my life in bullet points

Another Friday, another good mood! Now if there was only a way to make it last all week... This time, it's a combination of:

- being 1/3 of the way to my weight loss goal already

- the sucessful negotiation of who/when/where we shall spend Thanksgiving & Christmas, with 0 casualties!

- free sushi for lunch (and LOTS of it)

- officially being the teacher's pet in yoga class

- a house inspection & lease signing tomorrow... for the most *perfectest* place, complete with a big deck, trees in the yard, wood burning fireplace and... wait for it... a jetted tub in the master bath!

Oh, and I got these today (in virtual form), from the very friend who let me jump on the trampoline but who is now very very far away. *blows kisses north*

Yes, life is good, and it's progressively getting better :)

HNT - Happy Feet

How long did I long to get the chance to jump on a trampoline? Oh, since about April. Finally, my wish came true thanks to my friend J, at a place she was looking after in Cochrane. Yay!

Sweetest dreams

I'm not quite sure what to attribute this good mood to-

The fact that it's Friday?

That I have made it to day 5 of the cleanse with little or no withdrawl/side effects (save a few strange chocolate/coffee related dreams)?

That the Goddesses are gathering tonight and I may score some new duds?

Or that my honey and I are going to look at a house tomorrow with a HUGE backyard? (We know what THAT means...trampoline!)

Whatever it is, I am enjoying it fully. And the way my jeans are fitting today. It's time for a weekend, and although I will spend it housesitting, it's a lovely house in a funky neighbourhood with a sweet doggie to take for walks along the river. The amazing and diverse music and dvd collection on display in the living room doesn't hurt, either. The class I started last night on Spiritual Economics has already started to shift some of my thinking- I find myself reflecting on the overflowing abundance in my life, and how fortunate I am to be surrounded by it and contributing to it. It's all about the Flow...

Day One

Here we are at Mile Zero. I'm most of the way through the first day of my cleanse, and it's going very well. It's mostly mind over matter, right? I have learned over the years that I have a very strong will and can overcome pretty much any obstacle in order to reach my goals. This is something I have wanted to do for quite awhile now, and it's not like I'm new at or unfamiliar with it. My history of making what some would call 'radical' choices with food started at 14, when I did my first Master Cleanse after reading the book borrowed from Mom. It's also that book which led to my decision to stop eating red meat, when I saw that they had used the word 'flesh' to describe it. Ewww! I finally made the connection about what it was exactly that I was putting into my body. I have stayed off red meat for the most part (exceptions being my Dad's moose sauerbraten on Christmas eve), but eventually ventured back into chicken, fish and dairy.

It will be interesting to see how my body reacts (once I have achieved a clean slate) to different foods. I found a couple of excellent books at the amazing granola-haven place where I purchased my supplies yesterday. It combines yoga postures, breathing excersises and herbal treatments to make it a full body-mind-soul experience. After all, it is a whole shift in lifestyle that is taking place here, and it's nice to have such a comprehensive guide to accompany me through it.

It's funny, the massage therapist who came to our office today (and worked on the lymph nodes in my feet- ooooh yeah) gave me her business card- the name of her company is 'Peace of Mind', and I'm already feeling it!

evacuations hijacking MIA oh my!

The head technology guy came into our area this morning and said very calmly "it has been recommended that we leave the building now".

I had briefly noticed the email that had arrived a few minutes prior from our Admin assistant "the gas smell has been reported..." but it didn't really register as I was engrossed in other things. So we all got our jackets on and out we went, dispersing down the block only to meet up again at the two main coffee shops close by. It's kind of a giddy feeling, to be 'let out' unexpectedly, not sure when and if you may return to your regularly scheduled work day.

I had a similar experience twice this past week with this here blog. As I tried to access it Monday morning, I was greeted with some kind of fanatical religious site, which seemed to have taken over my Sassy little world. I started clicking around, trying to find another way to access it, and found my tension level rising until it bordered on panic... Could it be? All of my posts over the past 2 years (2 years!) just... gone? Disappeared? The situation rectified itself shortly after, and my familiar template popped up again as if nothing had happened.

I'm taking it as a lesson in "you don't know what you've got till it's gone", and a reminder to enjoy what you have, while you have it. I was thankful to return to my desk this morning and resume my day, and I am taking precautions to preserve this tiny slice of the web via professional hosting by the one and only splorp. Thanks, G!

HNT: The teeth

Even Seriouser
Originally uploaded by ssygrl.

Sometimes gummy candy is the *only* way to start your day.

