Yoga Weekend #2

Celebrating Lakshmi and Beltane here.

As usual on day shift, I have had 4 hours of sleep. Thank goodness I'm not driving to Golden, I'm catching a ride, so hopefully I can nap a little on the way.

Have a great weekend!

End of Season

Ski season, that is. Yep, I put my skis away. I've got Mondays off but the bus doesn't get me home in time to teach my yoga class, so unless someone's gonna drive out to the mountain and leave early so I can get home to teach, no more skiing this season. I almost cried.

But, my plan for next season: I'm taking holidays from teaching during ski season!! That way I can have 4 days of skiing every other week, plus every Saturday. Season's pass, here I come!

Today was a fabulous day off. Very little on my to-do list was accomplished, but whatever. I went to yoga and had a great practice, then had a great girl talk with my teacher. We talked about men, chocolate, teaching, men, yoga, dating...it was great! I left my house at 8:30 this morning and got home after 2!

Showered and went to meet my yoga sista for tea and a catch up. My cousin and her hubby picked me up for our monthly date. We ate at a new to us place, Koi. New favourite restaurant!! Finished it off with dessert at our fave ice cream place.

Now, I'd better get to bed--I have to be at work at 6 tomorrow (and that's am, not pm--my evening schedule is on hold for two days for training). This weekend is going to be great--another yoga retreat in Golden!

Torn...

On one hand: day off, mid-week, attend yoga class I've already paid for and missed last week, prepare to go to yoga retreat on weekend, recover from cold.

On the other: last day of skiing (for me) this season, base is still over 200cm.

Is it wrong that I think I'm skiing on Wednesday?!

Easter Sunday Reflections

As a kid, we spent every Easter at our friend's place in Eastern Alberta. Our cows were calving and spring was (usually) in the air.

The Easter Bunny always hid jelly beans and eggs (always check your shoes before putting them on) and brought us a chocolate bunny.

The rest of the day was spent like this:



It's a tradition I miss, but that's being carried on. My niece and nephew get a new kite from the Easter bunny, just like we did. Hmmm...how come I bought their kites and forgot mine?

Not a very exciting weekend. I'm still fighting with a cough and congestion, but I'm quite sure I'll live. I'm trying to convince my co-worker that we should go skiing tomorrow as the last day of the season (the mountain doesn't actually close till May long weekend, though!). Went to a house party yesterday (cleverly disguised as a wedding shower) were there was good wine, good food, and good company. I have to work this afternoon so I should go and enjoy the sunshine while I can!

Wacky Wendesday

Not really wacky but I couldn't think of another 'w' word to go with Wednesday.

My napping caught up with me last night. I got a whopping two hours of sleep by 4 a.m., so emailed my yoga teacher to bail on class and took one of the pills I'd rather not be taking to sleep. Ahh, but sleep I did! It's amazing how refreshing a mere 6 hours can be!

I've got my mini air diffuser pumping out "Immune" blend (eucalyptus and more). Nerm's not so sure. I think she likes "stress release" better.

I did some yoga last night (mostly twists to get the lymph moving) and let's just say that down dog was messy. After three sun salutations, I gave up following the online class and just did my own thing!

I'd better get moving--I want to take the long way to work today so I can get some activity of some sort in.

Bah!

The sore throat I've been fighting for the past week morphed into a full blown cold this morning. By Sunday night, I was slightly conjested and bam! this morning, add fever and chills to the mix. No trip to the dentist (for a filling--oh darn) or work for me.

Cuddling with Nerm, hot lemon and honey, a blankie, the fire and a good book (Rice Mother) and I'm set.

Ouch

My legs doth protest! But there was 8cm of snow overnight at Sunshine. The streets in the city look dreadful. There is a slight possibility of not teaching yoga tomorrow night...there could be more skiing in my future!

Jell-o Legs

That's what two days of skiing will getchya. Yesterday's weather was fan-freaking-tastic: sun, occasional flurries, did I mention sun, and no wind up on Goat's Eye.

I practiced some of the black runs I did last weekend and *gasp* even tried a few new ones! Had a small heart attack at lunch when I purchased a small bowl of chili (that comes with a teeny tiny bun) and a bottle of orange juice (I've been fighting a sore throat for days). You want HOW much? Yep, ten bucks. I stopped at Safeway last night and threw together a vat of my own chili while doing laundry for today.

Into the pot:
-an onion
-3 cloves garlic
-pound of lean ground turkey
-1 red, yellow and orange pepper
-1 zuke
-loads of 'shrooms
-can of kernel corn, drained and rinsed
-can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-can of lentils, drained and rinsed
-2 x 28oz cans of whole tomatoes (I rough chopped 'em up)
-package of chili seasoning for the crock pot (I'm out of chili spices and waiting for my Epicure order!)

Hey, for six bucks, I'll share some with you, and lemme tell ya, it's better than what you get on the hill!

Today I met up with my new skiing buddy, who's SEVENTY and we tackled the steeps and baby bumps. Too much fun! I know my skills are improving when I'm thinking that Delirium Dive (a double black run that requires avalanche gear to enter) might be possible (not this year, but sometime). The very fact that I'm not freaked out by this:



anymore is HUGE! The greatest part about skiing with Dan is that I know he won't take me somewhere out of my league. He'll push me, yes, but he is also contractually obligated to keep me alive and unhurt! =)

We were planning a few runs that we'll have to do when he's out of uniform--he's not allowed to take me on just anything!

