Saturday 30 March 2013

running again in the spring weather

I am so tired, it seems that this weekend is a mix of napping and getting outside. Absolutely no housework is featuring in this picture.

Its got to be the last 3 weeks finally catching up on me, coupled with last nights broken sleep as Lily threw up all night. We had her in the bath at 2am washing it all out of her hair, which was frankly horrible.

Today I have had coffee with my pal, and napped and then at 3.30pm I got my shit together to attempt a run. I was worried, I havent run for about 3 weeks when I got that 5km in. I ran outside as its gorgeous, on the hot side of warm at 8C but that 8C had a burning sun in it and a bright blue sky and I was in a T-shirt.

I managed about 3km and it felt good, I am going to go for slightly further tomorrow and right now I dont know if I am going for the sportsplex and the track or outside again. I'll decide in the morning.

We need to lay out the little easter eggs tonight for tomorrows hunt, and I really hope that Chloe doesnt match Lily tonight in the throwing up stakes and that Lily actually gets better.
I need to get my butt into the gym and onto the machines... I need to do more than run.

Its good to know that in a matter of weeks the pool will be open again, the fire will be closed up for the summer, the spring cleaning will be over and the ceiling fans will have to kick back in, man I SO love summer in Nova Scotia.


Friday 29 March 2013

post 18 days of inventory

Today is my first day off after 18 days of inventory. It started very badly, we were all a little fed up and a little snappy after 5 days and I was more than a little concerned about the next 13 days but it went well. Moncton was a blast, we stayed in a great hotel - the Marriot Residence Inn, and ate out extremely well - the Keg, an Italian called pastallis - great cocktails, a fish restaurant called Pisces - amazing mahi mahi and Catch 22 Lobster place where I had a divine fish stir-fry.
We sang, we laughed, we lost it a bit in a hysterical fashion, we had catchphrases of the count such as "for shit sakes" and "what what what" after the current hit - "20 dollars in my pocket...."
We went to the gym before work - the first day this was in fact at 5.40am! but it was worth it, we enjoyed the Marriots breakfast buffet - eggs each day... my room rocked! Very nice suite - kingsize bed just for me! lovely luxury bathroom, cant wait to be back.

The staff at the Moncton office were great, so much fun and a very good bunch of people. I could have happily stayed there,
Suffice to say - I have been working hard and thats not going to end any time soon but I am enjoying it. Hurrah!

So today is Good Friday - its a gorgeous day. I have even just discovered the crocuses are out in the garden. I went out to see some friends this morning and enjoyed some freedom from responsibility all by myself, I even had a Tims breakfast! I drove around and did some lakeside exploring, it was great!

I have napped, answered some work email and taken the dog out for a stroll, the weather is sweet today. Long may that last!



Tuesday 19 March 2013

snow

hmmmm, interesting drive to Moncton on Thursday for sure


I love this place, in the winter its so intense that you cant imagine summer will ever come, in the Summer its so hot and amazing for so long you can be forgiven for thinking you could be in Florida


ah, bring back the heat! I want to go back to hearing people bitchin about the humidity when I love it so much.

Monday 18 March 2013

Inventory time

So we thought Spring had Sprung, I had even gotten out my lighter jacket, how wrong we were!
Today we woke to minus 24 in the wind chill, it was bitter! My hand nearly froze to death waiting to get my coffee at the drivethrough on the way into work this morning.

Tomorrow we have snow forecast, I cant be bothered to check out the cms that are due, and apparently more on Thursday which is outstanding as its the day that we need to drive to Moncton!

So far I have been at another branch of our company since last Wednesday, so twice a day trip over the MacKay Bridge and I really rather like it. I expected massive amounts of traffic from the rumours and some misery to boot, but nope I have sailed in and out of Halifax with minimum fuss and a rather nice view.
We have been managing the inventory count, this is a first in my life and it was St Patricks Day so we couldnt avoid celebrating that.


I think I could manage working in downtown Halifax, it would be rather nice, but perhaps thats for the future....

So this week I get to go away for a whole five days to Moncton NB, its a bit like being back on audit but way more stressful. I miss my old boss, its really shown me how important your boss really is. Oh and no plane involved now, or heat,. this is the car all the way, but at least it will be a rental.

I have been looking rather ruefully at my house, it really NEEDS to be Spring cleaned, I cant see that happening anytime soon, all the time the fire is lit anyway!




Tuesday 12 March 2013

our 2nd Canniversary

Its our two year Canniversary today, two years since we arrived in Nova Scotia, and for me, one year since I started work at this Group that I now love so much.

We have hit highs and lows, more highs than lows thank goodness. We found a gorgeous home in a great neighbourhood.

