one month in....

...and I've only had to cheat twice...changed the clock again, 12.22 became 11.22 by the magic of computer science.

It was bitterly cold today, so I stayed home and looked at this lovely view from the living room....

Cheaters never prosper

I am committed to posting  photo every day in this Project 365 adventure - and I had a very busy day, with lots of interesting photo ops, but didn't have my camera with me.  So, here we are at 12.22am technically it's Monday Jan 31, but as I haven't gone to bed, it's still really Jan 30; so I changed the clock on my computer so that I could fool the blog into thinking I met the deadline.

I've still posted every single day!!

However, I only had my ipod with me at choir tonight, hence the poorer than usual quality of photo (sadly you probably didn't notice the difference!)

..and now to sleep.

There won't be any more snow this winter

I LOVE WEEKENDS - but I think I need to get back to work for a rest.

I started the day by clearing the snow from our driveway - there was lots of it.  Then, I had signed up for a 1 mile walk/run with the Calgary Herald Health Club challenge thing.  I THOUGHT this would be relatively easy going, I usually walk more than that almost on a daily basis BUT this 1 mile walk was in a foot of snow, that hadn't been packed or ploughed and it was -17C, so it turned out to be a really good workout.  I didn't even come last!

There were only about 30 people that turned up; even though over 1,000 had signed up, so I felt pretty proud of myself for being there.  This is a photo of most of us at the end...I didn't realize at the time, but I'm standing next to Leslie Horton (from Global News) - she was very amusing.  I also won a free personal trainer session at some gym downtown - not exactly what I call a prize, I was hoping for a box of chocolates.

AFTER the run, I went to pick all the boys up at the airport - first Dad and Boyce...

and then we waited for about an hour for Arlan.  No more peace and quiet at home :(

When I got home, I decided to do the neighbourly thing and clear the snow off of our neighbours driveway because they were away on vacation, and when I finished that I felt bad that I hadn't done the other neighbours driveway, because they were away too.  So I did three, count them, THREE driveways.  After which, we promptly went out and bought a snow blower - hence I can almost guarantee it won't snow for a very long time.

Jackie's last day

Well there are big promises of lots of snow again today, but it managed to hold off long enough for me to go to lunch with Jackie and Karen.  It was Jackie's last day at Flextronics today - she's landed a sweet job in the oil patch.  There are only a few of us left in Calgary now - and my time is almost up, I'm scheduled to leave on April 1. Soon there won't be enough people here to even hold a farewell lunch

We had lunch at the Phoenix Grill in Westhills; quite delightful.

I think I'd like a shelf like this in my basement, I could store all my San Pellegrino on it; perfect

..and yes, the snow has started again - oh joy



how can I diet when I keep going out to dinner?

Dinner tonight with the ladies from Nortel. I don't often get to go to these evenings, but I always enjoy them when I do.  Hopefully less travel going forward so I should get to go more often.

We ate at Chianti's in WillowPark; and they prepared me some grilled chicken and steamed veggies - very nice - we'll see if the scale agrees tomorrow.

L-R:  Sandra Boer; Karen Sonntag; Paddy Cush; Sandra Falconi; Pearl Doerksen; Donni Kolton

OK - I really need to do something about this habit I have of just uploading snapshots.  Karen mentioned this evening that there is a guys at London Drugs in the south that does free photography lessons - I think I should start there.  I need to be better at taking photo's - next week, I promise they will be better :)

It occurs to me that February is going to be a busy month.  I booked all my business travel and it seems I am flying every week....in between the trips I have my first ever half marathon (Feb 12) which I am SO not ready for.  So I decided to start the training - I went for a not-long-enough walk today (6km), I really need to build up my speed or it will take me all day to do the walk/run.

A couple of photo's from the walk...this photo really doesn't show how steep this hill is, it is the worst part of my walk and it comes right at the end after I've walked 5.5km - tomorrow I will thumb a ride up the hill

This photo is of the pond at the 3km mark - very pretty...



I almost had a good photo op this morning,  our neighbour got her car stuck in the snow outside her house, and she knocked on the door for help to move it...so I went out - we pushed and dug for 10 mins, couldn't move it.  So I asked the guy who is working on our basement to help, we continued to dig and push for another 10 mins at which point I realized I should get a photo - so I ran into the house and picked up my camera - and when I came out they had moved the car - I was absolutely no help.  Situation normal

Finally for today, I was trying to work out how to deliver some stuff to my friend (Jenni Heath) in Kansas City, so long story short I'm flying to Kansas City for a few days in between trips to Austin.   So looking forward to seeing Nauvoo and Carthage!

