A bonus blog post

When I posted this morning I forgot that I'd need to post my weekly weigh in update too. So here is a bonus blog post.....

I weighed in today and was very happy to see that I lost 2.8 lbs this week. :) That's double last week's loss of 1.4 so a big WOO HOO for that LOL. I knew I had been very "good" this week with lots of work outs and eating quite a ways under my limits so I expected a loss. So I'm very happy to report that I got one :) You can see the updated chart on my website.... http://members.shaw.ca/vicky.bennett/weight_loss.htm

Unexpected gifts....

Is there anything better than giving or receiving an unexpected gift in the mail? Yesterday I received one and today I sent one.

The received one - I picked up the mail yesterday hoping for the ASC DVDs which didn't arrive. :( However, amid the stack of bills and other mail, there was a small envelope with an unrecognizable return address. I opened it with caution but was pleasantly surprised to see a check made out to me for $50. Turns out I sent in a rebate for some DVD's I purchased about 4 months ago and completely forgot about. What a fun piece of mail that was.

The sent one - I can't talk about much as the receiver might read about it here before it arrives at its intended destination. But it was so much fun running around and picking up the items to be sent. I felt like one of Santa's elves LOL.

Now, not to be too much of a girl, but I need to share the pain of breaking a nail LOL. Yesterday I was opening my dishwasher and I hit my thumbnail at just the right angle so that 2/3 of my acrylic nail overlay came right off and fell to the kitchen floor. That was a surprise but it didn't hurt too much... it must have been lifting on that part anyways for it to come off so easily. But I couldn't have 2/3 of my thumbnail off and the other 1/3 just sitting there all jagged and nasty LOL. So I decided to do some surgery on myself and remove the other 1/3 which was ever so firmly attached to the base of my nail. Now THAT hurt! I had to get underneath the acrylic part and pry it off my nail. I'm sure childbirth is the worst pain a human being can go through... but peeling off acrylic nails is a close second!

To hot tub or not to hot tub....

I don't think "to hot tub" is actually a verb but for the purposes of this blog, let's pretend that it is.

I think I can safely thank (or blame? LOL) Kelly for introducing me to the delights of having your very own hot tub in your backyard. When I stayed with her for the Ft Mac show back in May we jumped in the hot tub just about every day. It was WONDERFUL!!!!! I was instantly converted to the hot tub fan club.

So since I'm planning on living in my new house for a while I thought it might be nice to invest in my own hot tub. I found one that I like on sale for about $8500. Add GST, installation, required electrical work, and maintenance costs and you'll probably get a clear picture of why I'm hesitating to buy it. I think I'd LOVE it but is it worth the money? Any thoughts?

The things I'll do for Things

I've been looking all over for a game called "Things... Humor in a Box" since we played it at our family reunion a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to find it in any department store so I decided to look online. First I checked the Toys R Us website and was delighted to find that they had it. WOO HOO... hit the jackpot first time! :)

I went into my local Toys R Us store but I couldn't find it on the shelves. So I went to the cashier to see about ordering it but she couldn't find it in their computer. I thought that was strange since it was on the website but thought oh well, I'll just order it from the website. She warned that there are two websites... a Canadian and American one.

So I went home and went to the Toys R Us websites. Sure enough, the Canadian site does not have "Things" in their inventory but the US website does. I tried to order it but.... they do not accept international orders! SIGH!

So I thought, okay, I'll just pick it up when I next go to Great Falls. But when I did a search using their store locator I couldn't find a single Toys R Us location in all of Montana! I found a Toys R Us across the street from the nationals in Pennsylvania in January but I don't want to wait that long to get it and also it could be out of stock then (after all, it'll be right after Christmas). So I gave up on the idea of buying the game at Toys R Us.

Then I did a google search for the game and it turns out "Things" has its own website and, get this, it's a Canadian game!!!!! LOL How crazy is it that I can't get the Canadian game in Canada but I can in the US? But to order "Things" directly from its website will cost $40 plus $10 shipping. That's more than I'm willing to spend on a game listed for $25 USD on the Toys R Us website.

