Funny

Non-Runner Dies While Not Running


A Mississippi man died yesterday while not running in a local marathon. Les Actiff, 43, of Jackson, Miss., collapsed while watching television in his Hattiesburg home. Attempts to revive him failed, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. He was still clutching a bucket of fried chicken. Like 25% of the U.S. population, Actiff was obese. Federal statistics show that nearly a third of U.S. adults 20 years and older are obese; about two-thirds are overweight. Actiff had been a non-runner for more than 20 years, according to his family and friends. Family members were stunned. "I don't get it," said his wife, Bess. "He didn't run all his life. He was always so inactive. And now, this. You just never know, I guess." "At least he died doing what he loved," she added. "Not running." Spectators gathered outside Actiff's home were similarly shocked. "I'll never not run," said one woman. "It's too dangerous." A large man on a scooter, out walking his dog, was more fatalistic: "If you can avoid doing a single positive thing for your health your whole life, just sit around like a lump and eat poorly and then still drop dead... Well, I just don't know. I guess when it's your time, it's your time." Actiff appears to have died from atherosclerotic heart disease, according to Lamar County Coroner Paul Caste. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, at the Pizza Hut off of I-59.

Urination

I really do not know why people think it is soo odd that we have taught Maya how to squat and pee when nature calls and there is no toliet around.

Stolen!

This evening after searching for the bike trailer in all it's usual haunts, and not finding it we concluded it had been stolen. We held a glimmer of hope that friends had just borrowed it and forgot to tell us- but that wasn't so. I looked around town where it may have been dumped, went to the police station to see if it had been turned in to no avail.

Later I decided to file a police report and on my way there, out of the corner of my eye I saw a familiar bike trailer.
The trailer held two children, and how the adults present acquired said item changed slightly until they conceded that it was mine and they would return it to me after the children had been taken home, and amazingly so we met, and they returned it.

For interest sake... they initially said it was from Canadian Tire, then they said her brother had given it to them. Each person said slightly a different thing until they realized nothing made sense and it had to be mine.

Now we need to figure out a better security system rather then just leaving it on the porch- the convenient oh so handy location.

Summer Solstice Trail Run 10km

The summer solstice trail run was held yesterday at Mono cliffs Provincial Park. The race was a fairly low key event, but it did have official timing. I think it benefited some active cause. It was to start at 7pm so I was duly all loose and warmed up, however at that point in time there was also a thunderstorm rolling through so it was halted half a hour. So after sitting in the car and eating cherries, it was decided the storm had passed so I basically went from the car to the starting line. I had learned my lesson after the 5 peaks race and seeded myself close to the start line, the race had interesting features like bagpipes on course, stairs, steep climbs, and switch backs that even the elites didn't run. It was a great challenging fun course that I pushed at the entire time. As it was after the rain I did get rather muddy and was rather surprised at the results.
I generally have a good idea time wise how I will do, but in competition it depends upon the crowd present. At races I look around at people and marvel at the amazing shape they are in, their cool running clothes and how confident they all seem. Thus when I cross the finish line and turn around to see who came in after me, I am amazed at how I managed to beat those people.
Overall I came in 22/54, female 4/23 thus third in my age category with a time of 59:03. Trail runs can not compare with road races time wise. The medal is this cool handcrafted sandstone, and I also won a door prise of a running hat which I really wanted.

Oh and that was on second 'race' of the day. In the morning I time trailed myself to see how fast I could do the bike course of the Kincardines woman's triathlon...30min- thus if I am to have any hope of doing well I have got to do some serious work... and be praying for a road bike.

Career

Yesterday Maya told me she wanted to be a teacher.
I tired to discourage her but she couldn't be persuaded that a career in nursing, medicine, midwifery or library science would be better.

Keady Market

Georgian Bay Whitefish- $6
Market Gardener Allenford- Spinach and green onions- $8
Market Gardener Chatsworth - Garlic Tops $1.50
Ontario Green house peppers from the food terminal- $3
Watermelon from lord knows where- $3
Ontario Artisan Cheese- Or so the Mennonite woman says- I trust her- $5.50
Ontario Hothouse tomato's- Beamsville and California Cherries- $6.60
Cute looking vintage tins $8

Total: 36.60
I make a serious effort to know where I am buying from, and we do try to eat seasonally, locally. But there are some exceptions- I needed a snack for Maya's soccer- watermelon, and I just wanted cherries.

Vampire Baby

Happy Fathers Day!

Thanks be to God for the AMAZING father that Luke is. I am soo grateful that he is a loving, caring, patient, imaginative father who truly wants to be a involved in our children's lives and not just be in the background. He takes a completely active role in parenting Maya and Ever and knows, and cares just how important how he acts and who he is to them matters.

Fathers day excitement include hamburgers for lunch. That is a big deal here.

Sleepies

Yesterday I biked out to the conservation area with the kids ssssllllooowwwlyyyy, of which was depressing. THEN I realized that Maya is 40pounds, Ever is 20 pounds, the bike trailer is ten- so I am pulling 70pounds, half my body weight. Thus the entire exercise isn't as depressing. I really do not think the helmet is going to save Ever, only perhaps from a broken nose.
Lesson learned: When buying a bike trailer make sure there is a space for the kids helmets to slide back, not be pushed forward.

