TGIF

Thank goodness this week is over! The move was crazy, and being sick didn't help. Work was a little nutso too but tonight went well. All machines happy and working = H-woman happy and got to leave a bit early!

Food's been pretty good today:
B: 1/2 cup Fibre One, 1/2 cup 1% moo, 1 cup mixed fruit salad
L: beef sate pho with extra veg and 3 shrimp salad rolls
D: 1/2 cup bulgur, 1 cup chana masala (homemade), 1 TB low fat plain yogurt, cilantro; 1 oz Grizzly gouda and 1 1/2 cups mixed fruit salad

Exercise:
walked home from work (30 min)
does lifting 20 pound bags of lab waste count?

Happy Weekend!

To my former landlord:

Sent by registered mail to my former landlord:

The snow removal crew arrived at 0430h again on Friday, January 23, 2009.

Since you will not resolve this issue to my satisfaction AND you have not responded to any of my voice or email messages since Monday, January 5, 2009, I have vacated the suite therefore terminating our rental agreement.

You will find the apartment cleaned and the keys left under the door. The February rent cheque will clear. Keep the damage deposit.

Mwahahahahah!

A little late...

Natalie's post today reminded me.

My t-shirt from the Underwear Affair last year. I run mostly for my dad.
December 31, 1944 - January 21, 2006



I think this was the proudest day of my dad's life: the day I convocated from the University of Alberta. He cut his comb-over off for me!

I miss you, Daddy.

Happy Dancin'

WI this morning: -1.4!

Take THAT, Team Lean!

Still not feeling great, but I think I'm on the mend. My voice still hasn't returned to its former self which is more than annoying.

Alas, there are a stack of boxes waiting for me to unpack them. A girl at work is moving later this month so she's re-using my boxes and packing paper.

Have a great day!

The aftermath

actually wasn't as bad as I was expecting! The scale is holding steady, so with weigh in one day away, the remnants of last's nights debacle have been either turfed (candy--what was I thinking?) or put in a far away cupboard.

Today's menu:
Breakfast--3/4 cup fibre one, raspberries, 1 cup 1% moo (water to drink)
Lunch--TBD (breakfast is late so I'll have something just before work)

Update: Lunch was 1/2c bulgar with 1 cup of homemade channa masala (chickpea, tomato and onion curry). Added a dollop of plain, low fat yogurt and cilantro. Tres yummy! And more water, too.

Dinner--chicken chili, apple with Grizzly aged gouda

There will be a tall non-fat chai in there too. I'm sans microwave at the moment and I'm not sure I'll be ambitious enough to make my own on the stove.

It's gorgeous outside so I'm going to love the walk to work! Have a great day!

There was some carnage

that involved wavy lays and onion chip dip. And some Swedish berries (and I don't even like candy that much). Oy vey. When will I learn to go to bed when I'm tired instead of eating?

H-Net is BACK!

I was a little worried about getting my wireless set up again after the move, but my techno guru, Sue, assured me that it should be just fine (and she was only a phone call away, should I require her assistance). And know what? It was! The cable chick (yep, chick, not guy! Go girl!) plugged 'er all in and I'm now back in business. I've got a new number, a new couch (I LOVE IKEA) and a new fireplace. Well, the couch isn't new, but the new slipcover sure makes it look like a new couch!

Feeling a little better, but not much. I'm tired and don't feel like to going to work, but I will make appearance, nonetheless.

What's new with all of you?

Have I mentioned I LOVE my new house?!

I hate being sick

I woke up this morning with NO voice. Even the sexy raspy one is gone. My throat still hurts along with every other muscle and fibre in my body. I didn't go to work and while I feel bad about that, I also know that I would not have been functioning at my best (or anywhere near it) and when I have over a thousand samples to test on VERY expensive equipment, I need to be functioning at a much higher level than I am this morning.

The scale is showing good things...I'm back into the 170's (by more than an ounce or two) for the first time in months and I intend to keep the numbers going down. Moving will NOT be an excuse to eat junk.

Nerm is kind of freaked out by all the boxes (when she's not consumed by her innate feline curiosity) so she's been pretty snuggly. That's OK by me, since she's not usually a cuddly cat. I can't wait to see her reaction to the new house. There are huge windows with windowsills for her to sit and catch the sun beams and watch birdies and a long hallway for her to bat her toys down.

Anyways, hope you've all had a great weekend. Next post will be from the new house!

