End of Year Review

I can't believe it has been one year since I decided to challenge myself as much as I possibly could. What a year this has been.

I am so glad I was able to make this journey. This blog has been the reason I have challenged myself so many times. If I didn't have to write down every time I tried something new or challenged myself, I wouldn't have done very much this year at all.

I have learned so many lessons this year it's hard to properly articulate how much I have grown. Here are just a few:

-One never really knows how strong they are, or even what type of individual they are, until they are faced with great adversity. It is in these moments that the true nature of the person responds. I would strongly encourage every person to take a deep look at themselves when they are the most stressed and discover more things about themselves then they ever thought possible.

-Life is messy, unpredictable, beautiful, ugly and awful all at the same time. However, if you can laugh through most of it and keep a smile on your face, you'll come out further ahead than the person who has the most prized possessions.

-Don't be afraid to try new things, or put yourself in awkward situations. It is in these moments you realize who you really are and do the most growing. Either you like it or you don't. The moment will pass and all you have left is the memory.

-Surround yourself with good people. They will make you feel as though you matter, even when you make a mistake, and don't feel as though you have any real contribution to make. Contributions, even small, can make a big impact on someone, including complete strangers.

- Get outside and take advantage of where you live. I am truly blessed to live in BC and have had the opportunity to travel all over this beautiful province. I am so grateful for all of the things I have seen.

-Learn as much as you can about whatever interests you. Take the time while you can. You never know where this knowledge can take you.

-Try new foods. If other cultures can survive on it, there's probably a reason for that and leftovers can only keep for so long.

-It's okay to stick your neck out and look like a complete idiot, as long as there is a reason for it. Not everyone will understand where you are going or where you have come from. Don't pass judgment. Everyone's path is different.

May your 2012 be as happy as you make it!
Thanks for reading
Lynn

End of December Review

Here are the challenges I completed this month:

Prayer rooms

Pickling herring

Medications

Drive through

Drive through Williams park

Heaven is for real

Amaryllis

Gingerbread house

French onion soup

Pecan Pie

Brinded turkeys

Mojitos

Polar Bear Wade and windy lunch picnic

It has been quite a month. Especially with Christmas and New Years included. I have enjoyed this month. I also have discovered a few more Christmas traditions I hope will continue in the years and decades ahead.

One challenge I don't think I will do again is the brined turkey. Too much work for so little reward. However, I am fortunate to have been given the opportunity to at least try it.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Last Challenges: Polar Bear Wade and windy picnic lunch

Well, here is the last of my blog:

I have always wanted to participate in the New Year's Polar Bear Swim. Something about starting the year off with a cold splash always seemed like such a good idea.
I can't participate in this years event as I have another Christmas dinner I am going to be helping out with on New Years Day and the turkey has to get in the oven rather early.
So, I decided I would try to re-create it today: I got all ready, brought lots of sweaters, towels and a change of clothes with me. My husband decided he wanted to try this one as well.
We get to the beach and there are more people out than I expected there to be. However, that didn't stop me this time as normally it would have.
When my bare feet hit the water there was a feeling of pain just in my feet. I made it up to my knees before my husband even made it to the waters edge. As my feet were going numb and I was only up to my knees, I decided to leave well enough alone and I stopped there. When I got out of the water, my husband decided he couldn't have his wife beat him, so he made it in just past his knees.
I thoroughly enjoyed doing this challenge. There is something about acting like a complete idiot that usually stops me in my tracks from doing anything out of the norm. However, not today.
Here are some pictures:

That's my foot print!

Afterwards, my husband decided that that challenge just wouldn't cut it for the end of this years blog. So, we decided to go to another nearby beach for a picnic. I didn't have a proper coat and the wind was howling. However, I made it through lunch with the wind. I was freezing by the end of lunch. However, I also got some great photographs of the whitecaps:

I have learned a great bunch of lessons today: It's okay to look like an idiot in front of other people. As long as you stand behind what you are doing that's all that really matters. I am also capable of getting much colder than I ever thought possible.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Mojitos- Sort of

Today was the last of Christmas with the inlaws. While out, my sister in law prepared mojitos from a mix she purchased earlier. As I was a designated driver and I have health issues that do not allow me to drink that much, I was only able to have small sips.
None of the relatives really liked it. However, they finished their drinks as they didn't want to waste the alcohol.
From the sips I was able to try, I sort of liked it. I can't remember the last time I had rum. I forgot how strong a drink it is.
I would have liked to try the mojito with a shot of vodka instead. For some reason I seem to remember vodka as being a bit lighter.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Brined Turkey

I have never brined anything and still haven't. However, it was my best friends idea to brine the Christmas turkey this year.

Yesterday morning he prepared the brine which included salt, apple juice, vegetable broth, and spices. It sat in this brine most of the day and night.

It went in this morning at 8 and was done cooking at 2 this afternoon. Brining took at least two hours off of the cooking time.
The turkey was also very moist and easy to carve. The only thing it also did was make the gravy a bit salty, which can easily be fixed next time.
It didn't alter the taste of the turkey meat. I would have hoped for all of this work, I would have been able to taste something in the meat.
I am a little bit of mixed opinion on this. It's worth trying once, but ordinary people rarely have two days to prepare a turkey for a big dinner. If you do that's great, but Christmas is stressful enough, without having another thing to worry about.

Thanks for reading!
Lynn

Pecan Pie

During the Christmas festivities, I have been very good this year. I haven't indulged in any of the chocolate at work.
However, I did try a piece of pecan pie. I have never had it, so I decided to taste some.
I would not eat this again.
It was far too sweet. The best part of it was the pecans on top. I wish the entire pie were just pecans. Better yet, I could just eat a handful of pecans. That would be a lot easier.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

French Onion Soup

I've never tried this. However, I have served this for people during many fundraiser dinners I used to volunteer at. Tonight I had the opportunity to finally try some. I only took a little bit because I didn't know how it would taste and if I would react to it. I also gave some to my best friend to confirm this was in fact what he had eaten before just in case it was a new recipe. It was the real thing.

I found it quite a bit spicier than I imagined it to be. However, I also find Ritz cheese crackers on the spicy side as well!

I wouldn't make this on my own, but if someone made it and invited me over for it, I wouldn't refuse it either.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Gingerbread House

I have never really stopped and thought about or built a Gingerbread house. I kind of took for granted it was a kid thing to do. I am an adult.