So I continued to search on the game's site for places that sell it and, get this, it is actually sold in the City of Lethbridge in a store in the Park Place Mall! Now the really crazy thing is I was in that mall just STEPS AWAY from that games store only minutes after my failed trip to the local Toys R Us! With my luck they'll be sold out of "Things" by the time I get back to the mall but at least I know they stock it and should be able to order it in for me :)

Happiness in life....

My personal opinion is that it is really difficult to find happiness in life. I mean real, true joy.... not "they gave me fresh french fries at McDonalds instead of cold ones" happy... I mean the real "I'm happy with my situation in life" kind of joy. So, I think as long as you are not hurting anyone else, and you have found a way to be really happy then grab on to it with both hands and don't let go! If that means going to Star Trek conventions, or installing a hot tub in your backyard, or being in a gay relationship, or living in a small town in Saskatchewan, or maybe all of the above.... then (to steal ever so subtly from Nike) JUST DO IT! And don't let the opinions or actions of others keep you from what makes you happy.

There is a lot of misery in this world. I mean a LOT of misery.... watch CNN for 30 minutes once in a while and you'll see all the crap going on in this world. And on top of that, life is very short... too short. So for the short time we have to enjoy life, why not enjoy it? Live the life that YOU want to live.

I'm not trying to take away from the responsibilities of being a grown-up and a good citizen (which falls under the "as long as it's not hurting others" part of my message). I'm talking about living a lifestyle that makes you happy within those responsibilities. All things are possible. If you are unhappy with your present lifestyle then change it... do whatever it takes to make yourself happy in life. Life is just too short to be miserable.

My Undies....

In my dresser, there are two kinds of panties.... "thongs" and "granny-panties". The grannies are further subcategorized into "nice grannies" and "period grannies". They each have a specific function in my life and they rarely stray from their assigned role.

The "period grannies" are self explanatory. They are former "nice grannies" that have been demoted, usually due to age or developing holes. They are worn for a few days every month and then put back in the drawer never to be seen again for the next 3.5 weeks.

The "nice grannies" have two very specific functions. They are to be worn to the gym and to bed. I used to wear thongs to the gym but found I appreciated that small amount of butt-support found in the grannie style of panties when I'm working out. The seamless kind don't ride up either... a wonderful choice for the gym. And I used to wear thongs to bed but I guess I'm a restless sleeper as I woke up a few times to the most uncomfortable wedgie! So now I wear "nice grannies" to bed :)

The "thongs" get worn in every other situation... going out for dinner, shopping, staying home and watching tv, etc. They give that little feeling of sexiness in every day situations :)

Advantages to being single....

1. I can sleep in any position on any part of my queen size bed
2. I can adjust the a/c to suit MY comfort level
3. No one to mock me if I cry during "Love Actually"
4. Only pay life/health insurance for one
5. My money is all mine to spend how I choose
6. My time is all mine to spend how I choose
7. I can date whomever I want
8. Blockbuster night - I always get the movie that I want
9. I don't mind the smell of my own farts... but everyone else's stink like shit
10. Popcorn for supper is no problem
11. Decorating decisions are all mine
12. No battles over the remote control
13. No disagreements over who to spend the holidays with
14. No possibility of heartache and problems with divorce
15. My RSP and investments are mine to watch grow and enjoy in the future
16. People change. No worries about a spouse changing in a bad direction
17. No beard stubbies in the sink
18. I can buy a diamond ring anytime I want to... don't have to wait for anyone to buy it for me. Same with a house, vacation, etc
19. Make up and tampons are always within easy reach
20. The silence is golden :)

They beat me. I give up.

Shaw cable has beaten me to the ground and worn me out. I am now sticking with them for my cable TV service. I have had multiple people try to work out connecting all my components with no success so I arranged for Starchoice satellite (who I would highly recommend after their first slip up with customer service). But Shaw kept insisting it would work and they sent out a guy to connect it all and... whadya know... he got it to work. So I had to humbly go back to Starchoice and apologize for getting them involved in the crossfire between myself and Shaw as I cancelled their service. Unfortunately I still have to take the satellite receiver back to Future Shop. I just can't believe that with all the crap I've gone through I'm still with Shaw. But I have a non-refundable $500 investment in their HD Receiver Box which I am reluctant to do away with so my choices are limited.