Ugh

I have no voice--it's a raspy, scratchy version of it's former self. I went to work, did what I could and then left early. Sundays are always busier than Saturdays, so I told them (in said raspy, scratchy voice) that if they wanted me to be there tomorrow, I should go home. So they said yes! Good thing, too, because there's no one on call tomorrow.

The house is pretty much all packed! Mail has been forwarded, power switched, internet and phone arranged (complete with new, unlisted phone number in case my current (very dumb) landlord thought to look up my name in the phone book). Walk through tomorrow after work, movers arrive at 9 on Monday. Whoo hoo!!

Food has been kind of erratic of late. BUT I did out-do myself the other day:

Crockpot chicken taco soup
In the bottom of the crock pot:
chopped celery
chopped onion
chopped red/yellow/orange pepper
frozen corn

Lay a chicken breast with back attached on top (I used one from costco that was a chili chicken, but I have faith that you could use a plain one with equally fabulous results).

Sprinkle a package of taco seasoning on top of the bird (I used a PC Blue Menu less sodium-medium heat).

Add:
Can of baked beans in tomato sauce
Can of drained, rinsed black eyed peas (or whatever kind you've got)
A 28 oz can of diced tomatoes

Cook on low all day. Take the chicken off the bone and shred. Add back to the soup. Serve with fresh cilantro. OH MY FREAKING GOD is this GOOD!

Enjoy!
H =)

Last time...

I'm going to be awakened at 0430h! I'll give the guys this, though. They are consistent.

Three more sleeps and I'll be in my new house. Where they don't bring out the snowblower at unreasonable hours!

Down 1.4 this week. When will I learn that to be successful at this I need to track every morsel I put in my mouth? You'd think I'd know that after 5 years of Weight Watchers!

Happy Friday!
H =)

H-woman hangs her head...

in shame. I've been a bad blogger. I apologize.

Packing is in progress and going well. Can't wait to get into the new digs!

Exercise has been pretty much non-existent and to top things off, I woke up yesterday with a sore throat. It's still there today. This does not bode well for the weekend. Good thing it's noodle night. Nothing a little beef sate pho can't fix!

H =)

AWOL

Sorry--I've been crazy busy lately. And apparently I am now moving on Monday (provided I can get a mover)! WHOO HOOO! No more 4 a.m. wake up calls.

Eating's been meh, but the scale is still showing good progress. Hope all is well in your blogospheres...I'll try and keep you posted from my end.

H =)

TGIF

Well, I was up at 4:30 this morning but this time it was of my own doing. I've got a cab coming to fetch me in ten minutes to take me to the bus. I'll be riding the ol' grey dog to Red Deer, Mom's picking me up and then we're off to Sylvan Lake to see my doc. Yes, I travel 2 hours to see my GP. She is well worth the early wake up call, however!

Anyhoo, I'm sure there will be a visit with my cousin, Clara (she's 90 and the most amazing woman I know) and then off to see Eron, lawyer cousin. And then home, sweet home. Mom's coming back with me and we're going to clean in preparation of moving (J'espère!).

I'd better go brush my teeth.

Oh yah--official BLBE WI yesterday: -2.6 my friends!

sigh

Thank goodness I went to bed early last night! Now, call me crazy, but with a forecasted high of 10C today and a crew coming to clean the parking lot between 8 & 4, you'd THINK I'd be able to sleep past 4:30, wouldn't chya? NOPE.

Sent yet another email to my landlord to add to my pile to take to the lawyer tomorrow. I really don't want to move but this has gone on for way too long with what looks like no resolution in sight. Arrrgh.

So, since I'm up, I'll do a little yoga before I hit the shower.

All Bran vs Fibre One

I am an All Bran girl, I admit it. But today as I was waiting for my prescription to be filled, I compared to Fibre One. Hmmmm...All Bran has sugar (ingredient #2!) WTF? Fibre One has sucralose...but further down the list. So I'm going to try and make the Hershey's Fibre One stacks and see what I think.

Any opinions?

H =)

Arrrrgh

OK, I'm sick of waking up each morning thinking my head is going to explode! Add to this my manager's ridiculous rule that we have to call him when we're sick. But not before 6 a.m. OK, dude, I get that you want us to call, but when I'm scheduled to be at work at 6 or 6:30 (like today), I know by FIVE that I'm not well enough to come in. So I laid in bed, in the dark and quiet, praying that the uber strong Advil would kick in for an hour before I could call in, and surrender to the sleep god. Oh well. Feeling slightly better, but I'm heading to the drugstore for some more Advil!