Is there an app for that?

I was up at the crack of dawn...well actually earlier than that...the clock should never say 5 something when you get in the car....there should be some kind of app to stop cars working at that time of morning.

Lately Arlan has been driving himself to the airport for work, but we decided I would take him today because he is arriving back at about the same time as his Dad and Brother on Saturday, so I will pick them all up together.  Just one more week of peace and quiet before everyone is back...I should party every day until then - just because I can.

This is Arlan - catching a way-to-early flight to somewhere.

I see a trend developing

I'm pretty sure that when I finish this diet I will stop taking photo's of food that I can't eat....but I love yorkshire puds and it just ain't fair that I have to cook them and don't get to eat them

I'm hungry

Flashback

34 years ago today, I had just turned 16 and my best friend in high school (Scilla Webb) decided she wanted to go to the "Mormon Church" - but didn't want to go on her own, so she asked if I'd go with her....so I did.

We turned up that Sunday (Jan 23) dressed in jeans and t-shirts to the Conservative hall at the bottom of the high street in Guildford.  There were a bunch of youth in that small group of Saints - and they made us feel so welcome.....I remember looking across the pews and Sharon Hall gave a huge welcoming smile - funny that I remember that detail!  All the youth there that day (Scilla, Sharon, Glenda Longhurst, Wendy Thorogood, Chris Dromey etc etc) made it easy to keep coming back to Church

I am who I am and where I am partly because of my incredible parents and partly because of that day 34 years ago - a day that I will never forget or regret.

I saw the girls at Church today and they reminded me of that day so long ago....if I was 16 now, and came to church - these girls would be good reason to keep coming back.

Nicole Barfus;Jocelyn Leavitt; Kati-Anne Zemp; Kelsea Morrison; Cassidy Nielsen

On that same day in 1977, I was on Radio One's "Quiz Kid '77 - a pop quiz show, mum and dad had taken me to somewhere in Kent for the recording a couple of weeks earlier and it was aired on the evening of Jan 23....I recorded it.  In those days, recording was always done with a tape recorder and microphone, so everyone had to be quiet while the show was on (that was when I told my parents that I'd been to Church in the morning!)  I came fourth in the quiz (out of 4!), but the local newspaper came over to take a photo and run an article - I wonder if that article still exists somewhere.

oh to be 16 again :)

The view from here

I love Saturdays.

I love this view I get when I drive to the stores.....what a beautiful part of the world.

The thing about dieting is.....

...all you see is food.  I went to the movies tonight, went to see The Kings Speech (brilliant movie), but is it really a movie theatre, or is it just an excuse to throw temptation in the face of dieters.

I didn't have my camera with me today, so I used my cell phone...sorry about the quality:

On my way home

It's nice to be heading home today....however, the weather was delightful in California, I will certainly miss that.

SFO....on another beautiful day...

Burberry

I really wanted to buy a scarf, but they were really expensive.  But as Emily spent a fortune on a gorgeous blazer and I splashed a lot less on a long sleeved polo....nice, but not quite as gorgeous!

another day another dinner

this is very hard when I'm on a diet...but I stuck with it....have a look a this delightful display of fruit from the Left Bank restaurant on Santana Row in San Jose.

....we also attended the Singapore vs US basketball match in San Jose....it wasn't a fair game really....

I think I just "got it" with respect to project 365....the photo's are supposed to be - you know- "photographic" - I need to learn more about photography and see if I can get anywhere close to good photo's.  I have only ever taken a handful of really good photo's in my whole life - so I'm thinking I should take a course or two.  Hopefully by the end of the year I might start to take good photo's :)

Nice food, good friends

We had our staff meeting in Milpitas today followed by a delightful meal in the evening.  The only downside is being on this stupid diet - that is such a pain in the neck when faced with a menu full of lovely food.

Anyway - it was still a lovely evening....this is the crowd that I work with:



Jae/Stella/Bev:

Vera/Dennis/Chrissy:

Colm/Tisha

Paul/David/Emily:

Owen (Pauls son)/ Ana/ Denise

Jeff

I should be able to stock-pile these photo's to save me taking photo's for the next 5 days....but I guess that's against the "Project 365" rules!

