Relay for Life

What a wonderful, emotional, inspirational night. Relay for Life is a fundraising event for the Canadian Cancer Society, where groups of people raise money and spend the evening walking around a track. There was over 1300 people there. Over 100 just of survivors. There was food, music, and games all night. Our team alone raised over $1200. What a moment when all the luminaries are light in memory or in honour of those people that have been affected by cancer. Not a dry eye in the house. Just feeling the overwhelming love and support, you couldn't help but feel like anything was possible. I am not sure what the grand total raised was, but last year was over $100,000 and we have more teams this year. I think they said 119 teams or something like that. I can't wait till next year. Of course we weren't prepared for this year. Who knew that it got so cold out during the night, that you could see your own breath. Next time I am bringing a sleeping bad and toque. Unfortunately Mike had to work Saturday morning, so he could only stay until 11pm, but hopefully he will be out there walking the track all night with us next year.

The start of the Cancer Relay

The survivors lap

Team Name

Our Team

Memory luminary of Mike's Mom

Lighting the Candles

The lights are a glow

Our path of luminaries to walk by at night

Hope sign

The team is wearing down

4:00am, only 3 more hours to go

My blistered toe, man my feet hurt!

What an experience. Can't wait till next year!

13 Pet Peeves

Today's subject for my Thursday Thirteen is all about my pet peeves. Everyone has them, and some may not bother others like they do certain people. That is what makes pet peeves fun.

1. People who don't put on the signal lights (oh this one is a big pet peeve)
2. People who don't say "thank you" after placing their order in the drive thru. (even worse are the ones that don't say it at all)
3. Litterbugs. (this has to be one of the worst, not only does it bother people, but it ruins the planet as well)
4. People who blow out their cig smoke as they are walking into a place, right into your face
5. People that ignore their crying, tantum throwing children in a store (does ignoring really make them stop, I don't think so, just makes them louder)
6. People who are cruel to animals (this is more than a pet peeve, it is an all out hatred)
7. Pestimistic people (don't they realize that depressing thought will only bring on depressing thoughts, not to mention they are very draining people)
8. Skinny people that can eat anything they want (this one is pretty self explanatory lol)
9. Getting woke up, only to have the kids ask "are you sleeping Mom" (it has taken some training, but I may have broke them from this habit)
10. People who use fowl language every other word they can (really is it necessary to swear like a sailor, very unattractive)
11. The dizziness feeling when you stand up to fast (we used to take stuff to get this feeling, now I just want it to stop)
12. Whispering (when I hear this, it just makes me more anxious, it is rude to whisper with people around)
13. People who don't appreciate all that they have (be thankful for food and water and room and board, or you could go live in Africa to really learn what you have)

Well here are the first 13 that came to my head. I am sure I could think up some more. But having too many pet peeves, it really a pet peeve.

A New Set of 10's

I am doing really well with my weight loss. I have lost 2 more pounds this week. Putting me at 209 lbs now. Single digits. Only 10 lbs more and I will be under 200 lbs. That will be a great obstacle reached. And will only motivate me that much more to try hard and continue. I can't remember the last time I weighed under 200 lbs. I think atleast 3 or 4 years. So exciting. I am continuing to go to the gym. I really believe I am at that point where you want to go, and are sad when you miss it. I wondered when I would feel those feelings, so it is a surprise that I actually got there. I miss yoga. I keep forgetting to get the yoga cd from Kathie, to do it at home. But I miss the social aspect of going to yoga. I felt more a part of the world when I was out in a group setting. I do need to incorporate more activity into my days though to help the weight come off faster and easier. We try to go for a walk in the evening after the hubby comes home. This is easy to achieve in the nice warm summer days. It is beautiful and refreshing to walk down the main street in town, with all the trees full and lush and all the birds singing. You can't help but feel optomistic with a free mind. All this talk has me ready for a walk tonight. We have been doing 2 miles at a time. Maybe we are ready to up that. Of course our middle point is Timmies, so we reward ourselves with a coffee and a cookie for the walk back. Oh well, I can't wait till next week's weigh in.

