Saturday, September 25, 2010
One month to one million
Dan's work is having a fitness challenge this month. The goal is to walk the most steps in order to win a bike (worth $600). Dan REALLY wants this bike. You can earn steps by participating in various activities that are worth a certain amount of steps for a certain time. For example, housework for 10 minutes earns you 750 steps. Or biking high intensity for 60 minutes earns you 15,000 steps. Dan has been wearing a pedometer when he is walking around work, and takes it off when he participates in other activities (to prevent double counting!). At the beginning of this month long adventure, Dan made a goal to walk one million steps. He is two weeks into this challenge and has already surpassed the half way mark! He has walked over half a million steps! And needless to say, I am not far behind him. Every evening, he drags me for an hour walk (if not longer!). And if it weren't for the fact that my bike is in the shop for repairs, we'd be biking every night. Its been great to support him in this quest for a new bike, but I must say it would be easier if I wasn't 7 months pregnant. But in two more weeks, he will have hopefully earned himself a new bike and I can put my feet up and rest for a while.
Bring on the Hippie Bus!
Its finally happened! We have been categorized by someone other than ourselves. Nope, we aren't newlyweds or parents-to-be. In the course of conversation with a dear friend from Alberta this past week, it came out that we are considered her "Hippie Friends!"
So, the reason we got labeled this way? Perhaps its the fact that we bake our own bread, or can fruit and veggies. Perhaps its because we make our own granola (and granola bars) or that we dehydrate fruit. It may have something to do with the lack of car in our lives and our joy of walking. Or maybe our excess recycling, thrift store finds and the composter (with new worms! Dan is really excited about this fact!) It could be because we line dry our clothes, use vinegar for cleaning and eat mostly homemade things. It could be the excitement of cloth diapers and our consideration of a home birth. Maybe its because our dream is to have chickens running around in the backyard and a large enough garden to sustain us throughout the year.
At the end of the day, we aren't really sure why we are labeled this way. We just think its funny and we'll continue to keep up with our hippie ways. The reality is that just 50 years ago, we would be considered normal. Everyone lived this way. There was no disposable society to come home to. People made do with what they had, mended what they had or did without. Why is it that because we choose to live with less and make things ourselves that we are fringe people? The fact is that a lot of people we know live this way. And we don't consider them weird hippies...they are just living like their parents and grandparents did back in the day. Perhaps its those who throw everything away that are the weirdos.
So, the reason we got labeled this way? Perhaps its the fact that we bake our own bread, or can fruit and veggies. Perhaps its because we make our own granola (and granola bars) or that we dehydrate fruit. It may have something to do with the lack of car in our lives and our joy of walking. Or maybe our excess recycling, thrift store finds and the composter (with new worms! Dan is really excited about this fact!) It could be because we line dry our clothes, use vinegar for cleaning and eat mostly homemade things. It could be the excitement of cloth diapers and our consideration of a home birth. Maybe its because our dream is to have chickens running around in the backyard and a large enough garden to sustain us throughout the year.
At the end of the day, we aren't really sure why we are labeled this way. We just think its funny and we'll continue to keep up with our hippie ways. The reality is that just 50 years ago, we would be considered normal. Everyone lived this way. There was no disposable society to come home to. People made do with what they had, mended what they had or did without. Why is it that because we choose to live with less and make things ourselves that we are fringe people? The fact is that a lot of people we know live this way. And we don't consider them weird hippies...they are just living like their parents and grandparents did back in the day. Perhaps its those who throw everything away that are the weirdos.
The Second Installment of Conversations with Amanda and Dan
We were having a sort of playful, pretend argument one day (which we do quite often to keep life interesting). And this is what ended it all.
A: Don't you know that the world revolves around me?
D: The world does not revolve around you.
A: Fine! But the axis is slightly closer to me than it is to you.
A: Don't you know that the world revolves around me?
D: The world does not revolve around you.
A: Fine! But the axis is slightly closer to me than it is to you.