On a good note, I saw a FABULOUS number on the scale this morning which will keep me OP all day!! Can't wait for WI tomorrow morning.

Go A-team!!

Tuesday's thoughts

So did you know how many points a gingersnap from S'bucks is? NINE. Yes, that's right, my friends. 400 calories, 11 grams of fat and 1 gram of fibre. WTF? Guess what's in my oven now? Homemade ones. That will taste 100X better than theirs, I'm sure.

I also made a HUGE batch of soup tonight. This concoction is a take off a recipe I found in a Bush's beans ad (the BEST baked beans EVER. Seriously. I've only ever seen them in the States. The border guards think I'm nuts when all I claim is beans.).

Italian sausage (vension)
onion
celery
tomato paste
red & yellow pepper
diced tomatoes
can of chickpeas and kidney beans
zuke
spinach
rotini (I didn't have bow ties)

To serve: top it all off with a bit of pesto and parmesan.

OMIGOD, I have outdone myself. Again. =P

No gym for me today--still have remnants of migraine from yesterday. Nothing a few extra strength Advil and some time on the yoga mat won't take care of.

Happy Tuesday!

Whoo hoo!

I am wearing (comfortably) a pair of jeans I haven't been able to get into for months!

Who knew this OP thing would work? Oh yeah, I've known it for years, I just don't always do it!

Have a great day!

H =)

Nerm

Snapped a few pics of my girl while I was layin' on the couch.


Yoga Nerm


What?!


Going to hit the shower and see how I'm feeling. Hopefully well enough to go to French.

H =)

ugh

Woke up feeling like crap. Still don't feel too hot. Must be better for French at 5:30...going back to bed.

H =(

Ready to call it a day...

OK, so I've made steel cut oats for breakfast (cooked with milk, almond butter and honey), applesauce to go with the yogurt and All bran for a snack and cooked an Italian venison sausage to go in the last of the soup.

While I type, I've got spinach bean burritos baking (weight watcher tortillas, 3 cups cooked spinach, 1 can drained kidney beans, 1 small jar of chunky salsa, 1 can fat free refried beans with chiles, and 100 g of light cheddar shredded). I mixed the beans and spinach and 3/4 of the salsa in a bowl, divided up among 8 tortillas, sprinkled a bit of cheese, rolled 'em up. Put 'em in a baking pan. Topped with rest of salsa and cheese. Works out to 4 points a tortilla. Mmmm...good lunches this week!

I'm going to shut down the kitchen, hit the yoga mat for a bit and am aiming to be in bed by 9 for a kip.

'Night,
H =)

Too weird....

OK, I just popped onto the POF site since I haven't been there for awhile. Found my boss. W-E-I-R-D. (Even weirder since we went to school together and he used to date my friend.)

Just sayin'...

Awesome 10K!

I'm back from my run and the market. What a fabulous day!

Now I just need to get my list and head over to Safeway for the things I couldn't get at the market. Then the huge pile of laundry will become smaller (it must--I have no clean clothes for work tomorrow), I may have a quick nap and then I'll watch Corrie.

It's all good, my friends. =)

I Heart Sundays

Good morning! Sunday is my favourite day of the week! I get a long run, coffee and a trip to the Farmer's Market! After all of that I can come home and watch 2.5 hours of Coronation Street that I've taped and fast forward through the commercials. Really, what's not to love?!

I've got a grocery list made and I think I'll need to do a little bit of prep today so that I've got grab and go lunches and dinners for the week.

I'm off to get ready for 10K! I'll check back later.

H =)

OMG, I ROCK!

I just made the most amazing soup! The last time I made 0 point soup, I needed to kick it up a notch or two and got a little carried away with the tabasco. Aliquoted it out and stuck it in the freezer. So today I was getting a little peckish and thought...hmmmm...sliced the Italian vension sausage length-wise and pierced with fork. Baked in toaster oven at 400F. Thawed container of soup and added 1/4 cup orzo. Cut up one sausage, poured soup over.

WOWSERS, I'm a good cooker!

Day of rest...

Hello!

My scale is showing good progress this week. It's amazing how it'll do that when you track what you eat, exercise, drink water and have some support (meetings/friends). Add a healthy yoga and meditation practice into that, and I'm going for goal, baby! I'm with Oprah, you have to take care of your whole body to sustain the lifestyle changes.

