Time to Move and Refresh

It has been too long since I blogged but I really want to get back to it.  I know one of the reasons I haven't posted is silly technical difficulties.  So I have shifted Easily Amused over to WordPress.  It works better with my devices. It also gives me a chance to refresh the look.

So come on over!  It is still under construction but if I waited until it felt 'ready', I would never begin.

https://pamiseasilyamused.wordpress.com

See you soon!

November does not suck today

Usually I have a difficult dysfunctional time with November. It is my least favourite month for too many reasons.  However, here I sit with a smile on my face, realizing that I am actually enjoying my day.

Why today does NOT suck, top 10:

10 - I have coffee.  It is the good kind that I brewed a big full pot at home and served it in a big mug, alongside some chocolate.  No day sucks completely when there is coffee and chocolate.

9 - Laura is playing with a friend right now and I am thrilled that they are acting young for their age, imaginations gone wild with dolls and stuffies getting into mischief.  I am loving every moment of this.

8 - It is a school PD day so no rushing around and lots of leisure time for play, lunch, reading, iPading and everything.  So peaceful.

7 - My cat is being cute.


Apparently the dryer rocks right now. It's good to be a cat.

6 - Owen is super-happy that it is Nintendo Day .  He saved up and got a WiiU game he wanted and is over the moon with gaming bliss.  His good mood is contagious.

5 - My grocery store had everything I wanted on sale.  Even pie!

They call this a "pie slice".  I clearly have been cutting my pies wrong all this time. I think I will go back and get a couple more "slices" to go with the coffee... and some antacid for afterward.

4 - There is more brightness everywhere with a few inches of fresh, white snow on the ground.  Grey, rainy November weather sucks the life out of me so I like a bit of snow.

3 - I do not live in Buffalo. 

Poor Upstate New York.  This is not a happy little bit of snow.

2 - November is more than 2/3 done!  I don't like wishing away the time but thanks to some work and some fun distractions, the days are passing quickly.  Christmas-a-rama has hit the stores and I kinda like it.  Early start on Christmas treats and beverages is also helping.  Cheers!

1 - I am grateful for the kindness of friends, family and the odd odd stranger.  Thanks to gym/therapy with Allison, coffee mornings with my husband, silly lunches with my sister and more humourous chatter with my mom, time with friends around a kitchen table with wine flowing freely, cashiers who get my sarcasm and so many other connections this month, I have been recharged.  I  love all the ways these people 'get' me, take me as I am and bring out my best.  I am thankful.

Farewell Isn't Fun

Last night we said farewell to a dear friend who is moving 3000 km away.  I don't know when or if I will see her again in person and it sucks.  I hate this kind of good bye.  There are other dear people to me who are also too far away, some who happen to be celebrating birthdays this week, and I don't know when or if I will be seeing them again either. Each one was such a significant part of my life at one time or another. I can't believe those times are only memories now. 


There is a hollowness that remains when we lose those we care about from our daily lives.  I usually can take it, fill it with distractions of the moment and the joys that are close at hand, but today it aches.  I feel sulky and I don't like missing people.  I want a transporter, or a way to go back in time to re-experience some of the wonderful times in my past with people I miss. 


You would think that by 40-something, I would be over this childishness.  For now, nostalgia is making me blue.  I know that it gets better, today is just a day and all that.  I wouldn't trade a single memory of times with these people to avoid the pain.  All these finished chapters are part of my life story.  It still sucks.  I want it all. 

WW - Dragon boat

Dragon boat race day.  A wonderful experience in so many ways.  Proud to have raised over $500 for charity, tried a new and fabulous sport, enjoyed a beautiful evening sipping craft beer with a fun band and spent time in my own company to take it all in.

Wordless Wednesday - The Tulip Edition

A few pics from the lovely tulippy walk with Allison last week. 

 

 

The End

 

(Note to self - get a new blogging program/  Not being able to edit photos or layout is stupid.)