Monday, September 20, 2010
The most ridiculous suggestion....
With Amanda back to work, there seem to be a whole lot more stories involving those two wonderful children and their family. This is a story that we needed to share, mostly because of its ridiculous nature in relation to our lifestyle (and perhaps most people would agree!)
As you know, we walk everywhere. This means that we walk in the rain, snow, sleet and sun. Basically, we are more dependable than the postal service! We enjoy a good walk in the rain now and again. The night before this "story" takes place, we walked to the grocery store in the pouring rain to pick up a few items.
As we are just starting our the year with the kids, I seem to be a bit short on groceries for the children. I mentioned to Nancy one drippy rainy morning that I needed some milk for the kids. I was hoping for some money to go pick it up, or for her to hit up a grocery store that evening and send it with the kids the next morning. Instead, I got more than I bargained for! She suggested that I take the children to the McDonalds Drive-thru (yes, DRIVE-THRU!) and purchase a carton of milk.
To someone who the previous evening had braved the elements to bring home our groceries, this suggestion seemed utterly ridiculous. I even asked why the grocery store wasn't a better option. She just insisted that the DRIVE-THRU at MCDONALDS would prevent me from getting wet. I just don't understand. Really...it baffles me. Getting wet is not an issue. Going to the grocery store with two kids is NOT an issue. What the issue is to me, is that someone would suggest using a drive-thru to get milk. Needless to say, Dan and I had a good laugh. Its been two weeks, and we are still trying to understand.
Oh, and for the milk. I took her kids (gasp) in the rain (oh my!) and got some from the store (who would have thought?). We even lived to tell about it!!!!!
As you know, we walk everywhere. This means that we walk in the rain, snow, sleet and sun. Basically, we are more dependable than the postal service! We enjoy a good walk in the rain now and again. The night before this "story" takes place, we walked to the grocery store in the pouring rain to pick up a few items.
As we are just starting our the year with the kids, I seem to be a bit short on groceries for the children. I mentioned to Nancy one drippy rainy morning that I needed some milk for the kids. I was hoping for some money to go pick it up, or for her to hit up a grocery store that evening and send it with the kids the next morning. Instead, I got more than I bargained for! She suggested that I take the children to the McDonalds Drive-thru (yes, DRIVE-THRU!) and purchase a carton of milk.
To someone who the previous evening had braved the elements to bring home our groceries, this suggestion seemed utterly ridiculous. I even asked why the grocery store wasn't a better option. She just insisted that the DRIVE-THRU at MCDONALDS would prevent me from getting wet. I just don't understand. Really...it baffles me. Getting wet is not an issue. Going to the grocery store with two kids is NOT an issue. What the issue is to me, is that someone would suggest using a drive-thru to get milk. Needless to say, Dan and I had a good laugh. Its been two weeks, and we are still trying to understand.
Oh, and for the milk. I took her kids (gasp) in the rain (oh my!) and got some from the store (who would have thought?). We even lived to tell about it!!!!!
Conversations with Amanda and Dan
Sometimes the two of us have these odd kinds of conversations. Very brief and somewhat bizarre. For those of you who know us quite well, you probably won't be that surprised by its content. For those of you who don't know us that well, be prepared to learn about the inner workings of our brains and our marriage.
Conversation #1:
(while walking home from Pricesmart, Amanda breaks the silence with this....)
A: Sometimes I wish we were lesbians.
D: Huh? (odd look on face)
A: That way we can take turns having babies. I have the first one and you carry the second one.
D: Okay. I suppose its a step up from being a seahorse.
Conversation #2:
(the girls from upstairs made us cookies and dropped them off, after we invited them to share our pulled pork dinner with us)
A: I really like those girls! These cookies are like manna from heaven!
D: They're like friends....with benefits!
P.S. This is not the last of these types of posts. We have these conversations all the time. If only we could remember more of them...
Conversation #1:
(while walking home from Pricesmart, Amanda breaks the silence with this....)