My Busy Day

As most of you know, I have a hard time with getting out of the house, out into the real world. And don't even mention having to drive the truck. That puts me into a panic in a flash. Well, none the less, my hubby has a new shift these days. He is working from 7:30am to 8pm everyday. So guess who is left to do the dirty work. A scared, anxious person that hates the public. So today is payday. There are about 6 places that I have to go to today. And in Chatham (fairly big city) for goodness sakes. So I am up with the kids before school, and the whole thought of having to go to town sickens me. So what do I do. I go back to bed and stay there until 11am. Hoping that when I walk out of my bedroom, the plans have changed. But to no avail, I still have all the running around ahead of me. So I bravely get into the truck (which most of you know is a monster big truck) and do my stops here in Ridgetown. There is going to the doctor's office for a script, then to the bank, post office, and Mac's Milk for lottery. Then I realize that I forgot an important piece of paper at home that I need, so I drive back home. Then I go to Timmie's for a much needed coffee. By this time I am already stressed out and I haven't even left town yet. So I drive to Chatham, and try to map out which way I have to go through the town. First stop is the Car Dealership for a part. So all is going pretty good. I get in and out of there with no problem. Next stop is Bank of Montreal. So since I am still on Richmond Dr. There is a bank just up from the car dealership. So I have to wait and turn cross 4 lanes of traffic, and go and park at the bank. I sit in the truck for a few minutes trying to cheer myself on. "You are doing a great job, everything is going well" Now I go into the bank, and if is closed. I am in disbelief. But they closed this branch because I new branch opened in a different place. So out of the bank I go, back on to the busy street, and make my way to where the new branch is. I get to the bank and I am in and out fairly quick. So I am fairly pretty proud of myself by this time. I carry on my way now to Canadian Tire. Well this place always wigs me out for some reason. But I have to pick up something and the sale ends today, so I have no choice. Well of course they don't have what I am there for, so I get a rain check. Yay, I get to come back. I live Canadian Tire and get in the truck to cross the parking lot (where there are alot of people that don't know what they are doing) and go to Zellers. (another place that wigs me out) I glance at all the nice clothes that I want to buy but can't cause I only have money for what I am there for. Underwear, for everyone it seems. So I pick up 3 different packages of underwear and go to the till. And that total nearly floors me. $48, for 3 packages of underwear. I can't believe it, but it is true. So I pay for them, as I see my bank account getting smaller. I then have to cross town and go to a health food store. It is at this time that I realize I don't have my sun glasses. I look all over, and have to come to the sad realization that I have lost my clip on sun glasses. I droop my head in shame at my foolishness. I will have to deal with that another day. So I have to menover(sp?) this big truck into a small nearly full parking lot. I am not so good at parking.....I know you may have thought different but it is true. I can't back up to save my life. Some how I get into a spot and get in and out of the store. I am drained and sweaty and my hands are shaking, and I need to go home. So I drive myself to the Timmie's for another coffee to keep me alert, and I drive up over the curb, monster trucking, which startles me. I am now finished with my work in Chatham. I get to drive home now. But once I get to Ridgetown I have one more stop left at our mechanics. I go in and get our transmission oil and go to pay with debit and guess what. For some reason the machine is not working right now. Weird, it was working a few minutes ago. So I hop back in the truck and drive up town to the bank again, and get some money. Come back to the mechanics and pay my bill. I am now free to go home. I get into our drive way, and stay there for 5 minutes, destressing myself. My busy day is over. And I made it through. But I am not looking forward to the next time, but maybe I will be a little more at ease.

The Month of June

THURSDAY THIRTEEN

Since my birthday is in the month of June, and it is a great month. I decided to list 13 bits of information about June. Enjoy

1. Pearl is one of the Modern June birthstone. 2. The Gemstone Alexandrite is the color changing variety of the mineral Chrysoberyl. The June Birthstone, its color varies from red to green depending upon the light source.

3. Moonstone is one of the modern June birthstones and an accepted gem for the 13th wedding anniversary. 4. June's flower is the rose or honeysuckle.(the rose being my favourite flower)

5. According to the Celtic calendar this is the second month of 'Beltaine', (also Beltane) a time associated with healing, within nature, of the body and of the spirit.

6. June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with a length of 30 days.

7. The month is named after the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and equivalent to the Greek goddess Hera.

8. The first Monday in June is one of the public holidays in the Republic of Ireland; in the Irish Calendar the month is called Meitheamh and is the middle month of the summer season.

9. The solstice called the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere occurs on dates varying from 20 June to 22 June (in UTC). In the pagan wheel of the year the summer solstice is the time of Litha and the winter solstice is that of Yule.

10. June 19th is the birthday of Garfield, a comic strip created by Jim Davis.

11. Mellissa was born on June 5th, this year she celebrated her 37th birthday.

12. Father's Day is celebrated in Belgium on the second Sunday in June. In the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, the Netherlands, Ireland and Canada it is celebrated on the third Sunday in June.

13. O my Luve's like a red, red rose. That's newly sprung in June.- Robert Burns

Happy Birthday to Me

Well today is my birthday. I am 37 years old. I know to most people that doesn't sound too old, but to me it does. When I was younger and would think about people being in their late 30's, I thought they were ancient. Of course my sister will turn 40 this year so I will always be younger than her. But at 37, there is only 3 years left till 40. Am I where I want to be at this point in my life. I think I am. Of course it is changed up a bit. I don't have that great successful career that I thought I would. But I do have a wonderful husband and great kids. So that makes it all worth while. The best part about my birthday is being a Gemini. We are a special breed all to ourselves. But that is what makes us a lively, flighty all over kind of person. So what should be my gift to myself. I am very actively thinking of a new tattoo. Plus I would love to get over to the slots and play for awhile. I also want to have a chemical peel and microdermabrasion down on my face. I am hoping I can get all three things. But they may have to be spaced out. We are having a family day on Sunday to celebrate my birthday, and then dinner out. I can't wait. Well I guess I should go carry on with my day, and wait and see if I feel any different, or just another year older.

Weight Loss Again

Well after more than a month of no activity on the weight journey. I have now had a really good week. I have lost 4 lbs this week. This is wonderful. Only 12 lbs more and I will be under 200 lbs. I can't wait to start seeing more and more change. I have been trying something different this week. I won't say what it is as of yet, but if I continue to see such great results, I may pass on my secret. Lets just keep hoping for more weight to come off. I am excited for next week to come.