Friday Fun

It was a nice day today as I had my mom’s company and got three things off my list:)

Exercise:

I only had to do 2.3km to finish my 100km for the month, and I managed to do a little extra with 2.85km. It was nice and cool this morning which definitely helped.

I also got out for a walk around Bert Flynn Park with Sarah and the dogs this afternoon. It was a nice walk, but once again, I couldn’t believe how quiet it was!

Knitting:

I had to undo a row of my knitting and really should do a second one as I had dropped two stitches and had tried to pick them up, but it didn’t work when I went to knit the row. Unfortunately my brother’s house is too dark to unpick stitches at:(

Shopping:

I grabbed my mom and showed her the couches I saw last week. We both agreed that I was right to leave them. We also stopped in at Lee Valley so I could learn how to load staples into my new stapler.

I got Costco for gas as well, but it was painful trying to get through that parking lot! I didn’t even go in for my shrimp plate and bleach.

Eating:

My mom and I also managed to take another restaurant off my list called The Warehouse Cafe. It is an extremely tiny place with wraps, sandwiches and bowls. I had a wrap and a chai latte while my mom had a turkey avocado sandwich. It was good and nice to have real food.

Sightseeing:

As a kid, my family went camping every weekend and many of those weekends were at Rolley Lake. After seeing Bruce’s Market as an adult, I wanted to go see Rolley Lake as an adult too. Since it was raining this morning I figured it was the perfect day to go out as it always rained when we were at this lake. I used to drag my mom on the guided walk around the lake every time we went there camping there so today we walked around the lake again. As a kid it seemed so big and yet today I learned it was only 2.75km. I have to say I’m glad it wasn’t just 1km!

Since we were on such a roll, we stopped at Whonnock Lake as I thought this might be the location for some of the Hallmark movies I’ve seen. I’m not sure it was, but it was still neat to visit. On the drive in we saw three bears! Whonnock Lake is a very small area but has a nice beach area, a beautiful gazebo and an awesome playground. I was really surprised that it was so empty.

Family:

I am dog sitting and house sitting for my brother this weekend. This is my companion for the weekend.

Movies:

I am watching Love and Sunshine and very much enjoying it! A couple of cute men, a super cute dog and a new premise really help this movie:)

I saw The Trouble with Mistletoe advertised and I so want to see it, but can’t figure out how to:(

I’m off to finish my movie.

Have fun!

AJ

Just The Usual

It was just a day of usual items and getting things done.

Exercise:

After quickly tidying my house, I got out for a run that felt significantly better than the past couple of days. I got 4.85km done and only stopped because my runkeeper paused the session without my permission. I only had about 100meters left so it seemed like as good a time as any to stop.

This evening I got out for another run along the River with Dennis because I can’t resist saying yes when it means I can have company on a run. We got exactly 5km in and had a decent pace except for the walk at both river crossings. I definitely wasn’t upset about them though! Dennis is a great running partner as he stayed with me the whole way even though he can go way faster!

Knitting:

Tavia came for her knitting lesson this morning and she learned how to decrease. She’s doing a great job and her dishcloth looks fabulous. She also has a plan for a cape for her cheetah stuffie🤣😀

I have spent lots of time knitting today and am down to just 8 rows of the yoke to do! Maybe I can be done tonight!

Reading:

I finished A Gingerbread Romance by Lacey Baker.

The story of Adam, a baker who is stuck doing basic cookies and donuts and Taylor, an architect longing for home. These two team up to create a life-sized gingerbread house for a city competition. Through the process they find more than the right recipe for gingerbread.

This story was very sweet and realistic. I enjoyed how the plot and pace were both realistic and it would make a great introduction to the Christmas season. I loved hearing of all the Christmas traditions and should have made a list of them all for myself.

The characters were interesting, and while there was a lot of internal dialogue, there was also a lot of growth and self-learning.

If you enjoy the traditions of Christmas this would be a great read for you.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Well I need to get back to knitting.

Have fun!

AJ

A Wednesday Delay

I went out with friends last night, but even with my two hour nap yesterday and being home by ten, I went instantly to sleep.

Exercise:

I got another 4.3km done. I really wish I could just do the whole 16km at one time and be done with it!! That’s not going to happen though so I will keep plugging away with my four kilometers a day.