I got away from the snow!

Another cold day in Calgary - so happy to get on a plane to California. Weather is perfect in San Jose, which is just as well, because I didn't pack a coat!

This is the view of San Francisco from the plane as we were coming in to land.  I really had so much more to say today, but it's late, I'm tired and I'm going to bed!

I saw a light above the brightness of the sun

I actually left the house today...we needed food.  And while I was out I took my new ipod into the apple store to see if they could fix a glitch that it has.....one thing I love about the Apple store is that they replace ipods if there is anything slightly wrong with them...so I got a new ipod today. Lovely. 

I also bought a new hair straightener...geez those are expensive; but I figured I need to look a little better than normal next week because I'll actually see real people face to face instead of just sitting in my home office talking to the computer.  So while I was thinking that, I decided I needed to get a new top for my trip to San Jose,  Arlan came with me and we narrowed it down to 2 tops, I preferred one, he preferred the other and the sales assistant loved them both.  The sales assistant won. (remind me to use that strategy again some time)



Remind me why I moved to Calgary

It was jolly chilly today, -24C, I know that may not seem really cold (if you're a Calgarian), but the windchill took it to the mid -30's.  It had snowed a bit, so I went out to shovel the driveway.  I went out at the same time as our neighbour with the snowblower....he was finished in about 0.3 seconds and I had to do mine in shifts cos my hands were hurting with the cold. It probably only took 30 mins, but it seemed like over an hour

I had to get it done before Arlan came home because his winter coat is warmer than mine....I'm pretty sure he doesn't like me wearing it, so I had to finish before he came home....the heart can't grieve over what the eye doesn't see, as my mum used to say.  I am about 99.99999999% sure that Arlan will never read this blog, so I think my evidence is safe with you.....

...ok, so I don't look great, but heck - who cares at that temperature!!
While I was out, I took the car for a spin to warm it up.  We're parking the cars on the driveway at the moment because the guy working on our basement is using the garage for a workshop.  So I was darned if I was going to brush the snow off the car only to have to shovel it off the drive afterwards - so i backed out blind and then hit the windscreen wipers so that I could see and took the car to Walmart and donated my snow to them....very generous of me.

Is it nearly Spring?

Vague

Just received a belated birthday card from my sister and her family....brilliant...

You can't really see the writing, so indulge me while I recreate it for you...the heading is "Vague" - very appropriate....then the sub headings:

NEVER TOO OLD

Jeni reveals her anti ageing secrets

STYLE AND THE CITY

How to look glamoorous at the office

CONFIDENTIAL

Jeni shows us her make up box. You'll be shocked at what we find!

STRUT YOUR STUFF ON THE RED CARPET!

Win tickets to this years biggest fashion shows:  London, Paris, Calgary

HELLO GORGEOUS - JENI JOHNSON

Living proof that fifty is hotter than ever!

OK...sorry to the rest of you that sent me birthday cards - but this one was the best...possibly the best for the past 50 years!

Apart from working all day today I also made ahead my next 4 days of meals; ..and also about a months worth of chicken stew from the leftovers; I don't even have enough containers to put it all in :(



We almost have a bathroom

We are developing the bathroom in the basement, and the guy cam to get set up today - actually, there are only a few bits and bobs left to do - but I'm always impressed by the amount of gear these guys have...this is my favourite of his toys....

...it looks very dangerous - I think I'll stay out of his way

Can I train for a half marathon sitting at my desk all day?

I spent a ton of time working on a spreadsheet to monitor my weight loss over the year - and I couldn't help thinking it would have been smarter to spend that time at the gym actually getting in shape rather than planning for it....maybe tomorrow I'll have a photo of the gym.....

Before and After

Before....

After

....it's a bit like my life really - middle aged, and falling to pieces; I may not look the same as I did when I was younger, but surely it's the inside that counts :)

Oh they grow up so quickly

The weather outside was frightful - blowing snow; bone chillingly cold - it would have been a good idea to take a photo of that, but honestly, a photo doesn't capture it.

Church was delightful. one of my primary class turned 12 this week and went to Young Womens for the first time....and here she is - off to play with the big girls.  Olivia will still come to my class every Sunday, so we won't miss her too too much!