On the plus side, I weighed in today and have lost a little. Not a lot, but a little LOL. Okay, it's 1.4 lbs. If I can continue to lose that much weight every week then I'll be within a pound or two of each of my 3 upcoming goals... Thanksgiving (the real Canadian one in October LOL), the Red Deer show in November, and Christmas/ASC. Right click the following link and "open in new window" to see the chart but keep reading here :) http://members.shaw.ca/vicky.bennett/weight_loss.htm

I need to come up with an incentive to "treat myself" if I hit those three goals. Any suggestions? Not a high calorie food of course LOL. I was thinking of a massage or something. What else can I treat myself to that would be appropriate for hitting a weight loss goal?

Twas the day before the weigh in....

The day before the weekly weigh in is a tricky day because what I eat today can have a big impact on my weigh in tomorrow. However, I don't want to use all my tricks for a good weigh in tomorrow as that will just set me up for a gain the following week. So I'm trying to eat "normally" but just avoiding extra salt and all alcohol. Salt and alcohol = major water weight!

Unfortunately I had a bit of an injury at the gym on Friday (rolled my ankle and landed on my butt.... I looked so cool! LOL) so I haven't been able to work out for the last 3 days. I'm going to the gym today for a class but if my ankle starts to hurt I'm going to have to ease off and give it another couple of days. The last thing I want to do is make an ankle injury worse and have to stay off it even longer.

This reminds me of a story I read on an online bulletin board once. A lady posted about how difficult it was for her to lose weight because she was confined to a wheelchair and had no use of her legs at all. The major muscles that really get our heart rates up for a good cardio workout are in our legs. So without the use of those muscles she had to find alternate ways to get a cardio workout. She bought a treadmill but it had to be a special wide one that could accommodate her wheelchair. But even with the special equipment it took her so much longer to get an effective workout. When I read her story I felt incredibly lucky to have the use of my legs. I said to myself that I would never again whine about working out because I COULD work out. It really motivated me to get up and start moving and to be thankful for my ability to work out and do so many things that I take for granted. :)

I swear I'm not making this up....

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

The ongoing saga with Shaw..... I took the defective receiver box back to Shaw today but they still would not take it back. Instead they are going to send a technician to my house to make sure it really doesn't work! I guess my word for it isn't good enough. Okay, if I go to Sears and buy a skirt and then return it because it doesn't fit, are they going to make me put it on in front of them to prove it doesn't fit? If I go to Walmart and buy a coffee maker which turns out not to work properly are they going to refuse to refund my money until I actually attempt to brew a pot of coffee and prove that it is defective? ARGH!!! I can't believe Shaw is getting away with this crap. Take it from me, NEVER deal with Shaw.... THEY SUCK!!!!!

Today I made a day trip to Great Falls, Montana (home of the largest nursery of cold-weather-hardy plants in all of America... seriously, I saw the sign LOL). I went down to pick up a dog that will be shown up here later this year or early next year. It was an uneventful trip down (although I did get lost at the Great Falls airport) and Gilly was lots of fun to play with at the rest stop. Unfortunately we had a run in with a Canada Customs agent on a power trip. He told me that I could not bring Gilly into Canada and I would have to send him back to his owners. He said that I did not have power of attorney over the dog and therefore I would not be allowed to bring him into Canada. I showed him my letter from the owner giving me permission to care for the dog until his championship was completed. He wouldn't even look at it and said if it wasn't notorized it wasn't good enough and I would have to take the dog back to his owners. Luckily his supervisor stepped in and looked at the letter. She stated that the letter was a reasonable facsimile of power of attorney and sent me on my way. Man, I hope that guy (excuse the crudeness here) goes in the back room and gets a big load off on that stunt he pulled so some good will come of his power trip.

You know how people tell you to buy a lottery ticket when you seem to be having a streak of good luck? Well, my luck has been so bad lately I am afraid to buy a lottery ticket for fear that not only would I not win but I'd somehow end up owing money to the lotto board!

The joy of the ensuite......

With all the doom and gloom that has been going on in my life lately, I thought I'd blog about a source of joy in my life.... my ensuite bathroom :)

When I was looking at houses to buy, an ensuite was not on my "must have" list but it was definitely on my "nice to have" list. I have never lived in a house with an ensuite. Since I have been living on my own my bathrooms have always been for my use but also shared with guests. First I had a one bedroom apartment (B.C. - before canines) with just the one bathroom. Then I moved up to a duplex with a single bathroom (A.D. - avec doggies). Then I moved up again to another duplex but this one had one and a half bathrooms.... I still had to share the main bathroom with guests as it had the tub/shower.