Teaching:

My nephew and I went in and set up my classroom. I at least have desks out, chairs present, and the coat room unloaded. The rest will have to wait.

I paid him with a Wendy’s lunch and a trip through the new rec centre in town. The rec centre is gorgeous and we both noticed how clean it smelled, but to me it seemed to have a lot of wasted space. For having two rinks, a library and a games room, the place is huge and all hallways.

Knitting:

I unfortunately only got a few rows done because I had the big nap.

Socializing:

I met Cori and Lyndsay for happy hour at a local patio. It was really nice to sit around and gab and catch up. We also checked out the new brewery in town as I had never been there. I’m not a huge drinker, but I like to at least be able to say I’ve been there. The Bakery is definitely fancier than the other breweries we have- booths and a fireplace corner and very bright and open. It was quite nice! We were noticing how dead it was when we got there, but then how busy it got! We also stopped at Twin Sails and again the other two had to drink my cider as it wasn’t sweet enough. The sunset was gorgeous though.

Well I have to get cleaning at Tavia and Cori are coming for a knitting lesson this morning.

Have fun!

AJ

Trivia Tuesday #19

It was a nice day, though once again I lost a big chunk of it to a two hour, unplanned nap.

Medical:

I went first thing this morning and got my bloodwork and ECG done and this evening I learned that I’m disgustingly healthy except I have very low iron. I expect I’ll hear from the doctor sometime.

The technician thanked me for my service when she learned I was a teacher. I’ve always heard people say that to my dad who’s a veteran, but it’s a first for me. It was very sweet of her though!

Exercise:

My 4.3km this morning felt more like 8.6! It was a tough run! I would like to blame it on my sore arm from the blood test, but I know I probably need a day off running. I just need to get 16km done and then I can have a day off.

I got out for a nice walk around the inlet this afternoon. I couldn’t believe how busy the trail was at 3:30pm

Eating:

My running buddy Dennis goes out for breakfast every Saturday and he alternates new places with his favourite, The Big Flat Pancake. After hearing about this place for two years, I decided I had to check it out! Brenda and I went for lunch today and I had salmon and eggs which came with hash browns, fruit salad and toast. It was good, but I wouldn’t say it was anything out of this world! We decided we might have to try it again and order what he orders. I was just happy they had gluten free bread and pancake options.

Knitting:

I am continuing to make progress with the yoke of my sweater. I sure hope this sweater fits me!

Trivia:

There were just three of us tonight, but we had help from the table next door. We knew:

What is the name of Will Smith’s character on Fresh Prince?

Will Smith

Who was the half blood prince in Harry Potter?

Severus Snape

Who played their entire MLB career for New York?

Mickey Mantle

Who is the Coquitlam lacrosse team?

Adanacs

Which two entertainers had the wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl?

Janet Jackson & Justin Timberlake

What is the punctuation of three dots called?

Ellipsis

Who was the lead singer for Van Halen?

David Lee Roth

which country did Genghis Khan come from?

Mongolia

What does the C stand for in Mel C?

Chisholm

Which Great Lake has no Canadian border?

Lake Michigan

Which actor has played James Bond the most?

Roger Moore

Who was the first billionaire author?

JK Rowling

What are the words of Jessie’s Girl?

Jessie’s got himself a girl and I wanna make her mine

Well that’s it for me!

Have fun!

AJ

The Start of the End

It’s tough to block the fact that this is my last week of holidays. I wonder how time can go they fast!

Exercise:

I got out for a run this morning even though I really didn’t want to. It’s funny that my fastest time was when I was coming uphill🤣. At least that’s another 4.45km done.

I also got out for a walk this evening as it was just so beautiful out!

Reading:

I have finished two books this morning.

The first was Say You Still Love Me by KA Tucker.

I liked many things about this book:

– the way the book flip flops between camp thirteen years ago and the present day

– the very interesting characters who portray a ton of growth throughout the book

– that the lead female is a high powered CEO and the male is a security officer

– the plot twists and turns that I didn’t see coming

– the reconciliation between characters

– the realism of the plot and how it doesn’t skirt the fact that actions have consequences

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for n honest opinion

The second was The Governess Game by Tessa Dare. This is the second book in her Girl Meets Duke Series. It was good and humorous, but just not as good or as funny as the first in the series.