A: Sometimes I wish we were lesbians.
D: Huh? (odd look on face)
A: That way we can take turns having babies. I have the first one and you carry the second one.
D: Okay. I suppose its a step up from being a seahorse.
Conversation #2:
(the girls from upstairs made us cookies and dropped them off, after we invited them to share our pulled pork dinner with us)
A: I really like those girls! These cookies are like manna from heaven!
D: They're like friends....with benefits!
P.S. This is not the last of these types of posts. We have these conversations all the time. If only we could remember more of them...
Friday, September 3, 2010
AmanDan's 10 Rules Regarding Pants
Disclaimer: Not to be taken too seriously. For you offenders, this is very serious business.....
(the following opinions have been provided by Amanda and Dan and are not the opinions of most people.)
The Rules Regarding Pants
#1. Leggings are NOT pants (especially when your shirt is so short that we can see underwear lines through your leggings)
#2. Yoga pants are meant for Yoga, not for everyday use. You do not live in the gym, therefore you should not live in your gym clothes. (this will help us think that you shower after your workout, rather than walk around all sweaty and gross)
#3. Pajamas are for the bedroom (or at least your own home). I had to get dressed this morning, and so should you!
#4. Mini skirts should not be so short that a 3 years old skirt contains more material. No one wants to see you who-ha, or anything close to it.
#5. Men, your crotch should be abouts where your crotch is located. It is not located near your knees. Pull up your pants and cover your underwear for goodness sake!
#6. Full length pants should be full length pants. They should not turn into flood pants the moment you sit down. Your calf should remain covered and not by the tube socks your wearing. The only exception is if you are too tall to find pants that cover your ankles. You are forgiven-we feel your pain.
#7. Pants should not be so tight that there is nothing left to the imagination. I really don't want to see your cottage cheese thighs or golf ball butt through your pants.
#8. Underwear, especially thongs, should NOT be seen above your pant line. That space is reserved for butt cracks, which should also not be seen, but are more tolerable than your underwear.
#9. Work out wear should be reserved for working out. (see rule #2)
#10. While wearing white pants, please refrain from wearing black, patterned,or coloured underwear. Thongs are not recommended either. White pants need to be sufficiently thick so as not to reveal what lies beneath. Please remember that it does rain often and white pants should be reserved for days when the rain clouds are far away so as not to reveal what is under your pants.
We retain the right to, add to or subtract from or otherwise alter, these rules at any time we see fit. Complaints department is on permanent vacation. Estimated wait time: longer than your lifespan.
(the following opinions have been provided by Amanda and Dan and are not the opinions of most people.)
The Rules Regarding Pants
#1. Leggings are NOT pants (especially when your shirt is so short that we can see underwear lines through your leggings)
#2. Yoga pants are meant for Yoga, not for everyday use. You do not live in the gym, therefore you should not live in your gym clothes. (this will help us think that you shower after your workout, rather than walk around all sweaty and gross)
#3. Pajamas are for the bedroom (or at least your own home). I had to get dressed this morning, and so should you!
#4. Mini skirts should not be so short that a 3 years old skirt contains more material. No one wants to see you who-ha, or anything close to it.
#5. Men, your crotch should be abouts where your crotch is located. It is not located near your knees. Pull up your pants and cover your underwear for goodness sake!
#6. Full length pants should be full length pants. They should not turn into flood pants the moment you sit down. Your calf should remain covered and not by the tube socks your wearing. The only exception is if you are too tall to find pants that cover your ankles. You are forgiven-we feel your pain.
#7. Pants should not be so tight that there is nothing left to the imagination. I really don't want to see your cottage cheese thighs or golf ball butt through your pants.
#8. Underwear, especially thongs, should NOT be seen above your pant line. That space is reserved for butt cracks, which should also not be seen, but are more tolerable than your underwear.