But now, oh my glorious house.... it has 3 full bathrooms. Overkill? Possibly. But the delight in my life is the ensuite. I have a toilet, shower, and sink that no one else will ever use. I can keep it clean or messy - however I want. I can leave dried toothpaste in the sink and invite everyone over for dinner.... no one will ever see the toothpaste glob.

It is my palace of porcelain and pipes... my den of drains and dental floss... my "shangri-la" with a shower and shaver! It is, in a glorious word, my ensuite! :)

If it hadn't happened to me, I wouldn't have believed it....

I literally cannot wait for the day when my life is in a hum-drum routine that is dull dull dull. If you are a regular reader of my blog (or have had any conversation with me in the last 6 weeks) you know all about the problems I have had with moving in to my new house. Well, let the trouble continue.....

I went out and bought (amongst other things) a new TV with the proceeds of the sale of my old house. It is a lovely 40" LCD HDTV. Now, in order to actually enjoy the HD part of the TV I have to get an HD receiver box and subscribe to a service that includes HD channels (such as digital cable or satellite).

So, on Friday afternoon Valerie and I played hooky from work (if anyone from IBM reads this, we actually went after a complete work day filled with lots of productivity LOL) to go and buy a Shaw HD receiver box so I could enjoy digital cable including the HD channels. Valerie has a similar system which I really like so I thought it would be a good choice.... I bought the receiver box, took it home and had the WORST time setting it up. Valerie said she was able to set hers up with no problem at all so I was getting more and more frustrated that I couldn't figure out how to do it. I ended up calling Shaw support and it turns out that there really is no way for me to set up the HD box with my current set up (I have a DVR box that I use for recording but the HD box can't send a signal to both that and my TV so I can either watch the TV OR record something but every time I want to switch from one to the other I have to pull out cables from one device and put them in the other - totally unacceptable).

So since I could not get the digital cable to work I looked into satellite with Bell but wasn't happy after my phone call with them. The guy I talked to really lacked customer service skills and was not very helpful at all. So I decided to give digital cable another try by going to Future Shop to see if they had any cable splitters that would help me set everything up. The salesman tried a few things but his best solution was to buy $50 worth of cable splitters and couplers which would end up compromising the sound.

That wasn't a great solution so he suggested going with Starchoice satellite. He personally vouched for how great Starchoice was. They have great customer service, knowledgeable tech support, and great service bundles (channels) to choose from. Okay, he talked me into it. So I decided to give them a try. The salesman said all I had to do was purchase the receiver then call their toll free number and installation would be arranged and would be free. Hey, this all sounds great... I'll buy it!

Then we went to Shaw so I could return the useless HD receiver box that I bought yesterday. But when I said I wanted to return it they said "all sales are final so no returns allowed." Wait a sec... I just paid $450 for a box that is useless to me? Not only is it not compatible with my components, it doesn't even work (I was able to view the channels but not the guide that comes with them). All the Shaw person could suggest was talking to her supervisor on Monday morning - which I will definitely be doing.

So I went home and read the manuals for Starchoice. They all said don't plug it in until all the cables are connected. No problem, I'll just call for installation then I can hook everything up. I called the toll free number and....... 50 minutes later there was still no answer!!!! I heard "Your call is very important to us. Someone will be with you shortly" over and over and over and over and over! It was crazy! I should have hung up sooner... an hour is FAR to long to be on hold. And this is supposed to be their great customer service? It made a pretty bad first impression with me.

So what do I do? I still have the useless Shaw box to return. If Starchoice service includes being on hold for an hour before I can talk to a tech then that's no good to me. Am I doomed to have a great TV but only an analog signal for the rest of my days? ARGH!!!!! It has been VERY frustrating!!!! All I want to do is watch Law & Order in HDTV... is that asking too much?????

I'm booked for Philly :)

Regarding the American Spaniel Club show to be held near Philadelphia in January of 2007....

I have the hotel room booked and some roommates lined up.

I have my flight booked (from Lethbridge so no highway driving in January).