Medical:

It’s amazing how quickly you get into see a doctor when you mention fainting. I didn’t think it was a huge problem, but my mom pointed out that most people go their whole lives without fainting.

The doctor said I should have gone to the hospital as it would have been easier to find the problem at the time. Instead, I will now start an endless round of tests to try and find out what happened.

Socializing:

I met up with my friend Michelle, Life of a Canadian Girl on WordPress. She has had some amazing adventures this summer and it was so great to catch up on them:). I will love having her back as she’s always up for things:)

Knitting:

I have managed to make more progress on the sweater yoke and would like to continue to get a bit further tonight:)

Have fun!

AJ

Woah 3 In A Row

It was a busier day than I was expecting!

Exercise:

I met up with the usual group for my Sunday morning run. It’s great to have Dennis back running though he’s already back to being way faster than me! He’s also back to running with the cyclists that go by🤣. He was a sweetie though and kept checking to make sure that I was feeling okay. We got 6.1km in which really helped my yearly goal. I was super slow to start and didn’t really feel like I had any energy, but I got it done:)

Socializing:

After a coffee, a nap and a shower, my friend Anna texted that she was in my neighborhood so I met up with her and the boys for a quick walk. Gosh I love those boys- they’re just so cute. It’s even better now that they aren’t shy around me. I’m hoping for one more meetup before school goes back in!

Shopping:

From there I had arranged to meet my friend Emily for some furniture shopping. I’m still looking for a couch and she has just bought a house and will need lots more furniture. It actually turned out to be a great way to catch up!

Podcast:

I actually had three rows of knitting that were simple enough I got to listen to a podcast. I’ve been enjoying listening to The Relentless Knitter. They are two women who live in the Okanagan which is about four hours from me, so it’s neat to hear them talk about places that I know:)

Knitting:

I am officially halfway done the yoke of this sweater and while I am still having to count out loud, it does seem more intuitive now and I’m enjoying it. It’s kind of nice to have a bit of a challenge for a change:)

Reading:

I am super close to being done a book, but probably not until I crawl into bed. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.

Well I guess that’s it for me.

Have fun!

AJ

Trying to Give Back

It was a great day with one small problem.

Community:

This morning I headed off to meet up with Lyndsay and Brady along with her niece and mother in law for The Great Shoreline Cleanup. Since I use the trails so often, I figure I should give back to them. The five of us picked up seven bags of garbage in an hour. The main trail wasn’t bad, it was more where roads ended that were disgustingly dirty:(

Socializing:

I had arranged to meet my friend Melissa this afternoon. I figured she might be going a little crazy by now as she had surgery just over two weeks ago. She’s doing really well and was able to go out for lunch at a really cute cafe. Black Tiger Coffee in Langley has a great menu of drinks and food with lots of gluten free and vegan options- even donuts on Saturdays after 11!

My Mediterranean toast and nutty professor donut were wonderful.

Unfortunately lunch ended with my passing out again. Melissa says one second I was listening and the next my eyes rolled back in my head and I was out. I felt fine pretty quickly, but it was definitely scary (and not just for me), especially as this is the second time it has happened this summer. I guess it’s time for a doctor’s visit.

Exercise:

I finally got out for a run later this evening. I ended up going just to the track so that I was never more than 400 meters from my car, in case I didn’t feel well again. I did end up doing 12 laps which was 5.35km and felt pretty good. I didn’t push the pace and felt fine at the end. I admit it was nice that there were people around and even some of my former students:)

Knitting:

I got a little overly confident and felt like the knitting was going really well today. Then I ended up having to pull out an entire row! Thankfully it was nothing that counting out loud couldn’t help. I have definitely been enjoying this pattern today!

Well I’m off to rest up.

Have fun!

AJ

Calm Before the Storm

I decided I’d better try to have some quiet days as it is getting very close to when I’ll have no chance of that!

Exercise:

After enjoying a cup of tea in bed, I headed out for my run. I got about 4.5km in when the rain started pelting down. All I could do was tuck my phone in my sleeve and head for home as fast as I could. I finished 5.3km and the last kilometer was my fastest by far! I guess it’s time to put my phone in a bag on my runs again.