This morning I met my girls for our weekly coffee (my first WW meeting got cancelled, but a few of us still meet every Saturday morning, same time as our meeting but a much more comfortable venue). We didn't go for our walk because C. & E. were both feeling under the weather. The other C. and I walked there, did a long loop and then headed home. My heart rate monitor says I was in the zone for just over 2 hours. I'll take it!

Stopped at the local meat market and picked up some homemade perogies, fabulous bacon and some venison Italian sausage. Tomorrow we're heading to the Farmer's Market after we run, so I'll get my fresh stuff there. I may have to go to Safeway or venture over to the Co-op and get some canned stuff, though.

I also popped into Shopper's Drug Mart and got a pumice stone. I think that if I'm heading back to the pool, I should give myself a pedicure. I have ugly, dry, runner's feet. I'm the first to admit it. Since the boy is sick, I may as well wash my hair and give myself cute toe nails!

Picked up a few magazines, too, so the rest of the day involves dishes, laundry, magazines, a lesson (or two) of review in French and a yoga practice. It's a good day to rest!

Mwahahahah!

OK, so I will very likely burn in a firey hell, but I don't care!

The bylaw officer called me and told me that since the complaint hasn't come from someone who lives outside of the residence, she can't enforce anything. She was going to call the property management company and talk to them, though. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

So why will I burn in hell, you ask? I e-mailed the guys who run the B&B across the street. "If the noise from our snow removal crew (that arrives at 4:30 a.m.) disturbs you or your guests, please contact Bylaw at 3-1-1. Apparently the noise complaint holds more weight if it comes from a neighbour rather than a resident."

I hope they call!

Anyways, made it to the gym and am now reading the new issue of 'Fitness'.

Happy Friday!

Good News Friday

Where to begin?

1. I've made an appointment with my cousin (who also happens to be a lawyer) to have him write a nice legal letter to my landlord regarding my peaceful enjoyment of the premises being significantly disturbed. I'm hoping he'll use the words "cease and desist"! I don't want to have to break my lease, but I also cannot continue to be awakened at 4:30 a.m. all winter. A tired and cranky H-woman is not pretty. 'Nuff said.

2. I've checked out other places to live in my 'hood and while they are all more expensive ($250-400/month) they are all Nermal-friendly and within walking distance to work. And bigger, too! What's a couple hundred bucks?

3. My cousins (sister of lawyer mentioned above and her hubby) and I are going back to the pool for aquasize! When I first moved to Calgary, we went twice a week for almost two years. So we're heading back. I'm not sure how it's going to work, since it's going to be Monday and Wednesdays after French class. They could be really long days. Guess I'll have to nap after work...either way, I'm committing to at least once a week, but ideally twice.

4. I got a cheque for the duty I had to pay on my boots that I sent back. Whoo hoo! It's not much, but hey, every little penny counts.

That's all I've got. I'm going to the gym before the after work crowd gets there and fit in a yoga practice when I get home. And the laundry still isn't done. Too bad!

H =)

This has GOT to stop

So the snow removal company that clears our walks comes anywhere between 4:15 and 4:30. IN THE MORNING! This (a) wakes me up and (b) makes me incredibly tired and cranky and (c) makes my friends tired and cranky because they're tired of me being tired and cranky. The city has a useless noise bylaw. Apparently in the winter the noise doesn't matter. WTF? Good thing I've got a new friend, Will, in my alderman's office who lives in my hood advising me.

I filed an official complaint with bylaw and requested an investigation. This morning I called to update the complaint with today's date and time and Elaine, the lovely city employee who took my call, was a complete cow about it. Look lady, you're working nights but are getting paid to be awake. TODAY IS MY DAY OFF. I'm not going anywhere, I have no reason to be up at this freakishly early hour...AND I'm a morning person! So if I think it's early....

Anywhoo...there's the first of today's random rants (not a rambling).

I'll be back...

New Year, New Look

OK, bear with me as I experiment with layouts. I love the Hawaiian theme--but not sure how easy it is on the eyes to read. Lemme know...

H =)

How the heck

do you change the colour of text part way through a post?

I am an incredibly well read, intelligent woman. A blog will NOT get the best of me!

H =)

STS

I'm good with that! I haven't been counting points, but have been writing it all down.

Got today's yoga in, I'm off to work in an hour and tonight I have the oral exam for my French class (to see which beginner class I need) and WW meeting (and noodles afterwards with the girls).

Have a great day. I love working 4 days a week--today is my Friday!