However, I took the time this year to help construct one and decorate it. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon. When it's cold and miserable outside.

Granted it was my first experience, and I didn't do all of the fancy elaborate decorating, but I thoroughly enjoyed sitting down and decorating what I could.

I also faced facts: this is probably the only home I will ever own, so I tried to decorate with as much class as I could.
Here are some pictures:

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Amaryllis Flower

A boss of mine gave me my first Christmas present of the year: an Amaryllis. I have never had one of these before. However, I always wanted one but Christmas is always a stretch on the budget to splurge on myself, so I was especially joyful to see it sitting on my desk yesterday.

It also served as a fundraiser for my boss whose family has been affected by Huntingdon's Disease. What a unique way to fundraise, especially at Christmas when it seems the demands for money seem unending.

I planted it today and will keep it near a sunny window. I will also keep this blog open so that hopefully it will bloom before January 1st and I can take another picture of it.

Here's what it looks like now:

Thanks for reading
Lynn
January 18th: All of it is blooming at the moment:

My camera simply doesn't do it justice. The colour is a vibrant orange. I really really like it and am so lucky the thing didn't die on me.

"Heaven Is For Real"

A coworker lent me a copy of the book "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo two days ago. I officially started it yesterday and finished it today. I couldn't put it down. I even took it to work to read it on my breaks. That's a bit unusual for me.

If you haven't read it it's about a little boys journey to Heaven and back. If you don't agree that there's a heaven, then this book is not up your alley.

However, I found it deeply impacted the way I think of heaven. It was so refreshing to hear about it from a child's perspective. His impression was so free of rules and other formalities that most religious leaders have imposed upon their believers. I will reflect on these observations of heaven for years to come, because heaven has always seen as something very few of us will ever reach.

Here are some of the observations (this could spoil your experience with the book if you plan on purchasing it ):
"God and Jesus light up heaven. It never gets dark. It's always bright."
-The marks left from the cross were revealed as marker marks to a little boy.
-On the subject of dying: "It's going to be okay. The first person you're going to see is Jesus."

What an incredible little boy and what an incredible gift he has been given. I hope this simple yet special message reaches as many people as possible.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Drive Thru Williams Park

A local park has a drive thru Christmas light display. I have never driven through it. Tonight was the night I happened to have free.

On my previous entry I stopped by a coffee shop, picked up my apple cider, and headed to the park.
It's a good thing I am so familiar with this park. I get to visit it every year as part of my volunteer job.

I pulled in tonight and knew instantly the path I was on. Except this time there wasn't any loose livestock. Go figure!

This display is a bit different than I imagined it. However, it was fun to try and get into the Christmas spirit.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Driving Through a Drive Through at night

I have a little bit of nightblindness. I don't like driving at night. Oncoming car headlights are nasty.

I also have never driven through a drive through at a fast food restaurant. I don't want to scrape the car up with my stupidity. However, tonight was a real treat.

I took my truck through a local coffee shop's Drive Thru for the first time ever at night and didn't hit anything. I was even close enough to the lady that I didn't have to get out of the truck.

I ordered only one thing on the menu because I was a bit nervous, but it worked out okay. I won't be doing this again, anytime soon but know I can do this again if need be.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Enough Medications

I never thought I would have to blog about this, but here goes. I have never been on as many medication as I am on now. I had cancer and still didn't have to take as many pills every day. I am a bit down because of this. A bit of this is personal, so I will spare some details.

I counted 7 different medications or special procedures I have to work on for 7 different  parts of my body. That's got to be some kind of a record.

My skin has two different medications or procedures for. The skin graph takes care morning and night using cream. Skin in my neck region uses antibiotic cream that takes care morning and night.

Then there's the ever present ear infections. They take pills.
Then my stomach takes another pill. And then there's my intestines. Another couple of pills a day for it to thrive or allow me to work without issues.
I won't even get into how screwed up my back is and the medication I have to take for that!
There's one more but I seem to have forgotten what it is. However, be assured there's a good reason I have forgotten what it is.
If only the doctors would recognize somethings not right here. No offense, but I am still somewhat young. I can't imagine how life will be like when I am officially old. And I worry about drug interactions now, what happens 15 years down the road, when another 6 proceedures have been added?

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Pickling Herring -warning pictures attached!

It was once a tradition in both my husbands family and mine to make Pickled Herring each year. When I was young, a local radio station hosted a herring sale fundraiser to benefit children. About 6 years or so ago, this fundraiser was cancelled.

However, this year another group of fundraisers came together and offered the sale this weekend. My husband and father took advantage of this, making today an early start.

We picked up two 20 lb. bags before 7:00 this morning. By 10:30 all 40 lbs. of fish had been filleted and are now sitting in crocks waiting for either 2 or 3 weeks until the next round of preparation.

I have never filleted or gutted a fish before. I do not like blood. However, all of that changed today when I was faced with the daunting task of helping to clean 40 lbs! By the end I was like a seasoned pro.

However, the day was not without injury. About 1/2 hour in, I cut myself filleting one of my many fish. It's not that bad, but everytime I hit it, it bleeds.  Furhter, I halso hurt my hands cutting so many fish. I'm not used to holding a knife that long. However, I figure it is a small price to pay.

Here are some pictures:

My first fish of the day.

My last fish of the day
Thanks for reading

Lynn

December 17th: Today was the end of my pickled herring story. My family and I processed the fish into jars filled with brine, onions, and other spices. These should now be ready to eat in about one week. I am glad to be finished this as today was a task and a half. The longest things to wait for included rinsing the fish and waiting for the brine to cool once it had boiled. I am so grateful this is over! I am tired of smelling herring on my clothing. Here are some more pictures:

Prayer Rooms

There have been a few profound personal issues that have surfaced recently in my life. I am not going to go into them, but will say that if it weren't for some good friends, things wouldn't be going as smoothly as they are.
One of my friends was going to a local Prayer Room to pray for directions on an issue that has been bothering her and invited me to come along.
I am so glad I went.
When I arrived, it was like a physicians office. They ask you to fill out a questionnaire with your name so that if you ever come back, there's a file.
You sit in a waiting area, except there's relaxing music playing, the lights are softer and there's so many pamphlets to read.
When you go in for your turn, about three people sit down and talk to you to see how you are doing. They find out what you need prayer for and then they ask you if it's okay if they pray for you. And then we all pray.
It was a wonderful experience. I felt like I actually mattered and the people genuinely took the time to ensure I was alright. I felt like I was floating a bit, and had a definite sense of peace.
In the prayer, the people who were praying for me, also wished for a sense of joy to come back into my life. Apparently to experience joy is a great strength to have. After the prayer, my friend and I went out for coffee to discuss what had just happened. We had a good chat and laughed together over so many things. It was a nice evening and I am glad I experienced something new.
I would go back to this Prayer Room again, especially if these personal issues keep persisting.
Thank-you for reading
Lynn

End of November update

It hasn't really been that great of a month. Most of the blogs involve food:
Chocolate
Lasagna
Fusion Food
and Pumpernickle Bread

and only a few actions:
Remembrance Day Ceremonies
Craft fairs
and checking ID

However, I have enjoyed my time this month challenging myself with my diet. As it is December, my last month with my blog and keeping up with my challenges, I will do my best to continue this next month.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Checking ID

After the Craft Fair last evening, my best friend and I decided to stop by the casino for a bit. There's a restaurant in the local one my best friend likes to eat at.

As we walked into the casino, he was ahead of me and as I headed to catch up, I got asked for ID. I'm not really sure if that's a good thing, or not. I take it I look like I'm 25 or so, so I look at least 5 years younger than I really am. I'll take that as a compliment but I did have a good laugh over it. Especially because the security guard got a little sheepish once he realized how old I really was. He backtracked a bit and told me I look so young for my age. Again, I'll take that as a bit of a compliment. At least I don't look as old as I feel. As you can probably tell, I don't get asked for ID all that often.

I also think it was a good thing to realize the Security guard was doing his job very well. I felt a bit safer going into a place like that.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Craft Fairs and my best friend

It's the Christmas craft fair season. Despite all of the personal things going on right now, I had time to visit one last evening with my best friend, who happens to be a guy.

I never thought that it's primarily a womanly thing to do and never thought he would feel out of place. However, he has never come to one of these things before.
We walked in and he was confronted by the fact that he was one of the only men in the room who wasn't selling something and wanted to leave right away. I had a bit of fun with it and left him in the main room while I shopped for some homemade marmalade for him (I can't eat it). He panicked a bit.

I guess I know who I won't be taking along again!

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Pumpernickle Bread

For some reason I guess the majority of November's posts deal with food. That's okay. With all of the personal things going on, it's all I have time for.

I was out today visiting a friend. I hadn't seen my family for a while so while I was out, I stopped in for a brief visit. I wasn't expecting lunch, but as soon as I arrived there were sandwiches out and on the table.

I had never tried pumpernickel bread. In case I didn't like it, I never bought a whole loaf. I tried a vegetarian sandwich with it today. I have to say it wasn't bad. It was a mild tasting bread. I think the most difficult thing to get past was the colour: dark brown.

If it's ever on sale and I need an entire loaf, I will pick up some.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

More Chocolate

I had success with 85% cocoa chocolate so I decided to try 90% cocoa. Big mistake.

The only reason to eat this is for it's medicinal properties. It is not sweet, nor does it taste very good. I will end my quest for chocolate here.

If you enjoy it, that's great. I'm not really sure why they make this at all.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Lasagna

I usually don't mention names of businesses in my blog. I don't like to give away free credit.

So I will word this blog carefully: there is a national donut shop that just introduced a lasagna dish that I wanted to try. If I have to eat something from this shop I usually have the chili. It's a wonderful standby.

I tried lasagna today. I wasn't all that impressed. The garlic bread had so much butter on it that I couldn't stand it. The lasagna needed more cheese. However, it was probably better for me that it didn't have that much of it or I would have gotten sick. But I can still dream about cheesy lasagna.

If you have tried it and liked it that's great. I won't be ordering it again.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Remembrance Day Ceremonies

I have to admit it. I have never been to a live Remembrance Day Ceremony. I usually watch the National ceremony on television.

This year was different. The town I live in had a new cenotaph built so it was also an unveiling as well.

It was raining but that didn't stop me from going out. I didn't think there would be many people but I was surprised. There were about 1000 people that showed up to remember our veterans.

The fly past was one of the most amazing things. They flew past twice. The sound of the engines was something to marvel at. Another interesting sound was the sound of the soldiers marching as they walked by. I will never forget that.

Here are some pictures:

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Chocolate

Okay, so what's with the chocolate challenge?

I have never had 85% cocoa dark chocolate. My husband prefers white chocolate and I am always given milk chocolate to eat as a treat.

After our very big supper tonight, we had to do some grocery shopping.

I noticed this piece of chocolate on sale, so I picked it up.

I had a small piece to try and I quite liked it! There wasn't the bad aftertaste that comes with most chocolate. My husband said it was quite dry but I rather enjoyed it.

I think I'm going to try the 99% cocoa next. Maybe that will be a bit bitter.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Fusion Food

There's a restaurant nearby that serves Indian inspired chinese food. I have never eaten fusion food before. I had no idea what to expect.

Our dinner included:
Vegetable Pakora with spicy chutney - pieces of vegetable battered and deep fried
Vegetable Masala Fried rice - chinese style fried rice with masala spices
Hunan Chicken- pieces of chicken, in hunan sauce with peppers, coriander, and snow peas

I have to say this was one of the best dinners I have had out in a long time. The spices all worked very well together, and the restaurant even gave us green tea. What's even better: this experience didn't break the bank. It cost the same as going to a casual dining restaurant and having a hamburger. I am very grateful for that.

The pakora was easily the best I have ever had.

I can't wait to go back to this restaurant.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

End of October review

It has been quite another month. In October, I was quite busy with volunteering and have been rather sick. However, that didn't stop me from:

-Eating breakfast for dinner
-Obtaining a new to me vehicle
-Reading Hope the book
-Visiting the Serpentine Sanctuary
-Visting Elgin Heritage Park
-Enjoying Fort Langley Grave Tales
-Running Out of gas
-Going Camping and the various other challenges that presented
-Visiting Roderick Haig Brown Park

For such an awful month with my health, combined with lots of volunteering, I still feel I accomplished quite a bit. I have enjoyed this month.

Thanks for reading

Roderick Haig Brown Park

I regularly volunteer with a salmon hatchery. I have been with the hatchery for over three years. When we went away a few days ago, I wanted to go and see the Adams River run. This river's Sockeye River run is legendary. When the sockeye run in October the river literally turns red with the spawning fish. It is quite the site to see.

I have wanted to go and see this run for the longest time. I guess you could say it was on my bucket list. We went to Roderick Haig Brown park to view the run. I have to say this park was far more run down than I had anticipated. There was a large amount of erosion on the banks of the river. So much in fact that the trail wasn't fixed and there were large sections of the park that were unaccessible due to the fact that the trail hasn't been fixed. It appears the best method of dealing with the erosion was simply to put a barrier up to make sure no one enters, rather than fix the bank.

In any case, a short walk to the river's edge produced a great viewing spot. I swear there was a red salmon every two feet in front of my eyes! I have never seen this many sockeye in one place before. It was truly amazing!

Here are some pictures:

Thanks for reading

Camping - Too many challenges to count!

I just returned from the Interior. It was my husband's birthdays wish to go camping. I completed so many challenges, I have combined them all into one post:

-1st time in a cattle drive: On the way to our camping spot, we passed by an active cattle drive. I have never seen one or let alone been in a truck along side the farmers herding their cattle. It was a neat experience. However, all of the cow poop on the road stuck into the tires.

-1st time hunting (including 1st time wearing camo, and 1st time using scents):  the camo was comfortable although I looked like a red neck and the scents didn't work. With the hunting I have seen a lot more scenery than I ever have before. Although the attempts were futile, I enjoyed the hike.

-1st time camping since my cancer surgery and camping in -6: I didn't know how my leg would react. I compensated by lying on my other side and am bruised because of it. However, my leg did not hinder my movement at all. The camping in -6, well, it was cold. The wind was so blustery that it almost blew the tent down and it kept reigniting the fire that we had put out hours earlier which was the most interesting thing I have ever seen. I have to say layers were the most helpful. I was wearing two layers of everything including hats and the tent and air mattress was a total of 11 layers. I felt very warm, but a bit like a princess. I wouldn't have handled it any other way.

-1st time riding on the Coquihalla in awful weather: We drove the coquihalla a total of three times. In those times, I saw enough rain and fog that combined made the lines on the road the only thing visible, and enough snow that should have made the average driver turn around. However, we made it through.

-1st time in doing a "turn and burn": My husband forgot some very needed items in order for his trip to be successful. We left our campsite at three in the morning, arrived back home at 10:30 (after having a nap in the canyon for about an hour) and then at 11:30 started making our way back up to where we had previously stayed. It was exhausting.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

November 3rd: I forgot to add one more 1st into this blog: 1st time sky writing with a burning stick. I have never done this before, which is almost sad to say. It was neat to spell words out for my husband to look at. The o's looked the best. I spelled words such as birthday, holidays etc. It was a fun way to end my holiday.

Out of Gas

It has been another interesting day.

While out this evening, my truck ran out of fuel. Luckily my husband was following me and it was two blocks away from home. We also still had the jerry can we used for our trip to the Yukon. I was very fortunate or it could have been a lot worse.

I have never ran out of fuel before. I wasn't sure what was wrong with the truck. The battery light came on, and the RPM on the gauge started going up and down. I lost power but at first I thought it had just stalled. When I pulled over and tried to turn it back on, it wasn't turning over.

When the fuel was added, all it needed was a few good pumps on the gas pedal and it started right back up. I will try to ensure it doesn't happen again, but if it does, I know what to expect the next time. I also have no plans to get rid of the jerry can. It has paid for itself again and again.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Fort Langley Grave Tales

I booked these events some time ago and was looking forward to going.

My husband, mother in law and I took part in this event. We met at Fort Langley in the evening and this tour took about 3 hours.
It explained some more aspects of the history of Fort Langley including:

Popular street names in Langley such as Allard, Mavis were named after these families.
Several big trees in the town were used as Signal Trees. The trees likely indicated the start of the Fort.

It also included some more ghostly history of things that occur around the Fort that can't be explained away that easy.

I think it was interesting to get this sense of history of Langley. It was fascinating to hear some personal experiences by local residents and to help get a deeper understanding of the people who were here over several hundred years and what their lives were like.

It wasn't scary but it was a bit eerie. A few of the stories were quite dark and some showed such love that it transcends time, but all presented Fort Langley as it really was. As the host puts it, there's no need to whitewash history. It made me see the community I live in a bit differently. Because of this, I would recommend the tour, if you are an adult and understand the nature of it.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Elgin Heritage Park

It has been another difficult week with my health. I hope I am feeling better soon.

 In my travels to the doctor and pharmacist my husband took me to this park to help me get out of the house and perhaps feel a little bit better. I had never been there before but the Nicomekl River, a river I regularly volunteer to enhance, flows right through it.

It was quite a sight! The salmon have returned and it was great to see them rising and jumping out of the water.

My husband tried his hand at fishing and managed to actually catch one! It was a wild coho, so he couldn't keep it, but it was the first fish he caught in the river. It was neat to see the fish he caught get put back and to see the smile on my husband's face.

He also removed a bunch of fish line from the side of the creek bed as fish can get trapped in it.

When we returned home from our walk, my husband emailed the place I volunteer to ask them if the amount of dead fish we had seen during our walk was a normal amount. Sadly, my husband found out that there may be something going on in this part of the river and that the number of fish that have died is not normal. The DFO has been called in to determine what's going on. I hope they find out what is causing this and soon.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Serpentine Sanctuary

It's been a bit of a difficult week. I haven't been feeling that well and although things have died down a bit for my volunteering, it has taken it's toll.

However, tonight after work I went for a walk in Surrey. I have been there before. In fact, it used to be one of my favourite places to walk. However, I haven't been there since before I got sick. It must be 1 year and 1/2 since I last visited there. I will make it a priority to get there again before that much time passes.

The Spring and Coho salmon are running right now. It was neat to see the fish rising to the surface of the river and to see the seals leaping through the water with a salmon in their teeth. It was a really special place to visit and a really special time to go.

Here are some pictures:

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Hope - the book

It's been a busy time for myself recently. Lots of volunteer projects etc.

However, I had about an hour to myself yesterday in which I took the time to read.

Jack Layton's funeral was something I blogged about in August. In order to keep his memory alive, a book of essays from various famous Canadians discussing his influence was recently published only as an E-book. I chose to read this. I took about an hour to read and I found it very interesting. It was a nice tribute to a real Canadian who truly believed in a better Canada. He influenced so many people and was so optimistic about the future of Canada that it was almost infectious.

