Changes of scenery

This past week has been spent trying to get the remainder of the gorp out of my system. Whatever this "bug" is it sure takes its sweet time leaving.  Going to the gym is just out of the question, people would be running for cover or would ask me to leave or better yet bring in the Department of Health to take me to the sanatorium.  So I've been doing a lot of walking, since I can't get enough air to even try to run....last weekend was spent walking along our beach, it was a gorgeous day!

Beautiful fall splendour at every turn

But I've heard,

Red sky at night, sailor's delight,

Red sky in the morning, sailor's take warning....

yes, we got our first snow fall November 5, 2009

Hopefully I'll be able to get back to the gym soon.

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

Wordless Wednesday

Optical Illusion

A woman just stopped me while I was walking along the hallway at my office, she said WOW, are you ever looking fit.  (Okay, you can stop laughing and rolling on the floor now.)  Instead of what would of have been my usual response of "are you out of your mind?" I just smiled and nodded and said thanks. 

I'm lucky I suppose to surround myself with like minded people who are interested in keeping themselves in some sembalance of fitness, whether they are involved in yoga, running, cycling or swimming (or all of the above).  Compared to other people my age, yes I guess I am in okay shape, as much as I slag myself for being a slug sometimes.  I think to myself how lucky I am to live in a country that embraces fitness, freedom and the rights of women.  I am allowed to walk, run, swim, bike and talk freely.  Fitness is allowed, I am not hidden away nor chastised for being outspoken, single, childless and an individual.

For those many reasons I would like to take a moment to say Thank YOU to the war vets past and present for allowing me this very, oh so precious freedom.  With this week heading towards our National Remembrance Day on November 11th, please take the time to say thanks, wear your poppy proudly and be proud that you live in a free country.  Many, many men and women have made the ultimate sacrific so we could have our freedom.

The poppy is the national symbol of remembrance for the 117,000 men and women who gave their lives during military service around the world.

Give thanks and Remember.

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

Spooky Day ...

It is pounding rain and blacker than the inside of a crow. A very spooky start to All Hallow's Eve day.

Last weekend was warm with drizzle, not this heavy rain, so I pulled out the Iron Horse and went riding. I love the mountain bike, it's big, safe and can take me places Ruby just can't.

Saturday was spent riding through our forest trails and along the roads to the beach...it was fantastic....Sunday the I.H. was loaded up on to the bike rack and we headed to Flat Rapids, just outside of Stewartville where I meet up with a couple of friends and we headed to the TCT that would take us to Renfrew. It was VERY windy and cool but that didn't stop us.

Here is some of 30K+ ride in pictures.

Had to do a little trail maintenance along the way.

We rode past swamps and marshes.

Across some pretty interesting bridges.

Some VERY interesting bridges.

and met up with some colourful characters.

Got a group hug while we were at Coco Jarry's

This one's a little too thin for me.

Don't look up,
I SAID DON'T!!!

and then, there he was, sitting alone at the end of the bar with a far away look in his eyes...

my kind of guy, an individual, with a great sense of humour, comfortable with the way he presents himself to the world....now, if he only had a.......Brain!
(Wizard of Oz)

What were YOU thinking???

HAVE A SAFE 
AND 
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

One Lucky Girl

Well what can I say other than life has been VERY busy and I'm one lucky girl too.

Way back in the early fall the ever lovely Marlene who is the creator of Mission to a(nother) Marathon had a random draw for not one, but two Halo Headbands which were being given away.

Well don't I get an email saying I had won a headband, how incredible is that?

Not only did I win a Halo headband, I got to pick which colour I wanted...well, being the matchy matchy dresser I am, (yes I am), I chose red to match my bike Ruby....now I spin in style. Marlene is such a cutie she also threw in a TriBerry GU too. Thanks Marlene and thanks to those at Halo.

I'm also back running, mind you oh.so.slowly and I'm actually enjoying it again. Several weeks ago, after a really nice 10K run, Jen and I went for a cycle along some of the NCC trails, the weather was quite cool, very windy and it started to rain so we only ended up cycling for about 18 - 20K.

After we put the bikes away we decided to go to a cute little restaurant called Lapointe's which is close to Jen's home. It has fantastic seafood and of course adult BEvERages. When we placed our order for lunch, the server said if we ordered either a Moosehead Beer or an AppleCider drink our name would go into the draw for the beer fridge that was displayed at the front of the store...well, okay, don't need to twist my arm so I ordered a Moosehead, put my name on the ballot and didn't think twice about it.

Well, guess what?

I'm now the proud owner of a beer fridge...

Cute huh?

oh, I just want to take a moment to thank those of you who checked in on me during my Hiatus. Thanks!! Thanks too for those who sent me emails and notes on FB. I'm feeling much better now that I'm over my bout of whatever it was. I can't say it was a mild case of H1N1, because I didn't go to the doctor (yea, I'm stubborn like that) but from reading the symptoms and from what I had it was about as close as it gets to it...

So, there you go, I'm back and looking forward to running the 8K Beat Beethoven on Saturday!

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

Wordless Wednesday

Are you for real?

The other day I was talking with my elderly neighbour, we were outside working in the gardens just chatting about this and that and I happened to mention on several occasions what had been going on around the world in blogland. She thinks I'm crazy to be running at my age and always worrying about me out on the bike, (I thought I was the queen of worrying, but no, I believe she's got me beat).

I had mentioned injured runners, cyclist's being hit by cars, several friends who had competed in ultra running events, friends training for Ironman Triathlons, some who had already completed an Iron, friends dealing with elderly parents, babies, engagements and divorces.

Then there are the free give-aways of really awesome items that I had won and people posting cool video's of their home and native land(s).

Nodding her grey haired head, she smiled at me and said, but dear, they are not real.

Huh?

Interesting take on the virtual world that is foreign to someone who has grown up throughout world wars, T.V., telephones, cell phones, aircraft and better cars, but she has not accepted the world of communication via computers.

I've met some of you, we've shared laughs, thoughts, hugs and friendships that have continued on even through our computers. Some of you I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting, but hopefully will one day. You have ALL taught me something, you've shown me parts of the world I would never otherwise get to see, you've taught me new languages, slang and swear words and I got to participate in a running sock review. How great is all of that?!?

You guys are really real to me.

Thanks for the friendship!!

I'm not feeling particularly chatty lately so I'll be taking a little break.

I'll continue to read and catch up with you ~ good luck to all of those competing, cycling, cx-ing and just living life...because,

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily