paddling

Every Wednesday, from 3:15 to 5:15, i go paddling on Sechelt Inlet. I am part of a dragon boat team. I, along with about 15 other women, put on old clothes and hats and sunscreen our noses and take our paddles and glide.
This is my paddle. I hang it outside the door to remind me how amazing it is that i go paddling. On the ocean. With other women.
I have not felt so strong, so fit and so able in my body for two years; since i went to yoga twice a week for that winter. I love how this feels. I don't think I've lost weight, I don't think i look any different. But it feels different, inside.

I think I'm braver.

my purple door

I want to show you my purple door. and the red one too, as they are so close. I went to my sister's place in Calgary just before MOther's day and didn't get to paint, so John painted before he went back up north. When i came home there were the doors in all their colourful glory. I love them. I love the "slap!!" of the screen door when you let it go after pushing it open...

where did May go??

i know where it went.

it went on staying sane. on working hard to battle depression - i'm winning right now.

it went on gardening; i figured out that i only have to do a little bit of a corner of the garden and it will be fine. Look at this; it grew just about overnight. i'm working in that rock area; i pulled a bunch of weeds out and put two pepper plants in that i didn't know what else to do with. There are two irises blooming. the buttercups are fiendish, and lovely but overwhelming. My friend Carol came to pick me up for a wellness seminar one night and we walked thru the garden and she told me what "some people consider weeds" and what are good things to leave. I planted the rosemary and the tomatoes and two of the pepper plants in big planters. I just have to remember to water them!

It went on company; sarah and megs came over for the long weekend, bringing two of megan's friends. we had a great time; the boys struck a tent under the grandfather trees in the east garden and, despite the rain, didn't get but a bit wet. I cooked and cooked, made cookies and biscuits, bbq'd chicken. We played trivial pursuit.

it went on school; three weeks of May were spent learning about small business as the Aspire Self Employment Program. Tomorrow is the last of the three weeks, and from now on it will be a day or three a month. My business plan is due in mid June so i still have lots to do. I've also been working on the managment course and have sent one assignment in and almost finished another one.

It went on taking the bus; i am so bloody tired of taking the bus. I really am. We took the bus into Vancouver to visit Aunt Shirley in the hospital. Amber stayed for the weekend and i came home. I really enjoyed the time alone; i slept and

i read. I am reading a book from one of my favourite authors. It is called "the amateur marriage" and written by Anne Tyler.

I also rode my bike. The first time i rode it i wiped out and scraped my shin up pretty good and bruised my hip. Mostly hurt my pride, tho. I'm pretty nervous about riding it and i think that i should try to find someone who will give Amber and I lessons so we can be more mobile.

you know, reading over What happened to May, i'm not surprised i haven't posted in 3 weeks!

Summer Necklaces

We had great fun at the bead show in Vancouver. We took the 9:15 ferry home which was a half hour late, so we were TIRED when we finally got here. My handbag weighed at least 25 pounds, filled with beads. Sunday mum and I sat at the kitchen table and made things. Here are the three necklaces we made; mum designed one and i strung it, and i designed and made the other two.
It was such fun!

what a week!

I had such a busy week. my folks just left today; Dad painted my new screen door purple. I'll paint the door red, the trim red, and the window of my bedroom is painted brown so i'll paint that too as you can see that from the front of the house. i'm thinking it will look marvelous!
it is a beautiful day today; the sun is shining and i am packing to spend a few days in Calgary with my sister Kari. I'll see my Emily too; but most of all i am happy to be away from John and Amber and to not be in charge of anyone or anything.
Today i heard the official word that i am accepted into the Self Employment Program; when i grow up i will be a property manager. Also i heard that the name i have chosen for my company, Lodgepole Holdings, has been accepted and now i can register that name. I don't really like the "holdings" part but that is the only was i could get the "lodgepole" part.
Mum and I went for a walk along the Davis Bay sea wall yesterday; it started to rain hard and we couldn't even see the small islands let along vancouver island. it was a nice day. We had a good visit but i was glad to see them go. This house is small, and it is a bit of a challenge to have 5 adults here. MOstly it consists of moving one thing to get to another thing, and then moving the first thing to a third location to use the fourth thing, and so on and so on and so on.

knitting doesn't go with paddling...

my arm hurts. i can't paddle today. i knitted alot yesterday, and helped john lift the new washer and dryer out of the back of the truck. i have a shooting pain in my neck, of course my left side as i am left handed. i have phoned the richard the osteopath to see if i can get in for a lymphatic drain massage (it helped SO MUCH 6 weeks ago) or Jodi for a regular massage.
everything is just bumming me out. i feel pretty blue. i can't concentrate on a book, that's why the knitting was so good. i will try beading after another half hour; i'll wait for the ibuprofin to kick in. i'm seeing the therapist this afternoon. i haven't seen her since john was here last as she is not on the bus route.
i can't decide if i should call about my car today. i called on monday and things were the same as they were on friday with the exception of vw tech support being involved. I crashed that car on January 2nd; i had driven it for 3 1/2 months. i have not driven it longer than i have had it. it is very tough to not be bummed about not having my car. i feel very isolated here without it.
i'm off to heat up the magic bag...