I quite enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who knew and is interested in Mr. Layton's legacy.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

New to me vehicle

It has been a while in coming, but I now have a new to me vehicle. It's a bit of a hand me down and has covered a lot of miles. However, I am comfortable driving it and it is now registered just to me!

The last time I had a vehicle was in 2004. I gave up my vehicle for school up North. It was worth the sacrifice, but I have missed my freedom.

I am looking forward to this opportunity.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Breakfast for dinner

I grew up with this tradition. Whenever one of us was feeling ill, we would have breakfast for dinner. I tried this with my husband some years ago with disastrous effects. Things didn't go his way and my husband ended up throwing the whole dinner away.

However, today it ended a bit better. We had eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast and pancakes. I had a bit of each and it stayed down! So I would consider that a success!

I would like to continue on this tradition so that when I'm sick again I can make this dinner again. Hopefully it will be a while before I have to make this for dinner again.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

End of September Review

It is rather hard to believe September is over. It seems like my vacation was forever ago. However it would appear my stomach didn't like to travel or I got an ulcer along the way. In the coming days the tests will come back.
I also finished up on a huge project where I regularly volunteer.
I am kind of looking forward to feeling better. I predict big changes next year for myself and would like to be in as good of shape as I can.

Here is an overview of the challenges I completed in September:

Communal Hotel room with separate shower and bathroom
Cooking for 10 people in an hour and a half
Trying different food
Driving long distances including in weather
Trying cauliflower Pakora


I think that's all I can think of at this point. Hopefully October will be a bit better.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Cauliflower Pakora

It's been a bit of time since this challenge was completed. However, I thought I would include it in September as it took place this month.

I visited with my father after the trip to show him pictures and return some goods I borrowed. He decided he wanted to go for a walk. The neighbourhood he lives in is very ethnic. He picked up some samosas and he noticed something else he wanted to try: Cauliflower Pakora. For where he lives and the food he eats I couldn't believe he didn't know what it was or had even tried some!

Needless to say I introduced my father to Pakora and I think he enjoyed it!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

September 8th - September 17th

It has been quite a week. I have been away on vacation to the Yukon. There have been quite a few challenges I completed:

I drove 1000 kms (over 1/4 of the way): some of these kms were in the Yukon, Prince George, along highway 37 etc. I drove through weather incuding ice showers (numerous hail stones mixed with rain)

Amazing views and animals: including buffalo, caribou, stone sheep, black bear, grouse and wild horses

Tried different food: I tried elk jerky while in Smithers. It was okay... not that much different from beef jerky.

Spent some time in a hotel with communal showers and washrooms: the hotel in Watson Lake in the Yukon was an old converted military office, so the washroom and showers were separated for women and men. The rooms were very small but cozy.

Cooked dinner for 10 people in an hour and a half: To say thank-you for the visit I cooked steak, chicken, corn, salad, garlic bread, mushrooms and zucchini, and baked potatoes. It was one of the biggest dinners I have made in a long long time. Everyone was fed and it turned out really well.

I have seen such beautiful scenery, such great people and wonderful animals it was all a bit overwhelming. However, vacations have to end, and life must go on. I will take the lessons I have learned from the past week with me for a long time. I enjoyed my time off.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

End of August update

It's been a few days since August ended and September started. I have been quite busy.

Here's a list of the challenges I completed:
-Pho for two
-Wading
-Comparative Religion Seminar
-Minter Gardens
-Abbotsford museum
-Jamaican cuisine
-Cooking steak
-Waterfront park
-North Vancouver Pier
-Chiba gardens
-Lynn Canyon suspension bridge
-Deer
-Monck Provincial Park
-Logan Lake Fishing Lodge
-Dr. Pepper -cherry
-Logan Lake
-Political funeral

I don't think I have ever completed as many challenges in one month. I learned a lot and enjoyed each challenge for what it was. I truly enjoyed August!

So here's the last challenge I completed in August: I fasted for twenty four hours on August 31st to help support the Red Cross's Famine Relief. What an interesting day! However, I made it.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Political Funeral

The leader of the Official Opposition in Canada passed away last week after a difficult battle with cancer.

I can't begin to explain how I felt when I heard the news. Utter shock and sadness would start, I suppose. I identified with Jack, not only over his sense of optimism and political policies but also because he suffered from cancer. In the last election, he did what many thought was unthinkable: he brought his party to Official Opposition status. During the election campaign, his true charisma and humbleness became present. I think that that's what attracted many people to vote the way they did.

He announced a second battle with cancer and stepped away from politics earlier in the summer. I thought he would fight this struggle valiantly and would come back after some time. I never imagined he would lose his struggle.

Today was his funeral. He was given a full state funeral. They even televised it for everyone to see. I watched this with great interest. Although it was supposed to be a celebration of life, I have to admit, I balled my eyes out. What a loving tribute to a great great man. I'm very fortunate to be able to have stayed at home while I watched it. I think, somehow, that Jack's legacy of hope, optimism and love of his country will live on.

Good bye Mr. Layton. May your pain and suffering cease and yet may the work you have started continue by the many millions of people your life touched.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Logan Lake

I haven't been to Logan Lake for quite a while. I have only been there once before on our way to our favourite lake.

However, since the range is there, we decided to stop by in the town. It was there I saw this:

This was the town's visitors centre. It was the biggest pieces of equipment I have seen! It came from the local mine a while ago.

We stopped for a brief look around but had to get going so I didn't get to go inside. But how neat!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Dr. Pepper - Cherry

Just a quick mention... this is my 100th post! I can't believe I made it this far! I never thought I would get so much accomplished!
While out at the range today, it was dreadfully hot. When coming back into town we stopped at a corner store to get something to drink. This store, in a tiny little town, had Dr. Pepper Cherry!
Well, not having had this before, I had to try it. It was pretty good.

I'll have to see if the stores around here carry this!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Logan Lake Firing Range

I have never been to a firing range before. Although I had some major apprehensions about going, I went. My father in law and husband have ample experience with this and I thought I would just be able to sit back and watch their shots.