Random Notes of a Non-Dieter on Detox

I don't diet.  I lack the willpower and organization to make it last beyond a day.  I also am pretty easy going about my body with all it's imperfections that I don't really see the point.  All that being said, this time was different.  I wasn't feeling OK, tight pants aside, I was feeling tired too often, my brain felt foggy and my stomach was upset more than it should be.  Time for change, time for a diet. 

Bookstore wanders led me to this, "The 21 Day Sugar Detox" by Diane Sanfilippo.  Hmmm, this may be do-able.  It is only 3 weeks and the cover is really colourful so I'm sold.  Here is what happened:

• Sugar is out.  That means all forms of sugar, sweeteners, and most fruit too.  That is hard to do!  I read labels like crazy but mostly ended up cooking more from scratch.  A good natural food store is your friend and you find many
• Grains are limited and gluten is out.  This is a big shift from my regular food.  No more toast for breakfast, croissant pick-me-up later in the day.  I did cheat a little here and got some organic, gluten-free, seed based crackers and chips for snacking.   
• Dairy (full fat), eggs and most nuts are in.  There are variations for those who may be sensitive to any of those things.  I brought a variety of nut mixes with me to munch on throughout the day. 
• This diet works because I can have coffee, one of my essential food groups.  It also allows, even encourages healthy types of meats and bacon!  My taste buds don't miss sugar so much when there are other savory flavours to enjoy.
•  You can't have wine.  That sucks.  I cheated on that one too and had a few glasses on weekends. I am a rebel.
• I started cooking like I care again.  New recipes involving a variety of veggies are on the menu.  I tried new things, some that actually worked!  I enjoyed the coconut based things especially.  I tropical holiday in a way.
• You get to eat a lot of food.  I suppose you shouldn't go overboard on portions but you don't really have limits.  I didn't really measure much and I found I started to recognize hunger versus eating for boredom or energy crash pick-me-ups.  I eat more often but less volume of food now. 
•  
• In the end I lost about 10 lbs and couple inches off my waist and an inch off my hips.  I shrunk a pant size and needed to buy a new belt.  A WIN!
• I do have more energy, at least in general between meals.  The fats and proteins that I ate do hold my blood sugar steady and strangely I do not NEED to have a coffee every couple of hours.
• My stomach is behaving so much better.  I won't go into details but you get the picture.
• I think I am thinking more clearly but I'm not sure how you measure that.  I can multi-task better and I haven't lost my keys this week.  Does that count?  I am sleeping alright but not really a change in that for me.  I know I need to get to bed earlier and I drink less coffee. 

So now I am going to keep some of the changes to my diet and toss away some others.  I am reaching for proteins instead of sweets to pick me up.  I will limit some of the treats to smaller portions and less often. 

Overall, it was a good experience, even if my family thinks I am nuts.  Mmmmm... nuts.... trail mix anyone?

And Now For Something Completely Different...

This is what happens when you wander, over-tired, with a 10 year old crafty kid around Michaels...

I was thinking that she shouldn't have all the fun and it has been ages since I've done something that doesn't involve a screen.  Ooooh, pretty cross-stitch!   Easy!  ... Maybe.... Nevermind that I am the anti-perfectionist who throws instructions out the window at the first opportunity, somehow I expect to sew something that doesn't look like splatter paint.  It would be nice if it even looked like the picture on the package.

I am already screwing up. Light blue is not the same as pale blue.  Those pesky threads will not not knot!  I've lost count and made a row of 'Xs' at 21 micro-squares past centre instead of 23 so the whole design is off.  There is no way I'm going back!

Embrace the imperfections, I say.  I like the colours, no matter how the picture turns out.  I am enjoying the change of pace.  It keeps my fingers busy as I watch my hockey team plummet in the standings.  It lets me be creative beside my crafty girl and we giggle together.

It makes me happy.


http://www.deesecret.com/blog/2009/12/07/being-happy/

Tropical Bliss

It was all I could hope for and more.  A week in the Dominican with the people I love, soaking up the sun, turquoise ocean wave jumping, lounging by pools with a rum drink in hand, escaping winter chills, peace.  Pure bliss. 

