first snow, shoes, 3k

So I am stuck at the roughly 3k mark for my run, I thought I could go further but on another attempt I found I couldnt. Its also conveniently snowed, that was this morning - or overnight - I am not sure, but we woke to it.
4cm had to be shovelled off the driveway (not by me, may I add) and Dukie didnt really get a walk as it was feels like -16 outside this morning.

I also thought that I was early and thank God as I couldnt get the garage door to open more than a foot, I had to get next door to give me a hand, he seemed to have a magic one as the damn thing suddenly behaved itself.

So I actually got to work almost on time, I am pleased to say, no having to explain my lateness or the damn door.

I think I may have to just check out the indoor running track, but maybe not tonight, tonight I am hunting out the evasive party shoes.
I am not very good at spending money, I hate it. Therefore what I buy has to be an emotional attachment as soon as we meet and it has to last, and be comfortable :-)
Therefore my purchases always take time and require consideration!

some of the best times

Last night I was looking through some of the thousands of pictures that we took this year and thinking that I need to save them someplace other than on this laptop in case something happens to it, and I was struck by the memories of this summer. We did so much and I felt an urge to stick just a few of the pics of the best times on here.

 

 

Lily and I on one of the Harbour Ferries on Tall Ships Day, she had just enjoyed a chocolate icecream from the Cowes store

Lily and the view in Briar Island when we went whale watching

The girls on the rocks for our seal watching evening on Briar Island

 Chloe checking out the seals, this child just LOVES binoculars

 Paul and Mr Duke in PEI

 Lily in PEI

The girls in the car coming back from PEI - it was a GREAT short break

 Paul sorting things in the coolest place this summer

 Pondering on Queensland Beach

 Girls on Melmerby - the BEST beach in Nova Scotia

Hanging by the pool

Cold and running

The weather is cold – end of! And I mean FREEEEZING.  I went for a run in -9.7C the other morning and it was hard on my throat at first, and it was hard to get out there but I am glad I did.

The same could be said of last night, I managed to get out at 8.20pm with Dukie and I have realised that my normal running route is now “easy” – yes EASY!!! How about that! I need to push to a new longer one. I need to get to the 3k run mark next. I have to take my time as running was not my thing, but now maybe it is.

I am also now down 20lbs so I feel SO good, I still have another 15 to go at least, well thats the plan anyway. I am finding that I just dont want crappy food now, I feel good – I want it to stay that way. And there is absolutely no reason for crappy food when there is so much good food around to cook with.

It was snowing on Sunday, the kind that flurries down but doesn’t lay at all. The girls were ecstatic about this. It made me get my snowflake Scentsy burner out and stick Christmas Cottage scent in it.

I have so much to do to get ready for Christmas – I planned to make my own mince pies with my own filling, I need to find a recipe, thank goodness for Google! I need to still get some presents, we need to do the Christmas tree hunt and chop - I think thats scheduled for Dec 8th or 9th.

Traditional Mince Pies

The new job is starting to go well, I am busy, really busy and I love that. This is a great company with great people and I am starting to feel so much more settled.

I am off to two Christmas parties over the next two weekends and that rocks my world. I get to wear dresses to both! Hurrah!!!  I love Halifax too, I love that I will be out in it. Its a really pretty city with great restaurants and ambience.

I love this province, this country, its beauty, its attitude, its people. I still wish that I had done this YEARS ago, instead of just wanting to.

life in week 1

Ok so I think I am getting over my funk.

I started my new job on Monday and it is different, its going to take me some time to get used to being here. I am still excited and still keen as this is a BIG DEAL for me, but I miss my old office SO VERY much. I under-estimated the effect of that.

Everyone is very nice and I know in time, I will love it. I just have to get over the new girl bit.

Its getting colder, the girls have their first colds in I dont know how long and today they are off school as they are struggling at night to sleep and I think they need some time to heal.

My early morning runs are starting in the dark and its cold. It was minus 9.7C the other morning and was frosty. I remember I used to imagine that kind of temperature would have to result in about 6 foot of snow but it doesnt. We havent had any of the white stuff yet, I am looking forward to it.

Running is definately getting easier now, its taken long enough and I am wondering if thats partly due to not having to lug so much weight around, I feel so much better for the loss, unfortunately I cant seem to break over the 1.5K distance, I need to work harder on that.

The girls are talking about Christmas, and I think this year that we will get two trees. I think we have enough decs for a small Disney tree in the family room too, so that will be fun.

Dukie is getting braver, he greets people who come to our home now instead of running away, hes growing so much in his personality.

The girlies are both doing well at school, I am very proud of them!

My MLC

I have decided that I am in the midst of a mid-life crisis. I have nicknamed it my MLC.
I want to be me at 26, here in Halifax, fresh, young, free of all responsibilities and family.
I want to revel in being in Canada as I was at that time, as I always wanted to -my personal wish to be here. This is calling me strongly, at times I want to weep that I am 37, with a family, with people that need me.

To be able to live that time, when I had younger skin and more youthful hair. When I was an explorer with my own money and time and it was ALL ABOUT ME

It hasnt been all about me for the longest time, I am frankly jealous of other people that have that.

I wish I had been brave enough to emigrate when I first entertained the idea, and then I wouldnt have all those wasted years in the wrong country.

goodbye Internal Audit

Today was my last day at my job. I am sad. I have left some amazingly friendly, wonderful people and although I will still have contact with many of them in my new job, some I wont. I wont be in the same building either.
I said goodbye to my office and my view and my peace. I loved it there.