Such was not the case. They set up a competition and of course I had to participate. The good news is that it was a .22. The bad news was that other people were there shooting much bigger guns. The shots they took were so loud!
However, despite the fact that my husband is much more experienced than I am, I came in second in the competition. My father in law came first.
Here is my target:

I can't believe I beat my husband shooting.
The range was outside but had everything that was needed:

More good news is that my husband's guns are sighted in for the trip we are going to take in two weeks, which was the initial point in going in the first place.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Monck Provincial Park

What another epic day today was! I'll blog about the day as it happened.

My husband wanted to go to a firing range in Logan Lake. Because I had never been there before and my father in law likes shooting we invited him along.
Well going out today, I found out my sister and brother in law were also out that way camping. So we decided to surprise them with a visit.
They were camping at Monck Provincial Park, which is past Merritt heading towards Kamloops. It was very warm, when we arrived just before 11. However, what a nice park to camp at. They had flush toilets, a sandy beach but not much shade.
I think perhaps next year Tyler and I will try camping there in the early spring.
Here are some pictures:

Thanks for reading!

Lynn

August 19th- Deer

After we got the car cleaned, we decided the car needed to dry off so we went to one of my favourite parks in Langley: Derby Reach for a walk.

The salmon are running now (sockeye, pinks) so we stopped to watch the river for a bit. We saw seals and the salmon jumping. It was quite a nice evening to watch all of this happening in our backyard!

While coming home tonight, we saw two black tailed deers:

My apologies, it looks like the cell phone does not take the closest shots. Here is an edited shot:

There were two black tailed deer. My husband stopped the car and I got the camera out. What a nice surprise this was!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

August 19th - Automatic Car wash

Again, no more pictures! Sorry!

I hate getting the car washed in one of those automatic car washers. I have heard so many horror stories of using those that I refuse to ever go in one by myself.

Tonight my husband decided that was the only way our car was going to get clean on the outside. So he wanted to take it through one of these car washes. I didn't want any part of this! However, my husband turned on the car radio and drove the car through himself.

That helped a little bit, but not much. I guess I just don't like the fact that the equipment moves so close to the car that I'm afraid it will get scratched or something! However, tonight it didn't get too close and the car looks much better.

I still don't think I'll ever do this by myself!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

August 19th - Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

There are no pictures of this, I'm sorry!

I took my husband to this park today. This was the park where I crossed the suspension bridge all by myself.

My husband and I stopped and did exactly what I had done last time. We visited the ecology centre, and we crossed the bridge. However, what a difference a few weeks makes. The last time I visited, there were not a lot of people around. This time however, there were so many people there it was jam packed!

When we went to go across the bridge, someone behind us started to jump up and down really hard and play with the suspension ropes. What a disaster that was! I hated going across this time. I didn't stop in the middle to look down.

When I managed to get across I stopped for a bit to talk to my husband and catch my breath. It turns out he didn't like that part either! I guess I'm not that much of a wimp after all.

My husband enjoyed the visit this time as did I!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

August 19th - Chiba Gardens

What a challenge this was! While doing my research, I came across a memorial garden in Waterfront Park named for North Vancouver's sister city: Chiba Japan.

It turns out the cities became sister's to each other in 1969. The local government at the time decided to honour this event by building a park.

While doing my research however, I came across very little information on where this park was located. So while at Lonsdale Quay today, I asked one of the people in the info centre if they could help me locate this. It turns out, even they couldn't help me! They had an idea that this park existed but no idea where it was! I stumped the tourist guides! I never thought that that was possible!

Armed with a sense of where I was going, my husband and I retraced our steps through Waterfront Park and found this little gem of a park:

Although this park is very small, it would have been a very peaceful park to sit and enjoy the water and the plants. However, if I were the city of North Vancouver, I would clean the park up a little bit. The beer cans and garbage cans that were tossed into the park made it a bit of a mess. I would also clean the trails up a little bit as the people of Chiba Japan may feel a bit disrespected if they ever come and see what has happened to their honour park!

Despite this, it was worth the visit!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

August 19th- North Vancouver Pier

On the other side of the Lonsdale Quay is a newer pier. It opened where shipyards used to be and is quite a walk:
Here's a look at how long the pier is:

While walking there, there's quite a few other artifacts:

Apparently these shipyards would go on and help build 100 victory ships for the Allies during WWII. The view from there was also great:

While out on the pier today, a guy stopped to show us a seal. It was playing in and around the harbour. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to take a picture of it. However, it was a neat thing to see!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

August 19th- Waterfront Park

I will start by saying that although today was very busy, by the time I am finished blogging, I will have blogged 6 things. That is the most blogs I will have ever completed in one day. That is a challenge unto itself!

Anyways, today a girlfriend of mine invited me for lunch in North Vancouver. It was also my husbands day off so we went together. Prior to going, I did a bunch of research into where I had never been before. I made my list and then we headed out.

First stop today: Waterfront Park. This is just steps away from where I always meet my girlfriend. However, I had no idea that that was a park!
It had a pier, some artwork and it ended up being a gorgeous day for a walk!
Here are some pictures of the park:

It also contained a milestone for the Trans Canada trail:

For it being such a small park, it also had a bit of a lookout as well.

I just can't believe I missed it when I have been there so many times!

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Challenge Failed: Cooking Steak

While my husband was at work yesterday, I went to visit my family. While there, we decided to have a summer barbecue. Because my husband was working late, we decided to put his steak on a bit after everyone else's to keep it somewhat warm for when he was able to come.

I have never barbecued or cooked steak before. I'm not a fan of this type of meat. It has a lot to do with my childhood rather than the taste itself.

My husband likes his steak rare medium. I had no idea how long to put the steak on for. He also had special seasoning requirements as well: only salt and pepper. Well, I cooked the steak. However it was more to my liking (well done) than anyone elses.

He ended up not eating it but eating one that my stepmother cooked instead.

I will not be cooking steak again for a very long time.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Jamaican Cuisine

I've wanted to try Jamaican cuisine for a while. I've never had it and there was a restaurant located close to my work. So tonight, I took my husband there for dinner.

I tried (didn't eat all of it, but had a few bites of everything):

-Ting (Jamaican soda, not overly sweet, not overly sour)
-Jamaican patties (patties that resemble pot pies, but different with a bit of spice. I tried both chicken and beef)
-Banana Sauce (this is spicy sweet sauce that looks like ketchup) that went perfectly with the patties
-Goat curry (goat was actually really tasty in this yellow curry sauce, served with rice, beans, potato and carrot)
-Chicken curry (chicken pieces in a yellow curry sauce, served with rice, beans, potato and carrot)

What a wonderful dinner. My husband ate the most goat and I got the chicken. It was so good, I asked where I could buy the banana sauce outside of the restaurant. I found out where and it's on our grocery list. I think it will be good for most of the times we eat ketchup.

