun-filled. When it doesn't happen the way we would have hoped it seems to be all the more disappointing.
I finished reading the book, Born to Run so quickly that I didn't have any time to write about it. But I must say it was the best book ever! Right after I finished it I handed it over to Jillian and she finished it in record time too. Both of us loved this book. I mentioned on Facebook that I was reading this book and guess who left a comment: Marcel. I don't believe he has ever left a comment on my FB page, so this book really makes an impression. Jillian and I even went to Mountain Equipment Co-Op and bought some 5 Finger Vibram running shoes (for Jilllian). She's been wearing them and now that they are broken in she seems to like them even better then ever. The reason I bring up the shoes is that the whole book is based on barefoot running. It covers biology, history, sports, retail shoe sales and it's all wrapped up in a really good story. I'm pretty sure I'll be reading it again really, really soon.
Yesterday evening Penny, Judy, Kurt and I met at Dixon's Pub to do some planning for the reunion coming up on September 16 and 17 (3 weeks away). Judy had nothing planned again. It looks like we will be heading back to Dixon's Pub on Friday night for lack of better ideas at such short notice. It was mentioned to do something over at Sundance Lake during the day on Saturday and possibly going out for dinner at a restaurant afterwards the same evening. Kurt posted a message on FB asking people to confirm their attendance. But Penny had the best idea yet ... she proposed us all getting together near the end of 2012 and celebrating our combined 50th birthdays that should all be happening sometime in the years 2012 and 2013. That was the best idea of the evening! We would use the September reunion to see what the interest would be and if enough people are on-board it would be a go and we would start planning for the big party. Penny mentioned that since 2012 is suppose to be the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar we could call it the "2012 End of the World ? No, We're Only Turning 50 Party". What a complete riot!
So although this summer was a bust I'll have to make the most of the upcoming events and try to start looking forward to all the little things that happen and not put too much focus on things like summer in general.
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
August First ... yikes!
Oh crap. It's been ages since I last wrote here on this blog. It's August 1, 2011. AUGUST FIRST !!! Where does the time go?!
The month of June was busy with job training. Job training that I have yet to finish ... yikes. July has been a mixture of work at Switchboard, a 9 day holiday to Vancouver Island and the Weekend to End Women's Cancers. Today is the Monday of the August long weekend. And yes, I'm here at work and have been all weekend long and I won't have a day off until Thursday. Yikes again.
Our Vancouver holiday started on July 11th when we drove to Kelowna. The weather there was beautiful and I even put on my sundress. Good thing I put in on there because I never had the opportunity to put in on again for the whole trip. Why you may ask? Well it was way too cold and rainy. In fact, it was the coldest, rainiest holiday we've ever had on the island. I guess we were due to run into some bad weather sooner or later but I was really disappointed by it all. I had been working so many hours and just plugging along trying to make the best of it figuring I had a good break ahead of me. Well, a break I did have but it wasn't the holiday I was hoping for. Now I'm scrambling to get something planned for a quick trip to Disneyland so we can have an actual sunny, warm summer holiday. I should get it figured out in the next day or two. Fingers crossed.
The Weekend to End Women's Cancers went pretty well this year. I came through it with no blisters, no missing toe nails, nothing. That, in itself, was a victory. I have to give some credit to the shoes I was wearing the first day. They are Barefoot running shoes from Merrell. The second day I wore $20.00 New Balance runners purchased from Aerie in Chinook Centre. I didn't hold out too much promise for them when I bought them but I'd been running in them at the gym and they were pretty broken in. Good news all around.
The weekend event itself was a mixture of good and bad. Bad things like horrible showers, awful lunches and the continuing saga of crabby tent neighbours. Good things like finding my lost watch at the lost and found, drinking in the tent, skipping opening/closing ceremonies and hanging out with Penny and making our own fun. I don't know if we are planning to do this again next year or not. We haven't signed up yet anyway. That, in itself, could be saying something.
The month of June was busy with job training. Job training that I have yet to finish ... yikes. July has been a mixture of work at Switchboard, a 9 day holiday to Vancouver Island and the Weekend to End Women's Cancers. Today is the Monday of the August long weekend. And yes, I'm here at work and have been all weekend long and I won't have a day off until Thursday. Yikes again.
Our Vancouver holiday started on July 11th when we drove to Kelowna. The weather there was beautiful and I even put on my sundress. Good thing I put in on there because I never had the opportunity to put in on again for the whole trip. Why you may ask? Well it was way too cold and rainy. In fact, it was the coldest, rainiest holiday we've ever had on the island. I guess we were due to run into some bad weather sooner or later but I was really disappointed by it all. I had been working so many hours and just plugging along trying to make the best of it figuring I had a good break ahead of me. Well, a break I did have but it wasn't the holiday I was hoping for. Now I'm scrambling to get something planned for a quick trip to Disneyland so we can have an actual sunny, warm summer holiday. I should get it figured out in the next day or two. Fingers crossed.
