Ramblings of a year gone by...

Goodness me, it's twenty twenty three!

November already - madness!

I have learnt a few lessons this year, been through some friendships and relationship-type-ish experiences. I have had to detach myself from some people who were draining my energy and exhausting my kindness. I have also had a person I really liked, detach from myself due to my own inconsistent, passive aggressive and unclear communication. I realised I can't just react with my flippant comments and expect people to stick around.

HG is very good for reflecting and helping me see how my behaviour might affect others; my reactions and learned passive aggressiveness. It isn't hard to talk about or hear, but important to at least attempt to continue to work on oneself.

Other people I considered friends have shown a side of themselves which doesn't align with my own beliefs and values in fully supporting others in expressing, exploring and ffs just BEING. Three people now who consider themselves "Christians" have edged over into what appears to be a brain-washing, misinformed view; sometimes involving conspiracies etc.  It scares me and makes me sad, as well as losing faith in my ability to choose who to trust.

Another thing I am baffled by is how many people still tell me they wish to have children. Today, we had a lay-in, some awesome s3xy time then went for a peaceful and beautiful hike, went for brunch on our way home and have enjoyed a Saturday afternoon doing basically whatever the hell we like (besides general adulting chores!). It's quiet, the cats are gorgeous and the perfect therapy after a busy week. I wouldn't wanna give that up haha! I guess each to their own but the future of the planet is looking pretty bleak so maybe consider adoption. Just sayin'. I obviously love and respect all my friends and fam who are being fantazmic parents to fun, awesome little minions!  But I still don't get it.

Anyhoozle, I am in the swing of things, working at my local leisure centre... I moved from lifeguarding to the Personal Training & teaching classes. It's very fun, if tiring!
I hope that once we have a house, we can set up a gym - oooh HG has started using his work gym - once one week and twice last week! Shhh don't jinx it! :)
It'll be nice to train myself and other people in our own gym - I am manifesting!

Teaching classes is fun and it's nice when people personally thank/praise you and ask what other classes you teach. It's also really rewarding when PT clients tell you about their little wins and improvements! I also ran a park bootycamp this summer and a fitness class for some teachers after school.

I am learning dances (or should be!) for my dancepl3y instructor qualification.

We are still living in the same basement apartment - 9yrs now! 
In Canada for 10!

I'll add a few pics and catcha l8r! TTFN 

My friend Barbs from South Africa/UK :)

I love rowing!

The Other End of 2021

 Hey Friends,

It's November! I just checked and my last post was in January.
Funny to think I didn't have a clue what might occur.

I was working as a Lifeguard at the new Rec Centre, that much is true.
I remembered the things I hadn't been keen on last time I did that job, 20+yrs ago!

We were advised the Fitness Centre (gym) needed 'Assistant Floor Staff', so I and a couple of other lifeguards volunteered.

I soon remembered what I loved about fitness; the supervisor of the fitness centre is European and could envision me teaching classes again etc. It was so uplifting!

When we closed again in March, I used the time to study for my Personal Trainer Specialist certification and started training a couple of friends for practice. When we returned to the Rec Centre in July, I was on personal trainer rate instead of AFF. I have covered a HIIT class when someone was unwell, which was fun! I have also taught 2 of 4 of my practice classes for my current course and am already being lined up for future classes.

Sadly, my lovely, supportive German supervisor isn't staying (we are having to be vaccinated against Covid and it isn't in her beliefs), but I intend to keep her as my mentor. Her replacement, Thomas, is someone I have enjoyed working evenings with and will do a most excellent job.

I also started a 6 months Fitness & Nutrition Expert Certification(s) course.
My deadline is January, but I would love to have it done by Christmas!

At the same time as starting the course, I started the Fit Chicks Transformation Challenge!
28 days - although we went away on the 26th day so wasn't as rigid, but didn't have treats until the challenge was officially over!  This has helped me find a routine and better understanding of working out. Also learning and working with experienced PTs is the best thing ever!!  I am feeling good and getting stronger!

We had a fantastic holiday road trip up to Wawa and back to Manitoulin Island, our magical happy place! 

Floor Staff

  

In other news, we acquired a kitty - one I had spotted in someone's back garden; I knocked on the front door and the man handed me a wee Pud'n. So that's her name.

Midnight was living in the scrapyard of our upstairs neighbour a month or so after Pud'n arrived. He is still quite skittish but soooo affectionate! He had parasites from eating the crap from the garbage.

All three cats have had a fair share of meds recently! Pud'n had her kitty hysterectomy on Monday. They have become such fantastic friends!
Poor Puss is just grumbled by their presence!

  

 

It has been 3yrs since I had chemotherapy!
My hair is doing well; nice and curly with bouce.
The chemo curl ringlets are slowly getting the snip!

Pud'n 

Jumping for Joy!

OK, my course is awaiting me. I will try to write again before 2022 is upon us!

But no promises! TTFN 

PS We also got a new car in May :) and my lil whip went to someone who loves her!

Two Thousand and Twenty One!

 Good evening.

Here I am, still plodding away and working on myself blah de blah!

I had some unexpected time off - lockdown/employer covid testings etc. so amongst making edibles, I started trying Transcendental Meditation - 20mins twice a day. This seems time consuming but I just had to squeeze it in. Since being back at work this week, I haven't always managed it twice a day and sometimes just 10mins instead of 20mins.

It feels nice - my mind feels quite peaceful for it!

Alongside meditation, I have been doing Yoga With Adriene's 30 day January challenge - Breath. I'm in a little supportive chat group so it's nice to share it!



Besides this.... I have started writing a book. Marian Keyes started offering tips and guides and prompts to help people take steps towards writing a novel!! So mine is about a teen living in a children's/care home.