Senseless

 

This time it is meant quite literally. I've had a stupid head cold for the better part of a week and seem to have blown away my sense of smell. I can't smell a thing. I have experienced this before and I know it will return. Meanwhile I amuse myself reflecting on how my perceptions change without my sniffer functioning. 

I forget how much we rely on the nose working in the background to guide us in the everyday. I can usually tell when dinner is ready or coffee is brewed by the smell. I have to be aware of lighting a candle as I won't have the smokey, waxy smell to remind me to blow it out. Bagels toasting for too long are not noticed and rescued. Is my deodorant working? How bad is my breath? I have no idea, except if people start backing away.

It does have it's advantages. Garbage duty? Bring it on!  Pick me to chop onions or walk through the perfume department without a care in the world.  Hmmm, small comfort really.  I'd rather have the smell most of the time.

Taste has changed too. Aside from the tongue basic senses (sweet, salty, bitter and sour for your science class review), everything tastes much the same. I compliment meals by remarking on the amazing texture. Fine wine subtleties are lost on me so pass the Baby Duck.  No, please don't.  I do have to draw the line somewhere!

I'll be glad to have the sense back to normal.  It's like a dimension in my experiences is missing.  Sometimes we have to lose what we take for granted to recognize how important it is to us.  Perhaps I will splurge on the lotion tissues for the noble nose to show my appreciation.

Time capsule on wheels

It pays to clean out the car. $4.78 to be exact, and the big score - a $20 bill! Now how did I lose that? It probably happened sometime between rushing from the grocery store and picking the kids from school one typical day.

The car is being cleared out of all its treasures because we are trading it in today for a new one. I've had my trusty red Vibe for almost a decade now, driving 190 000 km of local errands and family trips. Along with those adventures comes some of the stuff that gets crammed between the seats or tucked into seat pockets.

Blury picture of car crap

Owen was 5 and Laura was 3 when we got this car. It has seen us through playdates, grandparent visits, cousin farm trips and camping adventures. There have been blizzard rides with windshield wipers batting the snow away as I crept through the drifts as well as make-shift umbrellas under the hatch after a soggy soccer game. Cooling off in it after trips to the beach under the blasting air conditioner vents has helped soothe cranky kids on a July day.

The stash is like a moving time capsule, a memory box of moments in time that this car has seen with us in it. Old maps, seaglass, shells and Solarcaine remind me of our road trip to PEI a few summers ago. Kids music CDs, melted crayons and McDonald's toys tell tales about long rides to visit family and friends. Now why is there a Bismuth pack there? Oh yes... I may have been possibly hung over a bit after a weekend with friends. Brochures and schedules to kid events as I was taxi-mom around town. All pieces of my time with the kids as they grew from toddlers to today.

Zee Vibe in her natural winter habitat

Sure she has her bumps and scratches from her adventures but 'Vibey' never let us down. There have been so many smiles over the miles and endless love in those car seats. May our next car be half as amazing.

 

Thankful

There is this sense of peace you get when you let go of the tension, the weight, the fear you have been carrying, even though you have been in denial that you have been shouldering it. That is how I am feeling now.

Laura had surgery on Friday. It wasn't major, just some adjustments really, to repair the hole in her ear drum and release her tongue-tie. She is fine and is back to her usual self already. I am not surprised. She is a resilient kid, full of a quiet determination that shall serve her well no matter what the obstacle.

The procedures were elective. She could have gone on alright without them. Maybe that's why I was so anxious. It was my call to make. Did I need to put her through this?  A general anesthetic?  A degree of risk?  What if something went wrong?  So I spent much of my Thursday in a bit of a fog, random morbid thoughts of what-ifs and is-this-the last-time-I-get-to worries going through my head.  Reason won over my fears but I carried the weight. 

Friday rolled around and Laura was so good.  Yes, she was anxious at times.  The staff at CHEO are amazing and know all about how to work with kids and their anxious parents.  I love CHEO.  I love her doctor.  The surgery went quickly and well.  I am so thankful.