I'm very excited about the show. I'm not taking a dog this time... just going to watch, socialize, and have a good time :) This should also be a MUCH cheaper show than Sturbridge was in July LOL.

I can do it..... you can help!

This will come as no surprise to anyone who has met me or seen my picture..... I do not have a model thin figure! I could sit here and play the blame game but who really cares WHY I'm fat? I don't even care why I'm fat LOL. I just want to get down to a healthier and more attractive weight. You have the power to help me do that!

I have built a page on my website that charts my weight loss progress over time. It started on August 9th (the day I rejoined Weight Watchers after a 7 week "vacation") and goes until the end of the year. Because I'm a typical woman who doesn't want to advertise her weight (LOL), I have removed the numbers from the chart so you can't see exactly how much I weigh but there are lines on the chart that give it some perspective so you can see how far I have come and what my goals are.

I have charted to the end of the year as that will coincide with the ASC flushing show in Philadelphia (Jan 5-7, 2007) which has a formal dinner. I want to buy a new formal gown for the dinner and hopefully my body will be a lot smaller then and will fit into a dress I can only dream of now. :) It'll be my reward for 5 months of working hard to lose weight.

So how can you help me.....? Go to the chart on my website (you can also find it at the bottom of my "links" page)..... http://members.shaw.ca/vicky.bennett/weight_loss.htm

The theory is that if people are checking on my progress then that will keep me more accountable. I welcome any feedback about the chart. Is it clear? Is it missing any information? Any other ideas to keep me motivated? Let me know what you think. :)

"Blogger Awareness"

Back in high school I took a course on childhood development (back in the day when I pictured myself having children and thought the information would actually be useful to me... but I digress). In that course I learned that there is a point in a child's development when they become aware that they are not the only thing that matters in the world and that other people have thoughts, emotions, needs, etc.

I think a blogger can go through a similar transition. When I first started writing my blog, I thought hardly anyone read it. I knew a few people did because they were regular posters in the comments section (hello to Weeza, Klad, Sabrito, Lyndarae, and margaret). But outside of that I assumed the blog was really my personal diary. However, I am now realizing that once in a while some other people read my blog. They rarely, if ever, post comments but they have told me that they read it. I think that is the coolest thing - to have an audience - but it makes me aware that the rants and embarassing moments that I write about are being read by other people. YIKES!

There's a new kind of pressure that comes with the awareness of having an audience... the pressure to be entertaining (or they'll stop reading), the pressure to post regularly (or they won't bother to check for updates), and the pressure to always make myself look good. This last pressure (instinct really) I will try to resist.... as I think some of my best posts have come from situations where I don't look good at all (the swimsuit buying adventure and the Starbucks lady who thought I was pregnant come to mind). I think it is best to be truthful to the realities of my life. After all, isn't that what a blog should really be about?

These are my strengths....

After yesterday's "I'm such a loser" blog, I have decided to dedicate this entry to things that make me a winner :)

1. I make a kick-ass "Sunshine Chicken Salad". I know because I just had one and it was awesome!
2. I have "stick-to-it-iveness". When things are tough I stick it out and work through them.
3. I can do a decent job of grooming and presenting a cocker spaniel in the show ring.
4. I have strong skills in MS Office, especially Excel (I am some people's personal helpdesk with their Excel issues)
5. I'm generous... sometimes too much as I think I can get taken advantage of if I'm not careful.
6. I'm almost always in a good mood and smiling - stop laughing! I really am!
7. I can knit, crosstitch, and am learning to crochet.
8. I know what most hand tools are for and can do basic fix-it jobs around the house.
9. I am reliable and can hold down a job... I have never been fired from a job and have only quit jobs for major life changes (moving, going to university, etc)
10. I am loyal to my friends. I'll defend them whether or not I agree with them as I hope they would do the same for me.
11. I'm a pretty good driver. Have only been in one accident that was my fault (extenuating circumstances... there were mechanical problems with the car from it sitting in a flood the day before - but still technically my fault).
12. I give great hugs and, to the chosen few, great neck/back rubs.
13. I have nice biceps. Seriously, ask me to flex for you sometime. :)
14. I have good sportsmanship in the dog show ring. I ALWAYS congratulate the winner even if I thought their win was undeserved - it's the polite thing to do.
15. I can add and remove links from an Italian Charm bracelet. Not with any great speed or proficiency, but I CAN do it.
16. I'm empathetic. I don't always know what to say or do to ease their pain but I have empathy when people are going through a rough time.
17. I have a sense of humour about myself. This is a biggie as it doesn't come to me naturally (I naturally take myself too seriously) but is something I've tried to develop.
18. I recognize my weaknesses and try to change them. Just ask the trainers I have worked with at the gym and the Weight Watchers leaders I've dealt with.
19. I occasionally have a spurt of artistic talent. If you have seen the serving plate I painted with a boxer & a cocker on it with no pictures to refer to, you'll know what I'm talking about.
20. I stand up for what I believe in whether or not it's the popular choice.
21. And finally, following Margaret's killer recipe, I can make the world's best cheesecake. Seriously, it is the best cheesecake in the whole wide world.

