Coulda Woulda Shoulda

For the second time in a week, my vibrating phone has woken me. Those of you who know me, know that I like my sleep and I'm not a great one to wake up. And yes, stop drooling that on Saturdays and Sundays and MY BIRTHDAY I am probably still sleeping at 9am. The perks of being childless and not training for a half marathon. So when the vibration started this morning, this the day of my 34th birthday, I was seriously hoping someone had just done the math wrong with timezones and would quickly hang up. Then I looked who it was. "Mom" flashed back at me. Mom. Can you ever not answer the phone when your mom is calling? It was for my birthday wishes, I figured, and yes also figured she hadn't got the math right. Until, well, until she had other great news. Other great news???? WHAT??? My sister H had gone into labour 7 hours earlier and I was going to have a niece born on my birthday. Now that was news worth waking up for. We giddily spoke about our excite...

My lovely sister C went into labour in the wee hour of Saturday morning, 2 hours before she was headed into the hospital to have labour induced. Nature works in mysterious ways. The expansion of our family tickles me to no end. What was more touching and inspiring was seeing pictures of her 2 and a half year old meet his little brother for the first time. Since I am also 2 and half years older then my sister, the momentousness of this moment is not lost on me. There was a time when my mother, sat on a hospital bed and introduced me to someone that solidfied that I would never be alone again. And I saw that moment today in that picture of my sister introducing her new little boy, LDC, born just before 10am EST on Saturday morning, to her first born MGC, who couldn't stop saying 'I want to hold him'. You're a lucky little boy, LDC. I can't wait to meet you.

This process of revealing is becoming a cathartic way to get the week started right. It's almost like letting a truth out about yourself and watching it float away like a balloon. If it weren't for D, I would be a hoarder. Hands. Down. As previously stated, I've got a little addiction to reality TV. And when I was watching one of the most recent episodes of people who have their homes stacked with stuff, I had an uncomfortable revelation. The 'patient' ie hoarder who we are exploiting as we peer into her life began explaining to the doctor why she did not want to throw a stuffed animal she had gotten for her 13 year old son when he was 2 away. (paraphrased) Patient: This toy brings back good memories Doctor: So, is there another way to honour those memories than keeping the stuffed toy? P: Well, when I look at it, it reminds me of all the times that were good when he was little. D: You'll still have those times. P: Yes but I have a bad memory and ...

D and I recently purchased a couple of used bikes to take advantage of the glorious weather that appears to happen year round this end of the country. I was always a big bike rider when I was younger - I suppose one should use the word 'cyclist' but that sounds a little too advanced for what I'm talking about. Cyclists probably have strategy and stamina and lots of bike bling. Me? I just used to get on my bike and go. During my pre-teens I had the bestest friend ever. L.C. Looking back at those years, L.C and I were inseperable. I was so lucky during that period of my life to have someone who was such a dedicated friend. She made me laugh, always had my back (can you say bullies??) and generally just made my life better. We used to spend weekends listening to 60s music, playing cards and going for bike rides. And we used to relish swearing in her house. Her mom is a fantastically creative person, a piano teacher and someone who didn't let words really affect h...

And then there was 2. That's right, the woman who decided to be a goalie in high school because she HATED RUNNING has now two lovely half marathon medals to her name. That's me, people. Yes, it really is. And you know what? I have to keep looking at this picture to remind myself that it WAS me, it IS me and I am a half marathon runner. It's an intensely humbling and emotionally indescribable feeling to train for, run in and complete a run of that distance. When I set out to do this originally, it was for myself. It was to give myself a challenge. It was because it was something I didn't think I could do. We had just gotten home after being away for over 6 years I was eager to try something that living a nomadic lifestyle does not really allow you to do. Training for a long distance run seems liked one of those things. It was with the encouragement of some good friends that I decided to train for my first 10km. After another couple of 10kms, it was time f...

I had envisioned that I would have written something between the two Monday confessions however with a project wrapping up at work and my half marathon prep, I simply just did not get back to this lovely page until today. And so, in its second installment, I bring you my confession Monday I use a Neti pot to clear out my sinuses and survive allergy season. This isn't necessarily a very evil aspect about  myself, but I guess more revealing and um perhaps a bit embarrassingly personal? For those of you who do not know what  Neti pot is, you are probably wondering why this may be something a bit embarrassing to admit. Here I'll show you: I love in this video how she says it's not that bad. Define BAD. I mean, no there isn't any stinging and yes the 'return' liquid is clear as well but essentially using water to flush out your sinuses is about as, well, awkward as it sounds. But so is flossing but that doesn't mean you don't do it right? An...