CHEO Teddy Bear Picnic photo from Citizen
ottawacitizen.com

Dinner fail, again

I opened my fridge, looking for something to will me to make it for dinner tonight.  The fridge is full but there is nothing to eat.  Both a parenting and cooking fail moment.  My random thoughts?

Do potato chips count as a vegetable or grain product?  Why are there chips in the fridge anyway?  I don't even want to know what's in that container at the back.  We did pasta last night so that is out.  Too cold to barbecue something.  Hmmm.  One kid won't eat eggs so an omelet won't work.  Salad, yes!  That's a good idea... in theory... but the lettuce is getting old and I don't do icky lettuce.  Cheese..  Maybe there's something I can do with cheese...  Um, no, not that cheese.  What exactly was I on when I bought buttermilk?  Did I have a Martha moment of baking fantasies at the store?  Seriously! 

On it goes.  I settled for fish and chips with frozen veg.  Thrilling.  They ate it and it wasn't Halloween candy.  So I suppose it isn't a real fail but I need to get some planning and fridge cleaning in this week.  I obviously can't leave dinner to inspiration.  It just doesn't end well. 


This is NOT my fridge... I'm jealous

Wordless Wednesday - Simon's Cat

My cat was 'helping' me write today so I thought this might be appropriate.  Mrrrowww?!

Almost an Amber

The first thing my sister said when I was talking to her on the phone this afternoon was that she was, "MUCH better now that K is home safe."

It turns out that K did not get off her school bus.  No one noticed her get on, including her brothers.  The bus driver hadn't seen her and there were no kids left at school.  Not knowing is so scary.  The wheels went quickly into motion, the school and bus company were doing all the right things.  The oldest brother calmed my sister while younger prayed.

And then it was over.  K had been on the bus, slumped down and involved so deeply in her book that she missed her stop and hadn't noticed people looking for her.  Innocent mistake with serious consequences.

I am processing this whole surreal event now.  I can't quite do it and will not allow the worst to come to mind.  But there is innocence lost.  For K for sure, but for me too.  I always am so optimistic.  I have enough happy endings in my life to believe in the good of people and of the unseen hand making everything work out right.  What if...?  I can't go there.

I know this will effect the way I parent a bit.  I have not focused much attention on those 'street smart' skills for my two, letting them just be kids.  I have issues with some of those messages based on fear, but it is time that I make sure my kids know better how to help themselves and make the good choices.  They deserve that confidence on their way to becoming independent.

That's for tomorrow. Tonight I am so thankful my niece is fine.  Tonight I have a very clear perspective on what matters.  They are so precious.

Seeking Warmth

It's official.  The first flakes of winter are falling, the wind is picking up and it is time to accept that winter is on its way.  Today I am thinking about what is actually nice about the arrival of the season. Top 5 right now?

• Sitting by the fireplace.  It's gas which lacks some of the charm from the wood burning type, but it is convenient and warm.  I put in on most evenings and curl up nearby. 

• Sipping hot coffee.  OK, so I do this year-round but it brings even more comfort in the chilly weather.  The trick is to cut myself off after 5 cups or so, which doesn't always happen.

• Home made squash-apple soup.  Yum!  This stuff warms me inside and out with the flavour and smell.  A definite cold weather staple.

• Fuzzy socks.  My popsicle toes appreciate the comfort and it makes me smile. 

• Warm thoughts of hotter times.  Las Vegas, Caribbean, cottages, summer... plenty of memories to keep me smiling and remembering the times I felt too hot. 

So bring it on winter!  I'm ready for you!  ... sort of.  I'd better find my boots, Where's my toque? Do I really have to shovel that? 

50 Shades of Awesome

And, in case you are wondering, none of them have to do with that 50 shades, at least not on this list.