The girls made new friends and discovered the great outdoors and a variety of wildlife that wouldnt have crossed their paths in the UK - skunks, raccoons and porcupines to name but a few.


We have had some great North American style breakfasts and bbq'd in the snow

We have had some delightful beach days and picnics




and some great skiing - even here in NS which is absolutely NOT world renowned as a ski resort.




I started volunteering - not as search and rescue or fire dept as I originally envisaged but as a treasurer on our local recreation committee - I guess they needed that more.

I started to run and am now at 5k! I love the new fitter leaner me.




We got a dog who rocks our world and lost a cat, see you again someday Womble xx



We started with the wrong cars and then changed them for the right ones, and I am driving the first new car of my life.


We have been to Florida, Brier Island for Whale Watching weekend


and a few days in PEI,

 along with some exploring of the oh so beautiful South Shore.


We have been bitten by bloody mozzies and blackfly and killed more horseflies on the beach than I care to remember.

We have been amazed by the views and the people and the snow and the heat and been irritated by the laidbackness, the people, the snow but never the heat!



I have falled asleep on the pool deck in the afternoon sun to the sound of the pump and been lulled at night by the ceiling fans.


I dont think I will ever grow tired of the sound of the endless train going through the crossing or of lining up in a Tim Hortons drivethrough to buy a chai tea and a Cinnamon French toast bagel for breakfast on my drive in to work.

We have cut down two Christmas trees now, instead of going to a garden centre and picking one that has been cut possibly months previously.


We have attended two Canada Day Parades and I went to a Bryan Adams concert.



Dairy Queen has my heart, along with Stayners Wharf, Montannas and the Rope Loft in Chester.

Hubby now has his dream job and I am working hopefully in my forever company, once the pace calms down a bit I am enjoy it more.

We have made some amazing, wonderful friends who I appreciate more and more each day

I love the four distinct seasons, the endless summer and the beautiful warm Fall and the fact that we heat by wood and swim all summer.
I love that we have winter tires and that I now spell it as tires and not tyres!

Halifax is a lovely friendly city and I hope to always be here, we picked well when we came to this province.


Saturday 9 March 2013

what to spend money on....

OK, so its feeling lovely and Spring-like and I have some purchases that I HAVE to spend money on:

New running shoes (almost a must, maybe I can hold out on these but not sure)

Sports bra (this has become a must)

Winter ski-wear - I dont have any and the sales are now on, I tried on a fabulous North
Face jacket yesterday at Cleeves that was $114 down from $229 (this of course feels like a massive waste of money and will continue to feel that way until next Winter when I open the closet door and there it will be in all its shining newness!)

A pink cardigan - from Le Chateau, theres too much grey in my life

A stripey shirt from BR - these have grown on me, I need some more casual clothes too now (for Fridays at work, of course!)

So, today I am going to have some boring breakfast as we need to go grocery shopping (yawn),shower and hit the downtown core of Halifax BY MYSELF to look into these must haves....

Tomorrow morning I will get my new sports bra on and go hit the 5km mark! Cant wait!

Oh and the tax return will be my afternoon today, so this morning is ALL ABOUT ME! Got to love how we have to do tax returns here in Canada, I am hoping though that the outcome will be a good one and a nice refund will have to make its way to us...

Saturday 2 March 2013

good news!

OK, so we got the good news. Paul got the Deputy Sheriff job! We are so pleased!
Its been a long road to this point, a 2 year long road and its awesome beyond awesome thats hes achieved this.
He starts his training on Monday and I for one (selfishly) am over the moon to say a long goodbye to shift work, night shift, 12 hour shift, 5am start shift.

For THE first time our working schedules should co-operate which means more free time.

More time for the gym, for classes, for running! More free time to plan things, to go out.

For him it means a step back into the world he was trained for and is good at. Its great to see him so happy right now.

We are having an outstanding weekend. It followed a pretty good week too. Today we had an International Pot Luck with the neighbours - I made red Thai curry, we also had chinese, vietnamese and Canadian. All made by hand, all delicious good made from scratch food.

Tomorrow we are going skiing... I am slightly bothered by this and am trying not to visualize broken anything. Last time I was on skis was in Italy in 2000, so a while ago now. Paul broke his thumb skiing up some steps - he was a bit of a wild skier then.

I hope it will be a good day, I want it to be fun and healthy and good old family time.

Today I ran 4.34km (by mistake may I add as I misread the number of laps for 4km) but it felt SO GOOD. That last two laps were the most invigorating, I felt I could go forever. It was amazing.
I wonder if I will be able to start running in the morning before work soon, I mean it is March, the snow and ice and freezing rain and can stop anytime now....