This week we had some great warm days, Monday and Tuesday were at 20C, so I took advantage and went for my walk around the water and the Arm in my lunchbreak. It was bliss, it was my last time.

I spent some good times today with those people. I had a lovely lunch with my great manager and my immediate colleagues and then later had time and hugs with others from the floor above. Its easier to be friends now that I wont audit them at some point.

So onwards to my new job next Monday. I am so pleased that I wont have to go away on another two week audit but for now, despite that I am emotional. I am sad, and snivelling and remembering the good (and bad) days with affection. I have been so lucky.

Oh and as a sidenote, I lost another 7lbs and am now down 20lbs! I feel so much better for it

feeling good

I am feeling really GOOD. I am out of my funk of stress and  I feel amazing actually.
I am starting to not feel so old, so getting "past it", so "just like a working mother and thats it"

Today I am feeling tremendous ( we need to bring that word back, it says more than awesome)

I feel young again. Its cold out and I mean REALLY COLD. I think this is it for the season, the fire is lit and will remain that way. I am still going to go and get new clothes (as planned) and embrace ME. I think I had forgotten how to do that.
I realise I have gotten so tired of trying to make this life this best we financially can, of building up to the next big career move, of trying to be the most up to date, experienced , yet fresh Accountant I can be.

I am a mum, a wife and someone who goes to work for a living, therefore not rich, but I am also a person, I am not old and past it, I feel GOOD.

Bring on the new job although it means leaving this one, which is actually quite sad.

bathroom colours and frosty mornings

I was reviewing our new bathroom last night. Its not quite finished but its almost there, it should be complete today bar paint. Paul is painting it, we decided this as it knocked a whole $400 off the quote and hes rather handy with a paintbrush.
We spent some time kicking ideas around on colour for the walls and then the knock on effect of wall colour of course leads to colours for towels, pictures and other bathroom accessories.

We've stood and considered our colour options both in daylight and after dark with the lights on, next to our oh so beautiful line of blue mosaic tiles that stand proudly amongst the white tile around the bath, and around the vanity.

We want (surprise surprise) a Key West theme in our bathroom. This theme was in our very first bathroom too and we want it again. I shy away from the fashionable brown spa look.

So, we have picked our colours and we will soon have it complete and I will put some pictures on here to show it all off. The main aim is space, light and airy and beautiful and a home to our funky Key West metal gecko.

This morning I took Dukie for our first of the season minus temps walk in my PJs. I did have my winter coat and winter fluffy boots on but I wanted to do the circle in my PJs as thats our regime in the winter months and I was eager to get right back into it. It was zero degrees out with a wind-chill down to -2. It was brisk.
I recall last year doing this little circuit in a wind chill of minus 26. That is something to look forward to again.



I am back on my healthy eating lark and have discovered a soup that I like to eat at least 2 days of the week - sweet potatoe and carrot with pear and curry. Its filling, its hearty, its sweet with some heat.
I need another now that includes black beans or chickpeas, I shall get my Jamie Oliver American cookbook back out.

warm weather and keeping in the BIG PICTURE

Its very warm out there. I am not saying that its Caribbean warm but its warm enough that I am wearing a T-shirt to work and a cardigan for outdoor. When I take Dukie out for his walks, I am too hot.
Its very nice but its also the start of November and I am wondering how much of a shock to the system the cold will be, when it finally makes an appearance for good.
Its saving us money in heat obviously as we havent had the fire on pretty much all week, the house is just TOO warm. I think its the knock-on effect from Hurricane Sandy - all this warmth just doesnt feel right.

I sometimes wonder if I am too obsessed with weather. As a Brit, I am meant to be all about the weather, but I was never this interested in it before we moved. I am thinking its due to having seasons in my life now - clearly defined seasons that require considerable changes in habits and prep work.

I drove to work this morning, the sun was shining and the view was terrific, all the reds are now gone from the trees and they are bare but theres some yellow left so the vista is of browns, greens and yellows with some mist rising from the lake and a very pretty sky. All was good with my world at that point.

Right now, I am dealing with some anxiety each day, but I am looking for tools to help me with that and to enable me to respond correctly. That view brings the big picture home to me, as I need to concentrate on the big picture which is:
Home in Nova Scotia that we love
Career progressing in Nova Scotia
Future Snow Bird activity for us down to Florida

Well, the top two are well on track, we have the NS house and are doing the renos that we need to do to make it a great family home. This years "to do" list is almost complete, the bathroom should be finished and ready for paint today (zippeeeeeee!)

My career is going in the right track and I am SO looking forward to my new job starting

Snow bird activity - slight glitch in those plans as next Marchs trip is now being put off to the Fall, but thats a short term issue and we are still going to Florida next year.

I need to consider next years plans for spending money in all the right places, I am a planner so plans are essential to me, perhaps it will look something like this:

1. Save up the cash for the Holiday down South (yes I know we say Vacation in N America but I like the word Holiday)
2. Get Lilys closet doors fixed
3. Put up new curtains in Chloes room and the Family room
4. New shelving in the Family Room and paint it
5. Garden - move around some plants, grow own veggies
6. Get a decent work wardrobe - I found this little phrase in a magazine and I loved it-  "I like to see my money - hanging in my closet" ~ Sarah Jessica Parker