Kathryn and Clint stayed longer than planned (partly because of the weather and partly because Bethany wasn't feeling great) - so we had some extra grandbaby time; so I was happy for the bad weather!



the morning after the night before

every good party needs a good clean up.....thank goodness that Marianne and others were working hard during the party and thanks to Alyson for staying late to help...and to Clint and Kathryn for staying up till gone midnight cleaning up....then this morning we took the Christmas tree down.  Tradition and superstition would have you believe that if you don't take decorations down by 12th night (Jan 6) - you're in for a year of bad luck....so maybe 2011 won't be so good as ours didn't come down until Jan 8!

...and when the tree comes down, the cleaning up starts all over again!  I'm so glad Clint and Ezra were here to help!

After cleaning up Kathryn and I went and did the days chores (grocery shopping/dry cleaning etc)...and we also went to the Telus Convention Centre so that I could register for the Calgary Herald Health Club challenge - this is basically a weight loss challenge, and the grand prize is a trip for 2 to Maui.  I am on day two of another round of the HCG diet - so I've been eating WAY too much food for the past couple of days and then tomorrow I'll start on the 500 cal a day part of the diet....I am so looking forward to dropping 20lbs!!

We also stopped at Toys R Us to buy a play pen for the kids...I've been meaning to do that for about 2 years!!

Finally this evening I went over to visit Jan Hudson, she just had surgery on Thursday to remove a brain tumour, I didn't think it would be good form to take a photo of her, but her scar is very similar to the one Arlan had on his skull earlier this year.  I must say, Jan looks fabulous - hard to believe she just had major surgery a couple of days ago - she is amazing!!

I think I may have over- done it on the sugar today - I really felt quite light headed driving home in the blowing snow!!

Tomorrow is a whole new day - but for now, I just need my bed!

Probably the best party I have ever had :)

...no seriously, the best party, with the best ever cake and some very awesome friends and way too much food.

The whole reason I arranged a 50th party was because I saw the cake that Natalie made for Loleini's 16th birthday party a couple of months ago and decided that I would like one all to myself!  Hence the party!  Of course I needed help from Alyson, couldn't have done it without her!

Two biggest surprise guests....

Kieran Gunning (He lives in California, I thought he was joking about attending!)
Kathryn and Clint and the kids, I was SO excited that they came from Lethbridge - awesome!

Here is the cake - I had high expectations, and Natalie exceeded them - absolutely amazing!

Thank you everyone that attended and made it such a delightful day!  More photo's to follow but I must go to bed...it's 3am and I'm exhausted

getting ready for the party

I'm so looking forward to the party tomorrow...I spent the evening downloading 70's and 80's BritCom sketches (Monty Python/Morecambe and Wise/2 Ronnies/Not the 9 O'Cock News etc) - I'll have those running on the TV.  Just downloading some nostalgic music....I'm loving this. I don't even mind if no-one shows up, I'll still have a good evening.

Table is almost ready - just need to add food....

I bought some blue eye shadow and false eyelashes....hehehe

Oh, and the photo that I couldn't upload for some reason yesterday...we had the carpets cleaned (not too smart just before we're having a party)  so we had nowhere to sit all evening.

all the furniture was covered with other furniture!

Why can't I upload a photo today? Somethings wrong with the Blogspot page :(

I'M 50 TODAY!!!!

Jan 4

...so why do I still feel like I'm 30? that is until I look in the mirror!  I had a delightful day today..some thoughtful cards and gifts....

.....then lunch with Alyson....



then a couple of hours work...

.....and then dinner with Trina....

 Lots of fun, too much food, lots of chatter with great friends and not enough work.

Does it get any better?

Guilt is a wonderful thing

Project 365

Arlan is away for my birthday tomorrow, and the guilt obviously got to him...he bought me these gorgeous flowers...the photo doesn't do them justice, they are quite delightful.  And as an added benefit I get to go out with the girls on my birthday.  Life is good :)

Project 365

I got this idea from my chum Stella Gosine; the idea is to include a photo EVERY DAY for the whole of 2011...well I'm a day late, but I did take a photo late yesterday, so I guess it counts.

I'm very new to this, so it will likely be rough around the edges for a while.

The photo for yesterday.... this was taken from my living room just after sunset - I never get tired of this view; the mountains aren't too clear at this time of day, but lovely nonetheless, I'm sure I'll post another one on another day!

JANUARY 1st - Happy New Year!!



JANUARY 2nd...Sunday

Got my new primary class today...well, they are the same as last year, with a few additions; not everyone was here today, but this is today's group...

I love these girls - just the best primary class!!