The Weekend to End Women's Cancers went pretty well this year. I came through it with no blisters, no missing toe nails, nothing. That, in itself, was a victory. I have to give some credit to the shoes I was wearing the first day. They are Barefoot running shoes from Merrell. The second day I wore $20.00 New Balance runners purchased from Aerie in Chinook Centre. I didn't hold out too much promise for them when I bought them but I'd been running in them at the gym and they were pretty broken in. Good news all around.
The weekend event itself was a mixture of good and bad. Bad things like horrible showers, awful lunches and the continuing saga of crabby tent neighbours. Good things like finding my lost watch at the lost and found, drinking in the tent, skipping opening/closing ceremonies and hanging out with Penny and making our own fun. I don't know if we are planning to do this again next year or not. We haven't signed up yet anyway. That, in itself, could be saying something.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Good Bye to Summer
It continues to rain outside. It's been raining for days I think. Or perhaps it only feels like it. Either way, it's been a cold, wet summer and it's turning out to be a cold, wet autumn too. I was out in the garden yesterday afternoon and picked all the stuff I could. There wasn't much to be had but I did get two big zucchini's and some green beans, a couple really small green peppers and that was pretty much it. I haven't looked at the carrots yet but to be honest they still look like baby plants so I can't imagine the carrots growing in the ground are any better.
We had a light frost and it's noticeable on the zucchini plants and the tomato plants. The leaves on the trees are turning yellow and are rapidly falling to the ground. Summer is over and yet it feels like it never really got started. It's disappointing really.
We had a light frost and it's noticeable on the zucchini plants and the tomato plants. The leaves on the trees are turning yellow and are rapidly falling to the ground. Summer is over and yet it feels like it never really got started. It's disappointing really.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
September 1, 2010
September already. I love fall, but it seems like it's come along too soon this year. This may actually be the worst summer we've experienced here in Calgary. The weather today was really cool and very windy, we even got some rain this afternoon.
The weather has been quite lousy and so has my mood. I think the two are totally unrelated ... no, I know the two are totally unrelated.
I'm feeling continually restless and I have so much on my mind I could just scream (if I was a screamer). I'm feeling rather unsettled and I don't know what to do about it. The old topic of getting married is on my mind. I know it's on my mind because I've been to a wedding this summer (Holly's), Pat's son got married and Shevaughn, from work, was in a wedding party recently. Now I'm really happy for them all, but it leaves me wondering why on earth Jonathan has never wanted to marry me. In fact, the more I think about it, the more upset I get about the whole thing. It leaves me feeling a little unworthy or something. And to tell the truth, I haven't the slightest idea what makes me so unworthy. It's very frustrating. Frustrated is only a starting point though, it makes me sad and mad too. I wonder if I've wasted my life a little? I wonder if perhaps there was someone out there that would have put my feelings first? I'm left with a lot of questions. Questions I know will be very hard to answer.
The weather has been quite lousy and so has my mood. I think the two are totally unrelated ... no, I know the two are totally unrelated.
I'm feeling continually restless and I have so much on my mind I could just scream (if I was a screamer). I'm feeling rather unsettled and I don't know what to do about it. The old topic of getting married is on my mind. I know it's on my mind because I've been to a wedding this summer (Holly's), Pat's son got married and Shevaughn, from work, was in a wedding party recently. Now I'm really happy for them all, but it leaves me wondering why on earth Jonathan has never wanted to marry me. In fact, the more I think about it, the more upset I get about the whole thing. It leaves me feeling a little unworthy or something. And to tell the truth, I haven't the slightest idea what makes me so unworthy. It's very frustrating. Frustrated is only a starting point though, it makes me sad and mad too. I wonder if I've wasted my life a little? I wonder if perhaps there was someone out there that would have put my feelings first? I'm left with a lot of questions. Questions I know will be very hard to answer.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Summer 2010
This summer I thought I wasn't going to work as much. But other than the vacation days I took, I've been working, working a lot. I have to finish up my 7 days in a row on Monday and after that I don't think I'll work for a few days. I'm tired of working.
There are quite a few things I haven't done this summer. My garden has been flattened by a hail storm and I've sort of lost interest in it ... it looks horrible. In fact, I haven't even looked at the garden at the front of the house in a couple of weeks. That's not good, it's not me.
We went to St. Albert for a family reunion on the August long weekend. We stayed in James' trailer in Jeff's driveway for 3 nights. It was generous of them to bring their trailer for us but 3 nights was a little long ... too long for a visit. The reunion itself was pretty good. Marge was stressed and of course Dawn was a stress ball too. There were a lot of people at the reunion ... Marge's extended family, Dawn's extended family, Jared's in-laws and even Betty's mom was there. It was a little disjointed and there seemed to be little family pods, not a real opportunity to mix or meet everyone. I thought it was going to be a Van Dyke family reunion, so it was a little unusual to me. But it was what it was ... what can you do?