The dive

Last night just before I fell asleep I had a disorientating sensation.
I was perched on a diving board high above a large deep pool.
I could not see the bottom.

My breathing, which had been nice and regular since yoga class earlier that evening became laboured and shallow.
I wanted to curl up in a little ball and sink into the mattress.
I felt the hot tears rolling down my cheeks in the darkness.

Then all at once a feeling of calm washed over me.
I realized, I am not afraid. Of the impact, or whatever this pool may hold. I am old enough, I am strong enough.

I have the tools, the experience, the knowledge, the knowing.
What I bring to this union can only result in success.
And never ending happiness.

And so it is, and so it shall be.

Observations on a Monday Morning

• the louder I turn up the Stereo, the louder the renovation work directly above my head increases
• that's what a pile of tips from running my feet off for three days looks like
• and that's what my feet end up looking like!
• I am a smart smart girl for taking today off both jobs
• Vanilla yogurt, sliced banana, and oatmeal cookie crumbles may be my new fav breakfast
• I may just go back to bed now

before...

Exactly a week tomorrow will begin a 30 day long cleanse, which will (after a two hella week long detox period) rid me of my cravings and establish a new, healthy relationship shall we call it with food.

With assistance from Jayne Says, from an extremely helpful downloadable PDF she posted on www.happy.blogs.com on August 9th. Thanks, J!

Drink Drank Drunk (ready for the weekend?)

How the heck can it be Thursday already? Wow. Well, it's Friday in my mind, a nice short week before I take a few days off for my other job this weekend, watchin' the horsies jump (oh yeah, and servin' some drinks). Unfortunately no Nekkid pic today- we forgot the cameras on our little trip to the mountains last weekend, where copious amounts of brew were drunk straight out of the jug while we enjoyed the temporary invasion of Scots (and bagpipes) to the town.

Last night was another missed photo op, as my housemates and I celebrated the other girl's birthday (once we hunted her down) with her posse of chicks at the Crack. The Crack! How happy was I to return to my old stomping grounds shortly thereafter, where earlier we had left the band as they started their first set. We caught their final one- from "I Will Survive" to a rocked-out version of "Let it Be" with some Police, RHCP and Sublime thrown in for good measure. But it was "Faith" that got me up on the floor shakin' what God gave me. I realized there on the uncrowded dancefloor that I really needed to get out and enjoy the company. Hangin' with the band was a bonus (they're friends of my sis). As were the drinks (my 'usual', poured by the big bear of a bartender with a knowing nod). It felt good to be revisiting my old haunt, finally putting some old memories to rest and creating new ones.

P is for Procrastinate

... or is that Productive?

I'm feeling a bit both, which shouldn't perplex my gemini self. But Unky (or is it Punky now?) doesn't have one for the latter. So I'll teeter on the edge of both.

It has been a magnificent long so far, and I'm only about 1/3 in! I don't often get to have them, actually, as most of my customers wouldn't know what I was talking about if I were to wish them Happy Family/Heritage Day. But this is one holiday we both share, thankfully!

A massage preceded the leisurely walk by the river with my next charge and lovely his owner. There's not a cloud in the sky and I was *suddenly* inspired to take the windex to the living room window.

But now there's nothing in my way of tackling the 5 month old unsorted mail which awaits below...

Happy Labo~u~r Day to y'all, however productively and or not you choose to spend it!

the soccer sister post

Trying not to re-hash the game yesterday evening too too much (we lost, not sure of the score grumble grumble). My sweet bf, roped in once again to play linesman was supporting me from the side of the field. Little does he know that saying "shake it off" after each goal scored against me is about as effective as saying "remember to breathe now" to a woman in labour. Ah, he means well. Poor ref- after more LOUD (oops) grumbles from me stemming from what *I* considered a bad call, I found him in my face. "I have PMS!" I hissed and he backed away slowly, ran up the field and stayed away from me for the rest of the game. HA! Serves him right.

I don't like that I allow myself to get into such a frustrated and grouchy mood. It IS only a game, after all. I don't usually play goal, but for various reasons (we don't have one this season and a calf injury has prevented me from doing much running), I've done it EVERY GAME. It's not all bad- I do enjoy the challenge and the rush when I DO save a goal (no, they don't ALL go in). There's something sweetly satisfying about drop kicking that ball and having it arc up and land somewhere near the centre line. I ended up spending some time with my sis (and teammate) afterwards, helping her fold the mountain of clothes on her bed as she prepared for her trip to a wedding this weekend. I'm so happy and thankful to have such a good relationship with her (it certainly wasn't always that way). We love, encourage, confide in and understand each other, unconditionally. Love you, B.