#9. Work out wear should be reserved for working out. (see rule #2)
#10. While wearing white pants, please refrain from wearing black, patterned,or coloured underwear. Thongs are not recommended either. White pants need to be sufficiently thick so as not to reveal what lies beneath. Please remember that it does rain often and white pants should be reserved for days when the rain clouds are far away so as not to reveal what is under your pants.
We retain the right to, add to or subtract from or otherwise alter, these rules at any time we see fit. Complaints department is on permanent vacation. Estimated wait time: longer than your lifespan.
Listener Loyalty
We're not really what you would call "Loyal Listeners" to any one particular radio station. We've had the tendency to flip between stations during commercial breaks or to find a better song. This has been slowly changing over the past year and half, so slowly that we didn't really notice it happening until this past week.
We were driving by another radio station's "on-location" set-up when Amanda felt this sudden urge to yell out the window, "You suck!" She told Dan of this, and he couldn't help but agree. He actually said he wished he had a sticker for 100.5 The Peak so that he could run up and put it on their booth.
It was then that we realized, we are loyal listeners of 100.5 The Peak. We could listen to them all day without even feeling the urge to change stations. In fact, for the last year and a half its been the only station we've tuned into. Even itunes doesn't get this much of a workout. We can almost tell the time of day by certain commercials they have on (at 4:20pm they have the moment of serenity previewed by the apple i-minute). Okay, so we listen to this station far too much, but it is by far the best station out there! Check them out! (just like the "Check this out tune of the day" that they have playing 4 times a day). Yep, its true. We do love this station!
We were driving by another radio station's "on-location" set-up when Amanda felt this sudden urge to yell out the window, "You suck!" She told Dan of this, and he couldn't help but agree. He actually said he wished he had a sticker for 100.5 The Peak so that he could run up and put it on their booth.
It was then that we realized, we are loyal listeners of 100.5 The Peak. We could listen to them all day without even feeling the urge to change stations. In fact, for the last year and a half its been the only station we've tuned into. Even itunes doesn't get this much of a workout. We can almost tell the time of day by certain commercials they have on (at 4:20pm they have the moment of serenity previewed by the apple i-minute). Okay, so we listen to this station far too much, but it is by far the best station out there! Check them out! (just like the "Check this out tune of the day" that they have playing 4 times a day). Yep, its true. We do love this station!
We're Goin' Squirrely!!!
Squirrel tendencies have started..or rather have run their course. Amanda has been busy this past week making meals to freeze for the fall, along with all the canning we've done throughout the summer.
So far this summer we have canned (or jarred):
20lbs cherries
20lbs peaches
40 lbs tomatoes
20lbs pears
20lbs apple sauce
10lbs green beans
2 large batches of salsa
4 batches of jam (strawberry, raspberry and cherry)
We've also dehydrated:
3 lbs of cherries
1 lbs of blueberries
The skins from the 20lbs of apples (into a nice fruit leather)
5 lbs of apple slices
We've frozen these meals (of course in large quantities):
4 pizzas
1 large lasagna
1 large ham pot pie
1 large spaghetti casserole
1 batch of country chicken stew
2 trays of cabbage rolls
1 very large batch of dutch meatball soup
A batch of mexi-wraps, refried beans and chili are still in the works.
Plus, this doesn't include the 24 loaves of bread we've made and stored in the deep freeze. And on Sunday, we'll add to these quantities with baked goods.
On the agenda for the bake-a-thon is:
peanut butter balls
scones
cookies
bagels
peanut butter granola
a batch of granola bars (already made and ready to freeze)
and whatever strikes our fancy!
Needless to say, the freezer is full and we are well prepared for the winter. Anybody wanna come for dinner and dessert?