My husband and I have decided we have to go back to the restaurant again. It was that good.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Abbotsford Museum- The Reach

Another summer like day took me back out into the Fraser Valley. I really enjoy going to museums and I've been to almost every museum in Surrey and Langley, so I ventured out a bit further to Abbotsford today. I have never been to the Abbotsford museum and I think it's a relatively new idea.

 While doing my research on this location, I also saw they had a book advertising Abbotsford Walking tours.
When I arrived today, I picked up one of these. What a great book. I can't wait to try one of these walks and blog about that as well!

Entry into the museum was by donation. I have to say, the ladies at the front counter were truly fabulous. She took me right into the museum to show me this interactive display on the floor that discusses Abbotsford's history. It was great to watch the history from the ice ages to today. They also told me some more personal stories of some of the artifacts as well as a warning about a "nudy" picture I would encounter. I appreciated the heads up!

I had no idea Abbotsford and Matsqui amalgamated in 1995. Nor did I know there was a Sumas Lake that got filled in after a large flood in the 1920s. Apparently the mosquitos were a bit much. (hmm... sounds a lot like this summer!!)
The displays included clothing from the 1870's until the 1950's and included local photographs and pieces, (I had no idea purses used to be sewn into clothing) local artists and their displays (there were a few from Langley and Aldergrove as well and I had no idea this area of BC had such talent), as well as displays from the Group of Seven (on loan from the Vancouver Art Gallery).
It was really nice to see these two interests available for viewing in the same place for once.

The lady in the museum signed me up for a few emails (inviting me to the socials where I could actually meet the local artists) as well as become a volunteer there. While I am contemplating volunteering there, I will have to think long and hard about it. However, I do look forward to the invites to the socials.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Minter Gardens

Today a girlfriend of mine and I went out to Chilliwack to visit Minter Gardens. I've never been there before. It was a good day to go. It was sunny, but there was a breeze and some clouds as well. It was absolutely beautiful. Here are some photographs I took:

I enjoyed the visit very much. I took so many photos the battery on my phone died! I would highly recommend the drive. Although the admission price is a little bit expensive, once you get inside, you quickly realize why.

I would like to return again, maybe when different flowers are blooming, to get a different perspective.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Comparative Religion Seminar

I have been thinking for a little bit about returning to school. I haven't been in school for quite some time. So instead of jumping in over my head, I thought I would ease into it.

I found this website that offers college course dvd's that I can listen to while at home that are provided by college professors. There are no tests or assignments and I'm not being marked on anything.

However, there is 12 hours worth of lectures that are now coming my way. I would like to complete this "course" or at least finish the lectures within four months.

If I can do that, and survive, I think I'll be okay to proceed to the next step in my returning to school.

I picked Comparative religion as I have 3 college credits (1 course) on comparing religions already and found it interesting when I was taking it.

I will keep this blog open so that I can detail my progress.

Well, wish me luck.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

August 8th: The course arrived tonight. While I am excited about this challenge, I know this will prove rather interesting. I can already see how this may be a good cure for my insomnia. I'll keep you posted on how I am enjoying this course.

August 17th: I completed my first lecture tonight. I enjoyed it. I think the professor is interesting. He is a former baptist minister who continued to study different religions during his professional career. He also discussed personal biases which he said we should keep in mind. His examples are great and there are visuals of different philosophers who have tried to define religion. I never thought of it, but it is rather hard to define!

August 18th: I completed my second lecture tonight. It is interesting. However, tonight may not have been the best evening to work on it. I fell asleep during the last two minutes of the lecture. It's still interesting the links he makes to judaism, islam and christianity and buddhism and hinduism.

August 21st: I completed two lectures today. I also re-visited the tail end of the second lecture for anything I may have missed while I fell asleep. I fell asleep after my first lecture, but managed to finish it prior to that. I found the second lecture far more interesting. It was a lecture about space and sacred objects. I also learnt that I, a non muslim, will never be able to enter Mecca. The professor also changed clothes for the second lecture and was more intesting to look at. He had been wearing mostly brown clothes prior. However, this time he had a blue shirt and tie on, my favourite colour. Sometimes it's the small things that make you stay alert! PS- Tonight I finished two more lectures. My husband joined me for one of them but fell asleep shortly after settling in. The lectures tonight were about different religious people: saviours, sages, priests and other clergy people. The second lecture ended with a discussion surrounding women in the different religions and how in the last 50 years their roles within religions have expanded in some religions and in others they remain the same. There is also a discussion that Catholic priests and the vow of celibacy has only existed for approximately 1000 years. Very interesting!

August 28th: I just finished lecture 13. It has been a struggle to stay awake, I'll be honest. However, I keep going over what I miss. I am enjoying the lectures and am learning a lot. I am even learning more about Christianity and Luther. I am glad I picked this!

October 13th: It has been far too long since I have picked this up and worked on it. I enjoyed the lectures so much tonight, I stayed awake for two of them. I am now on lecture 16th. The last two seminars touched on the issue of sacrifices. I am looking forward to completing many more of these.

October 18th: I have just finished lecture 18. It is quite interesing. Example the religions Islam and Judaism do not share the Christian belief in Original Sin. I am quite enjoying it this time.

October 22nd: I finally completed this course today. I have enjoyed this and even learned a few things I didn't know before. I have also learnt that a full time academic course is not in the cards for me at this time. However, I would like to take another of these courses. I will look through the catalog and see if there is anything else I would consider taking.

Wading in the ocean

After work my husband and I went for a picnic dinner down to the beach. There's a special spot where we like to walk. Mind you, we haven't done it for a while. However, tonight was a good night to go. We went for our walk but then coming back to the car, we decided to go and wade into the ocean, just up to our knees though.

My husband has a fear of going any deeper in and I still had my work pants and shoes on. I haven't waded into the ocean since I was a kid. What a great way to cool off from the walk.