This evening I finally got back to my weight training as well. I did 3 sets of 12 of the following:

Calf raises, hamstring curls, reverse lunges, squats, deadlift, bridge, sit up, dead bug, chest press, flies, bent over rows, bicep curls, overhead tricep extension, front raise, and shoulder press.

It’s good to finally get back to it and now I just have to make it a habit!

Knitting:

I have spent most of the day in absolute silence working on my knitting. I am loving how the Not a Boring Sweater looks already, but it sure does take concentration and counting.

I am twenty rows into that yoke full of cabling. I think I’ll be thankful for the mindless stockinette when I get there! I am a little worried the sweater is going to be too big for me:(

Eating:

Not a bad day:

Banana with peanut butter and jam

Salmon burger

Blackberries

Carrot, celery, cucumber slices with guacamole and two ham sticks ( no idea, but I found them in my freezer).

Well I’m going to take a break and read or watch a chick flick.

Have fun!

AJ

Better

Thankfully today was much better than yesterday!

Knitting:

Tavia came for another knitting lesson today. She is working on Grandma’s Favourite Dishcloth And has mastered the knit stitch and increasing. Hopefully we’ll get to decreasing next week.

I ripped out the start of my Not a Boring Sweater as I couldn’t find my three missing stitches and have gotten the ribbing done again. We will see if I tackle the cables tonight or not.

It was great to spend time with Cori and Tavia and we had a sushi lunch together after knitting. They unfortunately couldn’t do a poke bowl for me:(

Reading:

I spent a lot of today napping and reading. I finished the book, The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare. I had heard Not Your Mom’s Romance Book Club talking about this book and wanted to read it.

I very much enjoyed this book and found it quite humorous and laughed out loud a few times. I also enjoyed how it was the male lead who had the trouble with being self conscious and how there was minimal drama between the couple. Fair warning though- it’s a steamy read.

Car:

I took my car back to the mechanic today and he hooked it up to the monitor. We were both really happy to see it was just a vacuum hose that hadn’t been reconnected. All the lights went off on my dash and my car ran normally. Yay🎊🎉

Baking:

I tried to make the Sally’s Baking Challenge for August which is a vertical layer cake, but my sponge cake completely fell apart. At this point I took the sponge cake I could save, blackberries and a blackberry sauce and coco whip mixture together into parfait cups and called it trifle. Thankfully Cori sent Tavia and Matthias down to eat two of the servings so I didn’t. They sure do great things for my ego🤣

Exercise:

I did finally get out for a run this evening though I really didn’t want to. My run ended up going better than expected even with having to dodge people in the park! Another 4.8km done towards my yearly goal! I hope I can get another 40km done before the end of the month!

Well I’m going back to my knitting:)

Have fun!

AJ

Ugh Times Two!

My day has some lovely parts, but it also had a couple that just got to me!

Exercise:

After stepping on the scale this morning there was no escaping that I needed to get back to routine. I got out for two short runs today as lately I’ve been finding it mentally easier to do that than go for one long run. I got a total of 6.4km done and it was fast for me. It really helped that it was cool and this evening I purposely pushed myself on the flat parts!

I also got 25 crunches, 25 reverse crunches, 25 bicycles and 25 scissor legs done. Tomorrow I really need to get a weights routine done. I feel like I’ve lost all my muscle!

Knitting:

I got a swatch done for my new project and got my halter top washed and blocked. Unfortunately the red cotton isn’t colour fast:( I tried soaking it in vinegar water, but it doesn’t seem to have made any difference. Anyone have an idea of what I should do? I now have a very pink halter outline on my towel:(

My new project is a test knit for Zanete Knits called Not a Boring Sweater. It was going well, until I just figured out my stitch count is 3 stitches out. I’ll save all that tinking for tomorrow! Ugh!!!

Baking:

I attempted the Sally’s Baking Challenge for August which is a vertical layer cake. It unfortunately turned into trifle as my sponge cake cracked into pieces. Ugh!!! I’m not sure that I’ll try this one again, but we’ll see.

Car:

I had taken my car in to be repaired yesterday and went back today to pick it up. After paying a rather large bill, I only got ten minutes into driving when my dash lights came on again. I called the mechanic when I got home and I’ll take the vehicle back tomorrow so we can see what the dash lights are for:(. Ugh!!!

I think I’m going to go curl up in bed with my book now!

Have fun!

AJ