Last month I slept in a tent in the back yard with my kids, because I promised them that fall camping with the Guides/Scouts was not so bad and we would prove it.  That counts for at least 10 awesome points, right?  Did I mention I even did a fake campfire with real stale marshmallows on the porch.  And that was also the night that the neighbour decided to throw a drunken party on his porch so, yay! Wildlife too!  I slept maybe 2 hours.  Awesome.

I volunteered to help run this pumpkin auction thing to raise money for charity.  I had fun with it last year but sickness, fatigue, technical issues and lack of help had me running ragged this year.  *Sigh* It came, it went, money was raised and I toughed it out.  Awesome.

That same weekend I got to go to Scout camp, luckily only for the day.  I decided that I wasn't up for packing for the overnight and sleeping in freezing weather with a cold.  It rained all day and we hiked.  Owen only melted down twice but he liked it.  Awesome.

There's a whole lot of effort that goes into the things we do for others sometimes.  Sometimes it feels wonderful, like I am getting as much as I give for the time.  And sometimes it sucks, I am drained and I wonder why I bother putting out the effort.  There's no payment for this time and I don't get a badge.  I do get the odd 'thank you' and hugs from the kids but it doesn't always cut it. 

 

So I am getting better at taking time for myself to build up the "Awesome" reserve.  Laughing with friends, seeing an amazing concert with my sister, hiking in the fall leaves and soaking at Le Nordik spa are among the things that I am feeling less guilty about doing.  I need that time.  It matters to me and helps bring balance.  Feeling recharged - Awesome.

My karate kid

She has found something that works so well for her.  I am so happy.  Her confidence is growing and she is proud. My karate kid.

Shifting from "Um?" to "Ohm"

Today I went to yoga class at the gym.  I think the last time I went was sometime in September and then all hell broke loose in life and I forgot to breathe.  I was WAY overdue, just like I'm way overdue to make the schedule that tells me what I should be doing instead of Angry Birds after I drop the kids off at school, but I digress.  Today I pretended Yoga was on my schedule and I went.  And it was good! 

This class was a real yoga class instead of some yoga-fusion-I'm-too-skinny-and-fashionable-to-be-here type class.  I felt like I belonged and I came out stretched and energized.  OK, stretched, energized and a sore hip but that happens when you are about 35-ish, so whatever, wine has helped with that.  Why is it that I just don't do this yoga thing more often?  Where is my willpower?  Along with NaBloPoMo routine, I'm going to try to make the gym & yoga thing a routine.  It helps and I want to feel this good more often. 

Now that the feel good stuff is done, here are some yoga cartoons borrowed from the net:


by Betsy Streeter



by Dan Reynolds



NaBloPoMo - Here we go!

I have stumbled into November and remembered that it is National Blog Posting Month time again. This is when blogger dig into their writing will and post daily on the topic of choice.  Perhaps it is good that it snuck up on me and took me by surprise.  I have no time to fret about it so will just launch in.

What to post today?  How about the traditional kid Halloween pic.  Works for me!  So "Super Mario" (shouting "Here we go!") and "Nice Witch" (she just has too squishy a heart to turn anyone into a toad) are getting set to rake in the Halloween loot. It was fun and I got wine and treats.  The rain held off for the trek so everyone was largely happy. 

WW - The Art of Kitten Tipping

OK, so Wednesdays are supposed to be wordless but I have to share the story behind my silly grin over the kittens....

To say that my sister is outgoing is a big understatement.  She thinks nothing of striking up personal conversations with random strangers and is completely genuine in doing it.  So when we were at a restaurant the other day she struck up a conversation with the handsome waiter.  We were just talking about the mound  of rescued kittens they had inherited and were looking to give away. 

She turns to Dan, the waiter and says, "That was a great meal and would you like a kitten?"  He paused.  It is not likely that every day customers offer kittens for a tip top-up.  He says, "Well, actually, yes.  Does it catch mice?"  The conversation continues. 

Skip ahead and the next day, Dan came to the farm to collect the orange fluff-ball.  (We had forgotten to bring the kittens to the restaurant.)  So is another typical day with my sister and why my life is never dull. The end.