The water was a bit colder than I expected, but it was so nice to have the sand between my toes. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

It reminded me of being a kid again, which we all need to do sometimes.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Food challenge: Pho for Two

My father's tastes in food are pretty simple. However, today he suggested we do lunch together: pho. Pho is vietnamese noodle soup. It's one of my favourite meals out. It's rather inexpensive and comes with a bunch of fresh herbs and veggies (cilantro, bean sprouts, jalapeno peppers, limes) and comes with a variety of meat choices. I usually take the rare sliced beef, but there are others: tripe, shank, beef and chicken balls. So I took him for his first experience with Pho.

He seemed to like it and even asked if we could go out again and try a different type. I started him with rare sliced beef because it's the most mild. My husband is invited next time as he can try some of the different meats.

I forgot he likes coffee, which he ordered. I never even thought they wouldn't have regular coffee. He gets a glass full of ice and a little pot full of coffee. He tries the pot and it's way too strong and undrinkable. As the waitress grabs his finished bowl, he asks if there's cream. The lady decides to help him fix his iced coffee drink. It was mixed with condensced milk and once it was mixed with the ice, it was much more tolerable. I don't think he'll order it again.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

End of month update: July

Can't believe it is the end of July already. Well, it hasn't been the best of months but it hasn't been the worst either.

I completed these challenges this month:
-2 alien movies in 24 hours
-Cooking with couscous
-Moroccan dinner
-Referendum voting
-Camping (okay this one failed)
-Manicure
-Chilli cheese dog
-Poutine
-Aldergrove lake

I would have liked to complete a few more challenges this month but time has a way of moving so quickly, it passed me by.

There were several challenges I enjoyed this month: cooking with foods I wouldn't normally cook with, and trying foods I wasn't a fan of. However, at least I know now more about what my likes and dislikes are.

Thanks for reading
Lynn

Aldergrove Lake

I haven't been to Aldergrove Lake for at least 15 years. When I visited there then, I thought the lake was a bit of a puddle. However it offered some outdoor recreation in Langley.

Today I went there for a walk. Partly to remember a bit of my youth and because I hadn't been in there in so long, it was like visiting there for the first time all over again.

What an interesting park. There is a parking lot at the top of the hill that is rather small. So I parked there and walked down the road. It was a bit eerie being the only one there. The sound of the leaves rustling and the sound of the air cannons in the distance as they fought off the birds was a bit eerie. Mind you, I may have been a bit jumpy. It was nice to be the only one there in that I was not rushed.

Just before the lake, there was a lovely picnic area:

It would be nice to come here for a picnic one evening. Across from the picnic area was a nice bridge:

I stopped for a while to listen to the creek. It was very peaceful. As I made my way to the lake area I took a picture:

There is no longer a lake in Aldergrove! They covered it up. Judging from my memories of it being a puddle so long ago, it was probably a good idea that this was done. I think the park is a bit nicer now because of it. I plan on visiting the park again very soon.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Poutine

I didn't have the healthiest dinner tonight. However, I got to try something I have never eaten before: Poutine.

It's fries, cheese curds and gravy. Heart attack on a fork.

I was not the biggest fan of this one. Luckily I got to share this dish. The cheese did not get goopy as I thought. It actually cooled the fries down. As the whole dish cooled, it got rather mushy. I don't like mush.

I won't be doing this again.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Chilli Cheese Hot Dog

Okay, I have to admit I've never had chilli on a hot dog.
After visiting the local fair today, it felt like a day to eat fair food for dinner as well.

It was a lot of meat. I'm not used to eating this type of food. During the summer I tend to eat lighter fare.

However, it was rather good. I don't think I'll be ordering it again. It was just too much.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Manicure

My girlfriend bought an introductory pass to a spa for us both to try together. Today was our first "treatment". We both had manicures.

This is the first time I had ever been to a spa, or had my hands touched by someone other than my husband or myself. I am finding the older I get the less and less I like to be touched by other people.

However, I must say that despite running late for the appointment, the lady took her time with each of us.

My cuticles needed to be cleaned up which hurt a bit with the tool. Then she smoothed out each nail with another tool which was a bit uncomfortable as well. There were three coats of nail polish applied to each finger nail the bottom coat, the polish and then the top coat.

Plus there was a hand/arm massage as well. I was really uncomfortable with this part. I can put the moisturizer on all by myself, and I don't need to rub that hard to get it absorbed in.

So, I relished the experience of today. However, I'm truly very grateful my friend was there. I wouldn't have done that by myself. I am also grateful she'll be there for the next few visits. I am like a fish out of water. This is something that is totally new to me.

Thanks for reading

Lynn

Challenge failed: Camping

As part of an ongoing effort this year to go camping with family, the earlier camping attempt I blogged about in May had to be rescheduled for this weekend.

So my husband and I got everything ready to go and left yesterday, without my family member who wanted to plan this trip in the first place.

So we arrive, start setting up, and everything seemed to be going rather well. The tent got set up rather quickly, the air mattress was being inflated, everything seemed to be okay.

The mosquitos were a bit bad, but we were so busy I didn't have time to notice.

Then the trouble hit. The air mattress pump was not working properly and we would have no air mattress for the night. My husband then looked at me and realized that I had been practically eaten alive by the mosquitos! You can tell where I had been bitten because I am allergic and my hands were all swollen as was my face. My husband then looked at my back. I had bites all down my back, including my backside! The mosquitos had bitten through my jeans! I had packed some mosquito coils with me, so we lit one and I tried to sit at the picnic table to see if it made a difference. It didn't!

Because I couldn't have handled three days of this allergic reaction, we decided that this just wasn't our trip to take. We packed up and started heading home. Enough was enough.

Just as we were leaving, I took a trip down a path to the washroom. That was where I saw the most terrifying thing I have seen in a long while: a snake!! It was long and made this hissing sound and was right near where I would have to walk. I screamed the whole way back down the path until I found my husband again. I showed him where it was and apparently it was a "red racer" garder snake that wasn't poisonous at all. Needless to say, I wasn't going back down that path again!

I will have to say that despite this blunder of a trip, my sister in law and my nieces and nephews came to spend the day with us. We returned back to the site to have a quick lunch (quick in that the mosquitos pretty much took over our lunch) and then headed down to the lake for some swimming and sandcastles.

I am okay with admitting I am a whimp here. I am not out here to challenge myself medically to see how much I can physically take. I know what those limits are already and I don't want to go there.

Thanks for reading

Lynn