Protected

Girlfriend

Looks like we got a player, little man making out with all the girls. I caught them kissing with some serious tongue action going on.

Huron Shore Run

Another weekend, another race. Today I did the Huron shore run, a charity run for the Southampton hospital foundation. In the blistering heat I did the 10k in 52:18. which feels like a huge disappointment. I know it was bloody hot, but i really wanted to do better, although I did go into the race not having alot of expectations. I had a poor night prior due to the sickly/teething child, and I could not focus as I had the kids...but I just want to do better. What I really need to do is remember everything takes time and I need to have goals, and devise a training plan around those goals. Goals such as maintaining speed, gaining speed, and coping with the heat. I had no shot at a metal as the top three woman in my age catorgy had times under 44min.

My soul happiness for the day was realising that my pelvic floor has reaped the benefit of my increased kegal exercises.

Oh oh oh I am also very pleased for a friend of mine whom did the 5k in 25min thus earning her a sliver metal.

And thanks sooo much to Meghan who cared for the children while I ran and Luke was in a soccer tournament.

Look at my tooth!!

Two things I do not like- otherwise knowen as a borring post.

• Bookmarks. They are useless to me. I turn a corner or use a scrap of paper. They just take of space. So sorry if you gave one to me saying something cute.

• Hose flies- Seriously how do we get house flies in town? Are we that messy? I blame Luke.

On food- Three points

- What is with the obsession in fast food today with Angus- Is that a type of cow or a particular processing method and what makes it soo darn wonderful for burgers?

- I have a new unhealthy obsession with Doritos- Blue Cheese and Hot wings, but the guilt of eating them is not worth it, not to mention the 'hangover' I get from them.

- I saw a friend at the grocery recently and was embarrassed by the contents of her cart...and I do know that she does not have all the healthy stuff already at home.

Long Weekend

This was my post for the long weekend..

The May long weekend is complete because....

- We had a bonfire. Lesson learned: Smores made in tinfoil= excellentness.
- I wore my winter coat
- We went to beachway burgers for fries

Maya has a delightful new privilege - she is allowed to carry Ever. Hilarity ensues.....

ALL FREE

Saturday mornings in the spring traditionally have meant scouring garage sales for deals, however as that is a group ride time fort he Saugeen triathlon club I have been missing out on the fun... which has created a whole new level of fun.

FREE STUFF

When the day ends for many sellers, they just want to get rid of unsold items so they put them lovingly in boxes at the curb for me to lovingly sort through them for cherished items to be. Yipee!!!

The big score and answer to prayer this week was a porch swing. We really wanted one, or a couch for the front porch and as it is furniture, and as I am too cheap to buy furniture I just had to wait. It works fine and just needs a cover for the cushions which I can sew simply.

Oh and I just wanted to mention my additional happiness of the day; while running tonight I found a $20 bill on the road, so to celebrate I went through the recycling bin at the corner store and got a free Toronto Star!!

Sore but not bad.

So I had my vasectomy today and as someone who has never really gone to the hospital for anything serious (for myself anyway) it was a new experience. Also adding to said experience was knowing everyone involved in the procedure ona first name basis because I live in a small town and I used to work there. I think there was only one new person I didn't recognize.
Anyway, everything went fine. I was a little curious as to getting general anaesthesia because I had never really gone under before. It was interesting, I remember the exact moment I went out too. I was looking at the light while being told to take deep breaths from the oxygen, and thinking "hmm this is probably it, the lights getting fuzzy", then waking up and thinking "mmmm that was a good nap...oh wait I'm at the hospital."
So after that I was a little sleepy for awhile, and still haven't had any real pain (the ice is my friend, a close friend). I just feel like crap mostly. Tomorrow is supposed to be worse, but we will see I guess.
The stitches aren't very exciting either.
The best part is lazing around while I recover. I don't really want to that much, but I don't really want to mess anything up down there either. So I am just chillin' tomorrow for the most part, and we will have to see about Friday I guess.

Edit: Anne's perspective:

As you can see Luke was not quite thinking straight when he wrote that as evidenced by long rambling sentences. Anyways, there is a slight sadness that we will not be having anymore children, not that we want them, just that we can't. It didn't hit me until I picked him up from the hospital and he was all pale, had a IV in, ice on scrotal area in a hospital bed. Kinda like when we were pregnant with Maya and Luke didn't believe it until she was actually delivered.
I am being a very good nurse to him, more caring in fact to him then I am to real patients.

Watch out Dandelions

As we have a 'little' dandelion problem on our lawn and I fear that our appearance obsessed neighbours will secertly come an apply pesticides to our lawn in the middle of the night, we bought on sale at Canadian tire a tool to pick the dandelions!!!! It is soo much fun to see how long the roots are. Our next purchase will be top soil to fill in the many, MANY holes left behind.

Note to Luke:
A better picture would have had more lawn, less street, tidy hair, and my face not so shadowed.