H =)

Update:
Work was good, someone called in sick so my last 'training' day actually was a full fledged day. It went pretty well! It's pay day, too, so the only things that could've made it better was (a) we got our raise, (b) we got our retro pay, or (c) we got our retention bonus. Oh well, probably next pay period!

Oral exam went...yeah, let's just say it went. It's starting to come back, but man, I felt like an idiot! I am NOT however, in the beginner beginner class. Level A 1.2 pour moi!

Going to sit on my mat for a few minutes I think and then off to WW and NOODLES! I ♥ Thursdays and Vietnam Fortune's beef sate pho with extra veg (seriously, they make the best pho in Calgary).

Au revoir, mes amies!
H =)

Totally forgot to mention...

Team Angie is gonna kick some ass!

H =)

Hump Day

And I'm feelin' it!

Day's been OK so far:

Breakfast:
Squirrelly bread with 1TB PB and 1tsp Blue Menu Twice the Fruit jam
homemade chai with nog

Snack:
1/2 c yogurt, 1/2 c Allbran, 1 cup homemade applesauce
tall non-fat chai

Lunch:
2 homemade cabbage rolls in tomato sauce
1 cup fruit salad

Dinner:
2 homemade cabbage rolls in tomato sauce

Water:
I've downed a litre and a half so far...

H =)

Just give yourself 10 minutes...

That's what they say. 10 minutes and if you're still not feeling the running love, you can call it quits.

Nope. No way. No siree.

23:55, 2.89 km, and 3412 steps later...I do feel better!

GASP!

It's official--I'm a grad school drop out! I decided against continuing my masters through Athabasca. The program wasn't meeting my expectations at all. So instead I'll try my hand at improving my French (heck, any improvement will make it worthwhile).

I didn't go for a run--I can't keep my eyes open. So I'll have a light dinner and get a good night's sleep.

Oh, and I also filed a formal complaint with Bylaw requesting that they investigate the wake up calls by the snow removal company at 4:30 a.m. Fingers crossed!

H =)

Happy Tuesday

Good morning! I've been up since quarter to four--egad!

I've got lunch made and am making a hot brekkie--mmmmm, bacon and egg whites.

Going for a run after work. I'll check in later!
H =)

Today's horoscope

There's nothing you can't accomplish now as long as you can visualize it clearly. So what's the hold up? Start picturing exactly how you'd like your life to be. Your only boundary is the reach of your imagination. Meditate, dream and fantasize.


Om.

I'm off to find my yoga mat!

Namaste, friends.

Monday mutterings and mumblings

Thank God for no overnight snowfall! I stayed up waaaay too late last night reading the book my cousins got me for Christmas, "The Girls of Riyadh." I couldn't put it down!

Work was good, relatively uneventful. Nothing too exciting to report there, except a new yoga studio is opening in the 'hood soon. Might have to go check it out.

Food's been pretty good:
Breakfast:
- 1 squirrelly bread with 1TB PB
- 1 tall non fat, no foam, no H20 chai

Snack
- 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup All Bran, 1 cup fruit salad (homemade)
- 2 cups peppermint tea

Lunch
- 2 cups homemade chicken noodle/veg soup

Dinner
- 1 cup basmati rice, chana masala & aloo ghobi (homemade)

Dessert
- homemade tazo chai with a splash of nog

Sunday LSD

I don't remember how long it's been since I ran. A long time, that's for sure! Thank God Sundays are long and slow, is all I can say. Environment Canada says it's a balmy -11C with no wind out there, so it's perfect running conditions. I'll letchya know how it goes...

I'm baaaaack! Didjya miss me?

Did 8.66 km and spent an 1:20:45h doing it. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

Quite proud of myself for not consuming all 976 calories I burned when we went to S'bucks after. Now I'm having leftovers from last night: basmati rice, chana masala and aloo ghobi. I'm a good cooker, if I do say so myself!!

The rest of my day is going to be pretty laid back: yoga, Coronation Street, laundry and maybe some knitting. And a nap. Definitely a nap!

H =)

Hibernating

Well, we're still stuck in a wind chill deep freeze here (-29C), although it's almost 10 degrees warmer than yesterday. Even so, I'm staying put!

Dinner last night was really good. There were buns (2.5, to be exact) and butter (the daily butter was arugula/pesto...Mmmm), tea with milk and sugar (is there any other way?), along with the clam chowder, Manhattan style, so much healthier than the Boston creamy one I was expecting. The lobster Mac 'n Cheese was quite simply, the best mac and cheese EVER. I got extra broccoli so I felt somewhat virtuous. For dessert I had a mini angel food cake with whipped cream and berries. The consensus was appetizers and mains were fabulous, but the desserts were quite underwhelming.

