Wednesday ...

So it's the Wednesday after the big walk.    Finally my feet are feeling better today.   I'm walking around without too much ouching and limping.    Overall I am in better shape this year than in previous years.    The bottom of my feet are what hurt me this year.   Everything else was just fine, no back problems, no knee or hip problems.   It was really good.

Last night when I went into work everyone was giving me advice on why the bottom of my feet hurt so much and truthfully, I didn't want it.    Why does everyone have to offer advice?    How about saying, "oh too bad" or something like that.   Let's face it, not too many people can walk 60kms in one weekend and not have sore feet.

There were 1,114 walkers this year.  Some of them were one day walkers (wimps) but they didn't say how many walked both days.   In total  $42.7 million were raised.   That's pretty darn good.    Penny and I signed up again.   We signed up after the first day, which is best because if we were to wait until the end of day two we probably wouldn't do it.

I'm less than impressed about how they recognize some people and not others.    Teams get all the applause it seems.  They didn't recognize any individual efforts and that's too bad.    Linda Mickelson, CEO, Alberta Cancer Foundation, is a terrible speaker ... too loud, etc.   And I'm tired of them always applauding Chad ... oh yeah, he is the only one individual they recognize.     But don't get me started on that one!

Things at work at a little more boring lately.   They've decided we can't go on the internet much ... many sites are restricted and just plain off limits.    It makes for a very, very slow night.    Everyone is a little grumpy about it but there is nothing we can do and it just plain sucks.

Oh well, that's it for my Wednesday ramblings.

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.

On Vancouver Island Now

We are on Vancouver Island visiting my mom right now.    This is the first time I've seen her new house and it's okay.   I know she is happy and I guess that's all that matters.     She is most obsessed with what is growing here and for some reason that's all she really talks about.    I think it's weird.   I 'm not having the best visit but to be honest perhaps this is exactly what I thought it would be.    What did Shevaughn say, "don't expect much and then you won't be disappointed."    Oh well.

Jillian's Birthday

Sitting here at my desk again ... Sunday morning ... that came too early.    Working with Diane and Sheila today which should be fine but maybe a little exhausting.   Okay a lot exhausting but what the heck.

I'm as tired as I expected and wondering how the day will play out.   I have a bit to finish up when I get home with Jillian's cake.   The baking is finished but I have to cut up the fruit and make the glaze.   That shouldn't be too bad time-wise.   The sky is filling up with storm clouds and it looks like it's going to rain.   It looks like we will be eating indoors today.    Which makes a little more work for me ... setting the table, getting chairs upstairs, etc., but it will be fine.   Outside is a nicer option only because of Sam and Violet, they can be a real handful at the best of times.    But I'll finish up my day here at work and head back home and just get it all done.    I hope this evening will be a nice one.

Holly's Wedding

Today was a busy day.    I worked this morning at 6:45 which is always hard on me.   Early morning has never been my best time of day.    Today I worked with Donna and Sheila so it was a nice day.    Sometimes I get a strange vibe from my co-workers and today it was a little like that ... hard to pin-point but I felt it all the same.    Not sure who I'll be working with tomorrow but I hope it will be a good day.

Today I finished work at 3:00 and Holly's wedding was at 4:00 in High River.    I got to the wedding location just fine but to be honest I did print a map for myself before I left work (I wasn't going to take any chances).   Shevaughn, Joy and Jodie went to the wedding too.   They arrived after me, which was strange because they weren't working today and were planning to get there much earlier than they did.   The ceremony was really nice.   Both Holly and Jason looked wonderful and both were emotional.   They included Holly's children in the ceremony and I don't think there was a dry eye there, myself included.    

Afterwards we went out for supper in Okotoks.    We went to Original Joe's.   I can't say I had the best time, the food was okay but I felt like I was doing most of the talking and after a while it just gets awkward for me.    I dropped them back off at the community centre for the reception and I went home.

I decided to forgo the reception because I had to get home and prepare for Jillian's birthday BBQ tomorrow.   I made a couple of cakes and made my Greek pasta salad.    I didn't finish making the cakes completely but they are on the counter cooling off and tomorrow they will be ready to finish.     We are having Teresa and Family and Uncle Wally come over and I think that will be nice. 

But right now I am so tired and already I'm not looking forward to the clock ringing at 5:30 in the morning. 

Canada Day

Today is Canada Day and I'm here at work.   Usually I would be sort of "out of sorts" about working when everyone else in my family is enjoying a day off at home.    But not so much today.   Today this place is a refuge from the drama at home.   Drama because Jillian called last night and asked to stay at Chris' sister's place because Chris wanted to have a drink.    I won't lie, I was mad.   She does that because she doesn't want to arrange ahead of time and get shot down by her dad.   So she calls home (late) lets me know what she's planning and then I have to talk to Jonathan about it and then he gets all mad and I get upset.

I'm off today at 3:00pm and I don't think I'm going to go home after work.    I think I may go and see a movie or something.    I'm pretty sure I'm done with this crap ...

Oh yeah, Happy Canada Day.

A Fun Weekend

This weekend was a pretty jam packed weekend of activity.    Yesterday (Saturday) I worked over at FMC/ACH, my least favorite site.    But the day went by so quickly and I really had a good day, even though I did have to do the pager sheet audit.    Yesterday evening I went to Holly's stagette in Okotoks.   It was a good time.   There weren't too many people there so I'm glad I went to show my support etc.

I was lucky enough to have Jonathan drive me there and back.   That meant for the first time in a long, long time I was able to just relax and have a few drinks.     So then I had a lot to drink.   Pretty funny really.    I was pretty plastered to say the least.   Luckily I wasn't the least bit sick or hung over this morning.   how lucky can I get?

This morning I took Jillian and Jacob to the Farmer's Market and we had a little bit of a lunch there that was really good.   We bought a couple of things there too and had an enjoyable time.

Then we went to McKenzie Town and ordered Randy an edible arrangement which they will deliver tomorrow sometime during the day.     Then off to the grocery store to buy a few things for the BBQ.   Uncle Wally came over and we cooked up a storm.   I must say, that was the best dinner in a long time.   Jillian and I made a avocado dip that we tasted at the Farmer's Market.    I think our version was very close ... perhaps not enough onions but very tasty all the same.  

The weather all day was beautiful and we spent all evening outside enjoying it.    Tomorrow will be a little busy but Jillian and I have planned to start the day with a long walk.    I've got to get as much training in as possible.     I think I've started a little late with the training but better late than never.

Tuesday is an awards day at Jacob's school.    He says he is getting an award.   I wonder what it is?    I'm not going to work so I can go to it.     Then school is pretty much over for him.    Jillian is all finished.   She has one or two things to do to get ready for Nursing ... but we still aren't sure if she has been accepted into the program.   It's the waiting and wondering that is really, really tough.    I know it's driving me crazy ... I can just imagine what it is doing to her.