So far this summer we have canned (or jarred):
20lbs cherries
20lbs peaches
40 lbs tomatoes
20lbs pears
20lbs apple sauce
10lbs green beans
2 large batches of salsa
4 batches of jam (strawberry, raspberry and cherry)
We've also dehydrated:
3 lbs of cherries
1 lbs of blueberries
The skins from the 20lbs of apples (into a nice fruit leather)
5 lbs of apple slices
We've frozen these meals (of course in large quantities):
4 pizzas
1 large lasagna
1 large ham pot pie
1 large spaghetti casserole
1 batch of country chicken stew
2 trays of cabbage rolls
1 very large batch of dutch meatball soup
A batch of mexi-wraps, refried beans and chili are still in the works.
Plus, this doesn't include the 24 loaves of bread we've made and stored in the deep freeze. And on Sunday, we'll add to these quantities with baked goods.
On the agenda for the bake-a-thon is:
peanut butter balls
scones
cookies
bagels
peanut butter granola
a batch of granola bars (already made and ready to freeze)
and whatever strikes our fancy!
Needless to say, the freezer is full and we are well prepared for the winter. Anybody wanna come for dinner and dessert?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Customer Service: a good experience!
"And I spent half of my life
In the customer service line
Flaws in the design
A sign of the times..."
(excerpt from Dan Mangan's song Robots)
Normally, when I have to call customer service, I prepare myself for a long wait followed by a fight. Today was no different. Except, I didn't need to fight for what I knew was right...nor did I have to argue my case. Today I was treated like a real human being with feelings and frustrations. I'd like to thank Tim from Fido for a GREAT customer service experience (my first one!!!!). He worked with me to get me what I was supposed to have gotten 2 phone calls ago. He changed my bill to reflect what calls I actually made and should have been billed for. Good-bye over $250 in unnecessary charges! (Imagine my surprise when I opened that bill!) He finally got my plan sorted out to be what it should have been 2 calls ago (third times a charm?). I have to admit, I didn't expect this to happen but I am utterly surprised by Tim.
An Ode to Tim
Oh Tim, You came and you found me my plan back.
You fixed all those charges on my bill
You made me smile and be still.....
Okay. That's enough. I really appreciated Tim's efforts and what he did to get my plan all sorted out. Hopefully, this is the last time I have to "fix" this problem.
In the customer service line
Flaws in the design
A sign of the times..."
(excerpt from Dan Mangan's song Robots)
Normally, when I have to call customer service, I prepare myself for a long wait followed by a fight. Today was no different. Except, I didn't need to fight for what I knew was right...nor did I have to argue my case. Today I was treated like a real human being with feelings and frustrations. I'd like to thank Tim from Fido for a GREAT customer service experience (my first one!!!!). He worked with me to get me what I was supposed to have gotten 2 phone calls ago. He changed my bill to reflect what calls I actually made and should have been billed for. Good-bye over $250 in unnecessary charges! (Imagine my surprise when I opened that bill!) He finally got my plan sorted out to be what it should have been 2 calls ago (third times a charm?). I have to admit, I didn't expect this to happen but I am utterly surprised by Tim.
An Ode to Tim
Oh Tim, You came and you found me my plan back.
You fixed all those charges on my bill
You made me smile and be still.....
Okay. That's enough. I really appreciated Tim's efforts and what he did to get my plan all sorted out. Hopefully, this is the last time I have to "fix" this problem.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Active Baby Syndrome
Today Dan and I went on a tour of the hospital. It was supposed to be a 10-15 minute tour...of course, with us, nothing ever goes according to plan. Ten minutes into the tour, Amanda began to feel a bit faint and queasy. We are not entirely sure what started this off, but perhaps all the talk about C-Sections got to be a bit much. The problem was, that no matter how long she sat, or lied down, she had trouble regaining full composure. She just kept feeling as though she was about to black out. Finally, the nurse made the call and sent us into triage to get my blood pressure checked and to check on the baby's well being.
