Holes

This weekend I was reminded of the importance of paddling in a group, even if I think the trip is a float. We were paddling the Upper Red Deer as a more advanced group! Always fun paddling when you can play!! We were just a short jaunt from the campsite and I was a bit separated from the group, so I thought I'd pull into an eddy... unfortunately the eddy had a small pour over which formed a hole... Even more unfortunate was that I am out of practice and a terrible hole surfer so after being worked for a bit, and being short of oxygen, I pulled my deck !! HOW EMBARASSING!!! I was pulled down and out of the hole, that surface seemed a long ways off while I was underwater. My boat, shot out of the other side of the hole. All I could think was that I was cold and my breath was short. I swam a bit to shore... then thougth I should grab my boat... then thought no, it's too cold. So I watched my boat float downstream as I got my bearings and swam to shore, pulled myself up on a tree, and started walking down the bank back to camp. Sigh. At least I still had my paddle.

Now you may wonder why didn't I blow a whistle or something? Well... I did... and a whistle only works over a limited distance. My lesson... do not float away from the group... EVER. Please note, I was never in a life threatening situation.

I'm looking forward to going out again and practicing surfing, so next time I won't get worked over again. I am grateful to Brad who remarked that it was a nasty hole. I appreciate the comment. =)

I made it back to camp by hitching a ride with some good samaritan rafters. And even better! Carl and Janet found and recused my boat. HURRAY!!!

Now I'm off to do yoga cause the hole was a little rough on my shoulder.

=) Paddle safe!

Patio

I want to thank Brad, Sarah, Mario, Wendy and Jim for helping with with hauling, spreading and tamping gravel this week for the patio!! =) I have the sand now and nailed down the edging. I'm ready to tamp the sand and lay the paving stones. =)

Though I am still suprised after needing a sledge hammer 5 times in the last couple of years, I still don't own one. The first time I used the back end of an axe... not that effective. The second time, I used a heavy hammer... it worked fairly decently. The third time I used a regular hammer... not that effective. And the last two times I used a large rock and guess what?... I found my makeshift sledgehammer!! =)

No wait... the fourth time I sat on a horizontal 4x4 and sat on a post I was trying to drive into the ground... I have to admit, it worked well, though it was difficult to maintain alignment. =)

Unfortunately I think the consequences of putting my finger under the sledgehammer would be the same as when I put my finger under the rock last night. No bruising yet... actually it doesn't hurt that much today. Same finger that I dropped a tile on three weeks ago. =( Poor thing.

Stay tuned for a picture of the final product =)... where is my camera?!?!

Third Night

I may often wonder why my eating habits are so poor at times... Tonight is the third night in a row that I have overeaten at a restaurant... mostly because they fill my plate fuller than I would I think. Plus I had 1.5 pints of beer and two glasses of wine on Tuesday, a pint of beer last night and half a bottle of wine tonight.

But really, how can I say no to roasted tomato zucchini soup (puree) that is to die for. I can really die happy now after eatig that soup. If I live much longer I will not be happy because I'll need to know how to make it before I die... and make it well.

I feel like I am bigger than my skin. It is not a pleasant feeling. I do not think I'll eat tomorrow. Yes, I'll be at home sometime tomorrow, but that has nothing to do with it!!!

On the bright side I walked into a haircutting coop and got my hair cut today... it's a little shorter than I expected but exactly the length I indicated her to cut. What a wonderful idea, though, a coop. They rent the space but they are their own bosses... I don't know how to cut hair, but I have thought of taking a class... =)... that and a million other things. Anyways, it's a bit of a weird length and I may have to cut it shorter just for fun.

And with this, my drinking is over for two weeks until I travel to... let me check... northern Saskatchewan... but I think I'm going to a dry community so drinking is over for... um... three weeks when I go to Prince Albert... wait... I don't drink in Saskatchewan... I swear I was drinking because of those lawyers peer pressured me!! It wasn't my fault.

Oh right... good news! The maps I made Tuesday night after a night of drinking were fabulous for our morning presentation. =) Wednesday I fell asleep before the end of the second period (ET), but the maps were fabulous! Tonight I may not be able to sleep because of my belly, but really I should be grateful that I have a full tummy. =)

Work in Ottawa

I was really wishing I had my palm with me today to take notes about my evening that I'm about to share with you... I am bound to forget something in my state of mind. =)

So I woke up this morning at 5am to fly to Ottawa. I fell back asleep on the plane before it took off. The very unfortunate part is that I lost my neck pillow on my last trip to Saskatchewan. =( I bought a new one, but it pales in comparison. I will be shopping again and selling this one at our MS garage sale. Thanks to all of you who have donated articles for our sale. =D

Back to work... normally I would not blog about work... I don't think... but tonight I'm sure is set the bar for my week. I arrived in Ottawa to find out they were not discussing anything of interest to me so I worked on other stuff. Then they called to say we are going for drinks... I missed lunch so I'm wondering if drinks is equivalent to supper, so of course I agree. Well I run into the lawyers from the other party downstairs... they are very familiar with dining together and are pleased to see me of course. I'm sure eager to share their food with me - as I have a reputation for picking off other people's plates... and as expected I shared nachos, creme brule, sole, beer, and wine. It's not my fault!!

So we're off to the Royal Oak for drinks, just down the road. Great! Short roll home. I meet up with my party and off we trod. We find the Royal Oak on the corner! WOW!!! Really close. Order beers and then shortly realize there must be another Oak bar cause we're alone. Well there are 3 Royal Oaks on this street within 10 blocks!!! So bottoms up and we trod off up the road to the second Royal Oak. =) Yes in half an hour I drank a pint of beer and I still have to have another drink with the gang... So I am feeling the beer. Oh and I should say, I wanted a local beer... they didn't serve Bass!!! Didn't sell enough they said. So I had a Keith's... I could have been at home!!! We find the rest of the group, I order a half pint and continue to monitor my inside voice gradually increasing to my raucous voice. And my laugh!! Good lord you may have heard it at home in your sitting rooms tonight.

Then we decide we need supper (I definitely need food) so we up and trod back down the street to Don Alfonso's for spanish cuisine. Now it's supper and our group really likes wine with supper... and appetizers... and I like dessert. I have a weird stitch in my side that I hope disappears soon. Last time it came I had overeaten and it lasted for months!!! It is absolutely amazing how we can disagree at the negotiation table, but beer, wine and food makes us the best of buddies. =)

The part I left out is that we started drinks and supper at 5pm-ish... we finished at 10pm-ish and now I have to work. What the heck?!?! I'm partially drunk and really tired and have to finish 3 maps by 7:30 tomorrow morning... I may have to agree with the lawyer... perhaps I should not work right now. But the time zone change tomorrow morning will be rough. I feel some hick ups coming on...

Good night.