Alas, my chili gave me great staying power (had to eat it cold because the microwaves in the lodge SUCK. One was broken and the other was being used by people trying to heat food from frozen. It took too long) to get through the day! Oh, and did I mention that I realized on the gondola that I forgot my mitts at home? Yep. So there went my plan of staying down on Goat's Eye & Wolverine all morning. Had to go to the top to buy a new pair. And apparently all women have small hands. Nary a mitten in my size to be found. So I walked out with some fabulous snazzy Burton gloves.



All in all, a good couple days of skiing. And there's supposed to be more snow tomorrow!

Egad!

Woke up this morning to inches of heavy, wet snow! I had to pick up Michelle at 7:30 and I've never driven her car in winter conditions--yikes. I'm a great driver, but let's just say there's more than a few people in Calgary who need some driving refreshers.

I went and got my hair did, too. The grey is no more (thank God) and I got a good 4 inches chopped off! Style, welcome back to my hair!

I've had a sore throat for the last few days so Nerm and I napped this afternoon (very strenuous). I've got my seat booked on the ski bus for today and tomorrow. Whoo hoo!

Spring has Sprung!

I went for a run this morning in long sleeves and a running skirt! It was glorious! Note to self: remember your inhaler when you run.

5.01 km
37:12
7.25 km/h
402 cal

Added some hula hooping when I got home to whittle my waist. I need to lose an inch from my waist to get my waist:hip ratio at a healthy level. I also have a grad party to attend in just over a month and want to rock my favourite party dress! I have a feeling that down dog and chataranga may make a few more appearances in my yoga repertoire.

Day FIVE of continual sleep. I forgot how good it feels to wake up rested! It's been AGES!

Lovin' Life

What's not to love? I've slept for THREE (count 'em, THREE) days in a row, the sun is streaming in my kitchen window, Nerm's sitting on the windowsill giving the magpies the what-for and I've got a big mug of chai to sip on.

I had a great day skiing, although the morning didn't feel that great. I wandered around the mountain, not really finding my groove anywhere. I took a break after a few runs on Goat's Eye (right when the kidlet ski racers were eating lunch--it was not a quiet break, by any means!). When I went out again to shred the mountain, a Sunshine Snow Host approached me and asked if he could ski with me. Well sure! The more the merrier, I say and by this time I was pretty bored with the conversations I was having with myself.

We did a few runs on Goat's Eye--ones that I would never, EVER have attempted on my own (and probably not with anyone else, either). Goat's Eye is STEEP. That's it's claim to fame. There are NO green runs off the Goat's Eye chair. Anyhoo, black is my favourite colour, and don't they say that diamonds are a girl's best friend?! The best part of my new ski buddy: he is SEVENTY (or almost). New hero. We skied around on Goat's Eye, then headed over to the Divide chair and skied in BC for a bit! We have a date next Saturday, too! He also lives in my area of town, so I may have a new ski buddy next season! =)

This is what the top of Goat's Eye is like (it's the easiest way down to the tree line from the chair lift):


Last week when I was skiing with my cousin and his buddy, they showed me this video and we laughed all day. I still laugh, so I know it wasn't just the beer and natural mountain high. Enjoy!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho

It's off to the slopes I go!

Whoo hoo!!

Insomnia Part Trois

Well, new drugs helped last night! A blissful NINE hours of sleep, followed by an hour and a half snooze. I feel human again!

Not enough energy to tackle the huge pile of laundry, though! =)

Insomnia Sucks Part Deux

Doctor's appointment at 1530h today.

Is it bad that all I want is to sleep?! My head hurts. My body aches. My eyes hurt. Arrrrgh! I just wish I could curl up with Nerm and sleep for days (and no, I'm not depressed, I'm just TIRED!!).

On a much happier note, Miss Nermal Ruth got a clean bill of health from her doctor this morning. Check out my hunter-in-residence(it's an old photo--I haven't had a tv for almost 2 years!):

Insomnia Sucks

Just sayin'.

I haven't slept since last Thursday. This is getting really old, really quickly. And I don't have typical insomnia. Noooooo, I can get to sleep, I just don't stay asleep. I don't function on 4 hours of sleep.

Off to call doctor to make follow-up appointment. The drugs we thought would fix me, have fixed me not. Arrrrgh!

And no, I'm NOT stressed about anything. Except the fact that I don't sleep!

=)

Under the Weather

And the weather is finally gorgeous!! I haven't been sleeping well, even with the drugs the doctor prescribed. I woke up this morning just feeling BLAH, for lack of a better word. It didn't get much better...

I had a dentist appointment this afternoon and was convinced that the fresh air and sunshine would take away the blah. Not a chance. And really, with all of the advances in modern medicine, why can't dentistry keep up? Yes, if you continually poke and prod my gums with sharp, pointy metal things, they will bleed! Although not so badly today. My former dentists got praise--apparently all my old fillings are holding up well (half are about 20 years old and the rest 10). Unfortunately, there's a new little one. But I can't complain--I've been seeing this dentist since I moved to Calgary and this is the first work I've needed to have done (we've been watching this tooth for the past two years). And now the time for watching is over and drilling must commence.

After the dentist I came home and tried to have a nap before yoga. Woke up and felt like I'd been slammed by a truck. Body aches and pains, headache...no yoga for me.

=(

A long soak in the tub with a cup of tea (fruity, no caffeine for this girl at this late hour!) and I feel somewhat human again. I'm going to shut down the computer, have another cup of tea, curl up with Nerm and a book and call it a day. Tomorrow I'm off for an appointment with a health study I've joined. Should be interesting!