All of Amanda's test checked out fine. Nothing wrong! To check the baby, they strapped on a heart monitor (and asked her to hold it in place since the baby kept moving) and also asked Amanda to press a button every time the baby moved. She immediately asked if this button had a press and hold feature. Needless to say, the printout was full of these little black dots indicating the baby's movement. When there was a break in the dots it was because Amanda got tired of pressing the button or had to itch her head and just wanted a break. About 10 minutes into this 20 minute long monitoring process, the baby decided to do a flip and move to the other side. Needless to say, we lost the heartbeat but the baby kept on moving. We had to coerce the baby into moving back into position by pressing hard on Amanda's stomach to move the baby back to the other side. The nurses said that everything was fine and I was cleared for discharge by my midwife.
At this point, Dan was already an hour late for work. So I drove him to work and went in for a few minutes to assure his colleagues that I was fine. This backfired. As I was talking with them, I went white as a ghost and felt faint again. I quickly sat down hoping it would go away. Another call to the midwife and she suggested I go to Emergency and get checked out again. We called Grandma to drive us there, since driving myself wouldn't be safe. After we got dropped off, we found out that Emergency wouldn't take care of anyone over 20 weeks gestation, so that meant we were herded up to Maternity again. The nurses were a bit surprised to see us again. This time, they ordered some blood work and we began the never-ending waiting period. Two and half hours later, we were told that the blood work came back okay. A bit low on hemoglobin and a bit high on other things...normal for pregnancy. But during their communication about me, they discovered that another nurse had the same sort of thing happen to her. She suggested that sometimes when the baby moves, it can twist onto my vena cava, the main artery supplying blood to my body. When the baby does this, it blocks my blood supply, causing me to have the feeling as though I am about to black out. Dan's aunt dubbed this "Active Baby Syndrome." More than appropriate as the baby hadn't really stopped moving for more than 12 hours (aren't they supposed to sleep???)
The end result is that I was told to go home and lie down. Get some rest and relax a bit. We'll see how I feel tomorrow and base that on if I will need further tests. For now, things are okay (when the baby isn't moving)!
All of Amanda's test checked out fine. Nothing wrong! To check the baby, they strapped on a heart monitor (and asked her to hold it in place since the baby kept moving) and also asked Amanda to press a button every time the baby moved. She immediately asked if this button had a press and hold feature. Needless to say, the printout was full of these little black dots indicating the baby's movement. When there was a break in the dots it was because Amanda got tired of pressing the button or had to itch her head and just wanted a break. About 10 minutes into this 20 minute long monitoring process, the baby decided to do a flip and move to the other side. Needless to say, we lost the heartbeat but the baby kept on moving. We had to coerce the baby into moving back into position by pressing hard on Amanda's stomach to move the baby back to the other side. The nurses said that everything was fine and I was cleared for discharge by my midwife.
At this point, Dan was already an hour late for work. So I drove him to work and went in for a few minutes to assure his colleagues that I was fine. This backfired. As I was talking with them, I went white as a ghost and felt faint again. I quickly sat down hoping it would go away. Another call to the midwife and she suggested I go to Emergency and get checked out again. We called Grandma to drive us there, since driving myself wouldn't be safe. After we got dropped off, we found out that Emergency wouldn't take care of anyone over 20 weeks gestation, so that meant we were herded up to Maternity again. The nurses were a bit surprised to see us again. This time, they ordered some blood work and we began the never-ending waiting period. Two and half hours later, we were told that the blood work came back okay. A bit low on hemoglobin and a bit high on other things...normal for pregnancy. But during their communication about me, they discovered that another nurse had the same sort of thing happen to her. She suggested that sometimes when the baby moves, it can twist onto my vena cava, the main artery supplying blood to my body. When the baby does this, it blocks my blood supply, causing me to have the feeling as though I am about to black out. Dan's aunt dubbed this "Active Baby Syndrome." More than appropriate as the baby hadn't really stopped moving for more than 12 hours (aren't they supposed to sleep???)
The end result is that I was told to go home and lie down. Get some rest and relax a bit. We'll see how I feel tomorrow and base that on if I will need further tests. For now, things are okay (when the baby isn't moving)!
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