I've been less happy, I'm in a funk and can't quite get myself out of it. After work today I took a really long bath and read a book that Catherine (from work) loaned me. It's not the best book but it's something to read. I also had a long nap, or at least attempted to nap, it was really too hot to sleep.
Tomorrow I'm working again at 7:15 and the only good thing about that is the fact that I'm not starting at 6:45. Uncle Wally is also going to come over for supper. That will be nice. We haven't seen Uncle Wally for a while and he's such a great guy.
There is less than one month left this summer and for the life of me, I have to get something going. I have to get some things done and I have to get a little happier.
There are quite a few things I haven't done this summer. My garden has been flattened by a hail storm and I've sort of lost interest in it ... it looks horrible. In fact, I haven't even looked at the garden at the front of the house in a couple of weeks. That's not good, it's not me.
We went to St. Albert for a family reunion on the August long weekend. We stayed in James' trailer in Jeff's driveway for 3 nights. It was generous of them to bring their trailer for us but 3 nights was a little long ... too long for a visit. The reunion itself was pretty good. Marge was stressed and of course Dawn was a stress ball too. There were a lot of people at the reunion ... Marge's extended family, Dawn's extended family, Jared's in-laws and even Betty's mom was there. It was a little disjointed and there seemed to be little family pods, not a real opportunity to mix or meet everyone. I thought it was going to be a Van Dyke family reunion, so it was a little unusual to me. But it was what it was ... what can you do?
I've been less happy, I'm in a funk and can't quite get myself out of it. After work today I took a really long bath and read a book that Catherine (from work) loaned me. It's not the best book but it's something to read. I also had a long nap, or at least attempted to nap, it was really too hot to sleep.
Tomorrow I'm working again at 7:15 and the only good thing about that is the fact that I'm not starting at 6:45. Uncle Wally is also going to come over for supper. That will be nice. We haven't seen Uncle Wally for a while and he's such a great guy.
There is less than one month left this summer and for the life of me, I have to get something going. I have to get some things done and I have to get a little happier.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Summer of Discontent
Well it seems I'm a little more discontent that usual. Usually, I'm not ... now I feel like I am. What's getting to me? It seems like a lot of everything is getting under my skin or making me want to re-evaluate my life.
Just got back from our annual summer vacation to Vancouver Island and although it was nice it wasn't great. What was I expecting? I don't know. What wasn't I expecting? I wasn't expecting to have such a stressful time. Visiting mom was stressful. Getting shit from my family from that visit was awful. Being told what I couldn't buy at the grocery store was stressful. Getting yelled at because Jonathan's stupid I-Phone GPS was a train wreck was stressful. It seemed like I was trying to get away from everyone all the time. I was just trying to find some peace by myself, without them. That itself was stressful.
I know I'm more of an introvert and I gain mental strength from time away from people ... and this vacation made it seem so prominent, it was scary.
We (Jonathan and I) looked at some homes while we were there. I found one that knocked my socks off. It was $580,000.00 and worth every penny. I've saved the real estate information along with the floor plan and once in a while I pick it up and look at it ... just to dream. Not that I don't like my own home. It's fine but that was just perfect ... too perfect.
On Saturday Penny and I do the walk for the Weekend to End Women's Cancers. I don't feel ready. I've done some training walks but not often enough. This evening before supper I went for a walk for just over one hour. It wasn't technically long enough but my feet started hurting so much. I used the stupid expensive runners I bought for one of the previous years and yep, they still hurt like hell. Here's a question ... how the hell can $170.00 runners hurt so much? I know for a fact that I won't be wearing them. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking that maybe, just maybe, this time they would work out. Wrong.
Just got back from our annual summer vacation to Vancouver Island and although it was nice it wasn't great. What was I expecting? I don't know. What wasn't I expecting? I wasn't expecting to have such a stressful time. Visiting mom was stressful. Getting shit from my family from that visit was awful. Being told what I couldn't buy at the grocery store was stressful. Getting yelled at because Jonathan's stupid I-Phone GPS was a train wreck was stressful. It seemed like I was trying to get away from everyone all the time. I was just trying to find some peace by myself, without them. That itself was stressful.
I know I'm more of an introvert and I gain mental strength from time away from people ... and this vacation made it seem so prominent, it was scary.
We (Jonathan and I) looked at some homes while we were there. I found one that knocked my socks off. It was $580,000.00 and worth every penny. I've saved the real estate information along with the floor plan and once in a while I pick it up and look at it ... just to dream. Not that I don't like my own home. It's fine but that was just perfect ... too perfect.
On Saturday Penny and I do the walk for the Weekend to End Women's Cancers. I don't feel ready. I've done some training walks but not often enough. This evening before supper I went for a walk for just over one hour. It wasn't technically long enough but my feet started hurting so much. I used the stupid expensive runners I bought for one of the previous years and yep, they still hurt like hell. Here's a question ... how the hell can $170.00 runners hurt so much? I know for a fact that I won't be wearing them. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking that maybe, just maybe, this time they would work out. Wrong.
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