I finally got to sleep past 0430h today! I got 5 whole hours on top of that! I'm still tired though, so I'm having an easy day. Did a little yoga to wake up and I think I'll spend the rest of the day on the couch, knitting. Such an exciting life I lead. =)

You'll notice a link to the Biggest Loser Blog Edition on the right. That's right, I'm adding an additional layer of accountability. I've been to goal before and stayed...this time I'm not leaving!

I took the online assessment for the Alliance Francaise classes yesterday. I called AU and spoke the graduate student advisor about my concerns and basically got nowhere. So I may become a graduate school drop-out! But really, what's the point if the program isn't meeting my expectations?

I'm not sure I'll be as dedicated about posting food photos as some of you other bloggers, but I can certainly post my menus. I did discover a great new yogurt, though: Astro balkan style vanilla natural yogurt. It's thick and creamy and has a great ingredient list (all pronouncable): skim milk, cream, sugar, skim milk powder, honey, active bacterial culture. For three points per half cup, it's the same as my previous fave, Activia, but without the fructose, gelatin, modified corn starch, artificial flavour, locust bean gum and malic acid.


Today's menu:
Morning hit o' caffeine: homemade Tazo chai with a splash of light eggnog

Lunch (slept through breakfast): homemade kicked up baked beans (1 cup)

Dinner: TBD

Tuesday's Eats

Thought I'd try blogging the food (sorry, no pictures today) and see if that helps keep me accountable.

Breakfast--half a cup of homemade chai (1/4 c 1% moo, 1/4c H20, steeped, 1/2 tsp honey)

Lunch--1 cup of homemade beans (Bush's Boston beans with bacon, onion, red pepper and celery)

Snack--12 almonds

Dinner--Parker House. It's a new restaurant in town and we've heard good things. I'm going to have Clam chowder (it's -37C with the windchill here) and lobster Mac 'n Cheese (it has broccoli in it--I'll ask for extra).

Happy Friday!
H =)

Tuesday mutterings

Well, the day started off not so well. The snow removal company that the condo board has hired likes to clean our sidewalks at 4:30 a.m. My bedroom window is right over the front walk. So four snow shovels and a snowblower were my alarm clock this morning. Did I mention it's my day off?! Arrrgh! My landlord so far has proved to be useless in dealing with issues, so I'm not holding my breath. I am, however, documenting each and every time so that if I do have to break my lease, I have my ass covered.

Carol and I are heading to a noon WI today. My scale shows me down 0.6 which makes me happy. Oh, how I long to see the 170's again! Not long now, my friends. On that note, I should get out of my jammies and prepare to brave the -37C windchill.

I. AM. CANADIAN.

But when did I become such a winter wimp?
H =)

How'd it get to be 2009 already?

Egad! I haven't updated this blog since Thanksgiving. Oops. Time flies!

Well, since then I've started my new job, which is going smashingly well. It's no longer an ordeal to drag my sorry ass out of bed and get to work. I don't bound out of bed each and every morning, but it's more frequent than it has been in almost three years or so!

Usually the New Year is focused solely on resolutions. I also like to acknowledge what I accomplished in the past year. How's this:
1. I ran two of the fastest half marathons of my life this year (Calgary with Donna (2:38:56) and Fun-couver (2:40:56) by myself).
2. I ran 3 half's and 2 10K's this year.
3. I quit a job that I hated!! (maybe this should be number 1)
4. I survived (barely) the loss of my Doodlebug, but in the process gained a loving, playful, highly entertaining Nermal.
5. I'm slowly weaning off of the happy pills.
6. I've got a great network of friends!


What will 2009 bring?
1. A return to my goal weight!
2. I will run Vancouver, the Underwear Affair and Melissa's again. Maybe Okanogan too...
3. I'll continue to embrace the clean eating and 100 mile diet lifestyles.
4. I will continue my education, whether it be my masters (still not sure what to do about that...opinions/advice welcomed) or take French through the Alliance Francaise.
5. Travel...not sure where, not sure when. I've got 365 days to decide.
6. Yoga...daily (or as close to it as possible) and my yoga retreat in May.
7. I will also spend more time in the mountains. Skiing (downhill and x-country) this winter and hiking in the summer.

And with that, I'll end this first day of 2009. Bring it on!