Always Vacuum Under the Ottoman

Note to self:  always vacuum under the ottoman while vacuuming for a party, because if you don't, inevitably someone will move it in a helpful gesture to accommodate seating for people, only for all the following to be exposed underneath it:  various potato chips, dice, a small lego figure, a marble, a veggie stick, and a barbie shoe.

Winter Scenes

Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding

This book made me laugh.  Bridget is far from perfect, and it's refreshing, okay?  It's hilarious!  It helps all of us not-so-perfect moms out there.



"Just back from canal ride on bike. Went really well until someone threw an egg at me from a bridge. Or maybe it was a bird which went into sudden labour. Will clean off egg, not do Boris Bikes any more and go to Obesity Clinic on bus. At least will be alive and clean when sitting on arse instead of dead and covered in egg.” 
― Helen Fielding, Mad About the Boy

"Suddenly the upstairs window in the house opposite shot open and a pair of Xbox remotes hurtled out, landing with a smash next to the dustbins.

Seconds later, the front door flung open and the bohemian neighbor appeared, dressed in fluffy pink mules, a Victorian nightdress, and a small bowler hat, carrying an armful of laptops, iPads, and iPods. She teetered down the front steps and shoved the electronics in the dustbin, followed by her son and two more boys wailing, “Noooooo! I haven’t finished my leveeeeeeel!”

“Good!” she yelled. “When I signed up for having children, I did NOT sign up to be ruled by a collection of inanimate thin black objects and a gaggle of TECHNO-CRACKHEADS refusing to do anything but stare with jabbing thumbs, while demanding that I SERVICE them like a computer tech crossed with a five-star-hotel concierge. When I didn’t have you, everyone spent their entire time saying I’d change my mind. And guess what? I’ve had you. I’ve brought you up. And I’ve CHANGED MY MIND!”

I stared at her, thinking, “I have to be friends with that woman.”

“Children of your age in India live entirely successfully as street urchins,” she continued. “So you can just sit on that doorstep and instead of putting your ENTIRE BRAINS into getting to the next level on MINECRAFT, you can apply them to CHANGING MY MIND about letting you back in.”

- Helen Fielding, Mad About the Boy

I cannot relate in any way to any of the above.  Not at all.

Ice. It sucks when you're trying to run on it, but it's beautiful in the woods!

I tried to do another Around the Bay training run.  Actually I did two.  Saturday wasn't too bad, but Sunday was downright awful.  I literally could not run on the sidewalk.  I could barely walk on the sidewalk!  It was more like a shuffling, sliding, gingerly picking my way across treacherous ice kind of approach.  Finally I thought, I am training for a race and to do that I actually need to run.  So I ran on the road.  Oh, I know what lots of you smug car drivers thought.  Why is that crazy woman running on the road? Does she want to get killed?! I admit I have thought the same myself.  But if you tried to run on the sidewalks you would understand.  So, please, drivers - cut us crazy runners some slack!

But on another note altogether, the ice, while seriously annoying on sidewalks, is amazingly beautiful elsewhere.

Elton John Live!

Recently I saw Elton John in Hamilton, Ontario.  I really haven't listened to his music in a long time, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to see a music icon.  He didn't disappoint me.  It was a great show visually and acoustically.  He is an unbelievably talented piano player; I am amazed by what he can do on a keyboard.  And the hits!  I forgot so many of the songs he has written.  Going to the concert, I had in my mind 'Crocodile Rock', 'Tiny Dancer', and 'Benny and the Jets'.  I had completely forgotten about one of my all-time favourites: 'Your Song'!  I love Ewan McGregor singing this in Moulin Rouge.  But there was also 'Leave On', 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', 'I'm Still Standing' and 'The One' among many others.  Great concert!

Scenes from a Winter Run

If I had to sum up this winter in one word it would be: icy.  It has been very hard to train for Around the Bay outside.  Tonight I did a training run.  It had to be a long, slow run due to the ice.  But I felt good.  Possibly because I couldn't run fast, but let's not think about that.  My friend and I also ran the dreaded Valley Inn Road hill on the weekend.  We were pleasantly surprised to find out that it wasn't near as steep or as long as many of the hills we run in our usual trail routes. I realize that after 27 K of running, we will still be cursing the hill just as much as I cursed Martin Rd hill after the third time I had to run it during my ultra marathon.  Still...it's nice to dream.

 

'Diagnosis: Children' - Baby Blues Comic Strip

I love this comic!  I can relate to it in so many ways, and it makes me laugh.  It's by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott.

I can't find the one I just read in today's Hamilton Spectator (that darn competency issue), so I'm going to have to quote it.

The mom is at the doctor's office, and she's saying: "I've noticed that I'm cranky more often than I used to be.  I'm not eating very well, I'm sure I don't get enough sleep...plus, I'm anxious, disorganized, and I can't seem to get anything done!"

"Diagnosis: children."

Thank goodness it's not just me!