That's my list of strengths. I like how it is book-ended with food. Hmmmm, maybe that should be the first entry on my weaknesses list LOL.

It's like high school all over again....

Do you ever have one of those moments where you feel like the nerdy kid in high school talking to the popular football player or cheerleader? You know... like you picture the good looking football player in his team jacket looking all slick and cool and you feel like a hunchback geeky girl wearing a threadbare, outdated dress (which your parents made you wear), big glasses, and stringy hair... and every word that comes out of your mouth sounds like the dumbest thing you could possibly say? I had that today.

I spoke to a couple of people on the phone who are the equivalent of the popular, talented, smart, and of course good looking, football players of my high school days. They are what I would call "cocker royalty" in the dog show world. These people have had tons of success in the US show rings where I am the pipsqueak from Canada who is trying to play in their game.

I'd like to think I carried on a normal phone conversation with these guys (hah!) but I was constantly questioning every word out of my mouth.... Was it stupid? Was it bragging? Did I sound arrogant? Was I funny? Did I accidentally imitate their accent? If I did, were they offended? Do they know I respect them? Do they think they are better than me? I should be respected, too... don't they know that? Do they even know where Canada is? Do they know where Alberta is? Do they care? Do they question every word out of their mouth like I do? Could I BE a bigger loser?

NO!!!!!!! I am the BIGGEST loser ever!!!!!

Imagine that dialogue running through your head with every word you say.... it's a little stressful. No wonder I sounded like a dork.

The joy of the pressure washer....

I don't want to sound like a commercial for pressure washers but.... these things are AWESOME!!!!!!!

I took out the pressure washer yesterday to clean out some crates. It not only blasted away the dirt, it actually made the crates a different colour! You know how a layer of dirt can get in the little crevices on the textured surface of a crate? Well once that dirt is blasted out of there the crate looks so fresh and new again :)

I also had some crate doors with rust on them.... now they are rust free as the pressure washer will blast that away too :)

Careful if you have any chipped areas on a painted surface... the pressure washer will make those wee chipped areas larger and larger with every blast of water.

The only thing I found the pressure washer could not remove was rust stains on plastic. Strange how it will remove actual rust but not even a dent in a rust stain.

I also accidentally found another use for the pressure washer... it will "fold" weeds that are growing in the cracks on your sidewalk or driveway. It won't actually get rid of them but if you aim the wand towards the weed from one end of the crack, the pressure will actually make the weed fold down into the other end of the crack and your driveway/sidewalk will appear to be weed free for a while LOL. A band-aid solution, I admit, but one worth considering if you are just looking for a temporary fix to your weed problems.

To shower or not to shower.....

That is the question. Don't get me wrong, if I am going out where I might be seen by friends, neighbours, or even strangers, I'm not leaving the house without a shower. It's just gross to think otherwise.

However, when I'm at home and feeling lazy, it's tough to find the motivation to shower.... especially when the agenda for the rest of the day includes getting even dirtier (housework, dog grooming, etc) and I'm going to have to shower after the dirty work anyways.

I mean let's face it... who is it hurting? I live alone with dogs.... they seldom complain about my BO (they are very considerate that way). So why bother showering? Just to say I've done it? Doesn't make sense to me.

So I'm going to take my stinky body away from the computer, have some lunch, do some housework, groom some dogs, and maybe even power-wash the crates...... THEN I'll have a shower :)