Other book ideas I have are around sex and sexual expectations, experiences etc.
Guys seem clueless and/or reluctant to spend the time on a woman. I want to write erotica too.
Also about the splurging of photos of children before they can even understand or consent to what that means. Raising children - the benefits of spoiling them with nature over 'things'.

Anyhoo, Happy New Year!!  What a crazy ole time to be alive! 

Times of crowds and festivals and relaxed gatherings seem forever ago!

On top of Y&M I am trying to read/write in the mornings and avoid looking at my phone before 7am (on a work day).

It's a process! :)


In other news.....

My hair is growing!!

Shovelling this week!

Pretty sky on our walk earlier.

I love yoga!

Bye for now, friends!

October Rambles

 I sometimes think about how much a working parent has to do and I am... firstly baffled anyone would choose to take that on...! But secondly, I think about them having less time to do - anything - specifically "work" on themselves. This term "doing the work" is cropping up a lot lately. Which makes breeding/having children a fantastic distraction from working on yourself - and great for people who see it as 'what they are supposed to do'. Why work on yourself when you can just have kids and pass your trauma reactions, anxieties, coping mechanisms, etc. onto them?


As I drift through my life, I am bumping into (thanks to the Google/IG algorithms I'm sure) childfree stuff, and I follow a childfree coach (Holly) who is from USA but is living in Norway with her wife for a year. Holly has started a book club and I the book we are reading is quite thought triggering. Great specific advice for journaling - the most important action in the morning, when your subconscious and conscious wake up and are in their OPTIMAL CONDITION.

I don't have a morning routine and once again I'm being told it's what we need in order to operate from our 'peak state' - alongside having time away from your regular environment. I am feeling a longing for some time with me - maybe take a drive and visit a friend this week. 

I am 39, I feel like I should have this sussed. I don't drink coffee and that seems to be most people's 'morning routine'. Followed by a poop! 💩

My mornings consist of a variation of... bowel movements (1-3x between 4am and 9am), much meandering, often making HG's lunch and seeing him off, sorting bins on bin day, a work out before 10:30am, yoga, meditation, phonecalls, scrolling on my phone, chatting/typing to ppl on my phone. This is on the days that I am not working but HG (I currently have extra time because I cut back 2 jobs to make time for new, 3rd job, which is delayed due to new centre not being ready). On days we're both off, I have even less routine but we usually get outside for a little walk/hike. We'll often wake and have snuggles/sex on a weekend; it's so nice when nobody has to go/be anywhere. Then HG will game, I'll potter - housework, feed us, make a mess, clean up!
We'll play Magic the Gathering and hang out/watch TV.




So I just read that your favourite colour describes your personality... 
What is your favourite colour and why?
How do you feel about it?
Write it down and put I Am at the front.

Purple: Deep, dark, warm

Turquoise: Fun, bright & vibrant

I am deep
I am dark
I am warm
I am fun
I am bright
I am vibrant

I don't actually disagree with these.

Let me know if you try it too :D

How does anyone know what they are doing? 
Life flies by so fast!

Covid - Wave II (actually nothing about C-19).

It's October in 2 days. 

The munchkin I look after turns 4yrs on 1st October. I wonder what her world will look like in 20, 30, 40yrs time.... I hope to know her for many of them.

 

Here is a leaf I caught, Katy Bowman stylie!
https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/

So the past week or so has been peppered with periods of training; some full days - on Zoom (the new normal way of the world - no time travelling movie predicted this.... or did they?), then at the weekend we were in the new pool/s.

I love the physical training; I was so fkn tired by Saturday night! We practiced rescues, situations, swam 400m in 10mins (7.39), retrieved bricks/mannikins from bottom of pool (13.5ft) and lots lots more.

That evening,HG and I walked and picked up Mexican Food. HG played Pokemon on the way home. We watched some telly and played a game of Magic the Gathering. Then I worked on my lesson plan for Sunday, which probably could've taken me 15mins but I procrastinate, dawdle and send people things they need to complete theirs!

My garden is doing well. I kinda ignore it this time of year; just water it if it doesn't rain for a few days. 
The Morning Glories are in full swing. But I'm bringing my marijuana plant in each night.

I am enjoying one day a week with the girly I nanny/care for. Her Mum was devastated when I said I wanted to cut down hours and focus on something else - lifeguarding/swim instruction, but she gets it and she loves me and I get to spend her birthday with girly this week so I'm excited about that!

I love to teach her (A) about life and nature and the world. I know she would/will be fine without my input; her family are so articulate and balanced with minumal screentime (like almost zero until Covid/Zoom school). But I love watching her grow & being a part of it (without full responsibility of another being).


I took her to a corn field recently, to show her how corn grows. I told her about how as children, on family walks, I would run with my cousins through the corn fields (alongside a path/trail) and my Uncle would sometimes shout, pretending to be a farmer telling us off. 😂 My younger cousins would be screaming and crying. 😆

I take her to the woods and the beach. 

We look around at bugs and leaves.
She's still annoyingly scared of spider webs though!

I gave her a t-shirt about a year & a half ago, which says

I Love Nature. 

And she does. It's getting tight on her but it's still true! 💚

   

I haven't been working out AS much, with 12hr shifts and whatevs but I'm not beating myself up about it! Fitting it in where I can. 

Even managed a wee lake swim (20℃ in the water).

The air was 7℃. It was deliciously therapeutic.

   



Autumn is upon us and I want to envelop all the sights, smells and feels 🍁🍂🍃

 

Our final Tuesday evening (Triathlon Club) bike ride. 

 

  

Until next time,
Be kind to each other ❤

👩