The Joy of a Colonoscopy

 I know - a contradiction in terms. However, it does rule out the dreaded "C." I have a family history of colon Cancer and I had symptoms. It took five years to finally reach the point of an internal investigation. I prepared for the worst. I was spared!!

I will now celebrate!

1. Well, on the day of the procedure I also completed my third consecutive Wordle on the third try! Another reason to buy a lottery ticket! I didn't win :(

2. Full on preparation for the Camino has begun. I ordered Teva sandals again - Sporting Life cancelled my order in August. They had run out of my size when the sandals were on sale. With much internet searching, I found a pair in Hamilton on sale and with tax and shipping still 40% less than the full price at sporting life!! I also bought a Turkish towel from a women running a business from her condo on a street walking distance from me - how cool is that?

3. Ordered pizza for dinner. My kids always eat with me, when there is pizza!!

4. Got Wordle on the second try this morning. That means another lottery ticket!! It was a serendipitous sequence. The word was "carol," my name. However, the first word I keyed in was "loser" because I had failed to win the lottery. I'm not sure what the cosmos is trying to tell me!!

5. Did my 10km walk to the Brickworks market today. There is something very ethereal about mornings in the cathedral of Mud Creek.

 

6. Found The Great Canadian Sox Company just off Bermondsay. Bought 4 pairs of socks 2 pairs of merino and two pairs of cashmere - all for a little over $50.00. I think that it's going to be a sock Christmas!!

My Joy for the Joy Jar this week has to be my all clear from North York General Hospital. Gotta love our health care system for the moment anyway.

Camino #3

 I've started to track my expenses for my intended Camino walk in 2024 - Time marches on! 

So far I have purchased:

1. a backpack for $72.00 - on sale from $89.00

2. a pair of running shoes for $40.00 - on sale from $80.00

3. a camisole from Decathlon that is 95% merino. It was also on sale for $35.00

4. 4 guide books by John Brierley for a total $120.00

 
I actually found - around the house a "fanny" pack that is larger than the one I have always used for travelling. I needed the larger one because I will now have to carry my phone. In the past my late husband always dealt with the communications. Clearly I am not a natural communicator - on the phone anyway!

I signed up for Capital One discount coupons because I may get some discounts on airfares, accommodation and clothing. I intend to just take merino wool based tops and bottoms because I am told that they are very light weight, fold down to "nothing" and can be washed by hand and dry overnight. Although they are expensive, I understand they last forever!! So I guess I will be able to pass them on!!

Buen Camino

The Joy of Books

 I've spent most of this week reading. OK, I had errands to run, shopping to do, and orders to fill at work. Yes, there were also the people who came to power wash the stonework, paint the front door and the inside banister. Plus, there was the complication of taking off all the old (antique) hardware from the door so it could be painted and then not being able to put it back on again - sigh.

Fortunately, I found a locksmith who was very familiar with these ancient locks. He came by the same day; gave us a temporary fix so we could lock the door and then came back the next day to install new hardware. His price was 75% less than the price of $1,500.00 (plus tax) quoted by the architectural locksmith on Mt. Pleasant. Gotta love people who have been plying their trade for years. They have skill, integrity and stories to tell.

When I wasn't working, however, I was reading. I finished "Tom Lake" by Ann Patchett - loved it. I skimmed through "The Camino" by Shirley Maclaine - hated it and am now engrossed in a Rosamunde Pilcher, "Winter Solstice". I love her books.

I also managed my 10km walk to the Brickworks and back. Even with an extra sweater in it, my backpack still weighed just 6lbs. Pushing it to 10lbs may be a challenge.

 

Finally, the last task this week was finding a replacement cover for the mail slot in the newly painted front door. Home Hardware seemed to be the only chain that had a 9" cover. However, their warehouse was out of them, in fact, they were being discontinued and most franchised outlets don't ship!! We did find a store in St Catherine's that had 15, but it took 2 days to contact someone who had authority to authorize an online sale and ship. Really!!

Unfortunately, we had in the meantime bought one at Rona, which we thought was only 2" bigger. No, it was 4" bigger. They posted the inside measurements not the outside measurements. We can return it, but we are out the money for shipping. My son had also ordered one on Amazon, which we will have to return and probably eat the shipping too. This will be the most expensive 9" mail slot cover ever!!

But I was talking about books. I do tend to buy new books. They are an indulgence. I have a library card, but I never seem to fit into the library's schedule of when books have to be read by. I hate the pressure, so I buy books. It's the joy of setting my own time to read and not having to remember that a book has to be returned by a certain date. Silly, I know, but it is my entertainment.

My Joy for the Joy Jar this week has to be my books. I have not watched TV, Netflix, or anything else on a screen in a year.

The picture? Mud Creek in the morning. When I'm not reading or cleaning, I'm walking.

Have a joyous week!!

The Joy of A/C

 Most of this week the weather has been hot and humid, a little unusual for September, but it does happen. I haven't had to put on the Air Conditioning (A/C) for most of the Summer. What a Joy and a saving of energy, money and the environment!! However, this week was too hot and too humid to do anything, not even sleep, so the A/C went on.

The hot weather also meant I drove to work - too hot to walk and did very little of anything that required exercise. It did, however, cool off enough on Friday to go to Costco where I found by chance a book I have been meaning to buy - "Tom Lake" by Ann Patchett. It's a new release, but it was half price at Costco - what a Joy!!

I have just finished reading "The Push" by Ashley Audrain. I read it because I knew that as a new author, she received a contract of $1,000,000 (based also on a second book). I had to find out what the excitement was all about. It is pretty amazing. There is a real Joy in escaping into some really "cool" books.

Saturday it had cooled off even more and I was able to walk my 10kms to the Brickworks and back. This time I took water and a thermos of tea. I'm sure my backpack weighted at least 6lbs. I often meet people there - strangers, who are very chatty. Today I met a lovely woman, whom I presumed was at best in her early 70's. I found out at the end of our conversation that she was 84. I decided to try for 15kms on Sunday.

The pictures? I also made apple tarts with apples from our tree in the garden. They were delicious.

Have a week of Joy!

Camino #2

 I'm still training for my Camino. Today I walked 10.1kms. I set out at 8:00am to walk to the Brickworks at the bottom of the Mud Creek ravine. I decided that I could treat myself to breakfast once I got there. I was so pumped at 5kms that I splurged on a Belgian waffle with fruit and cream for $10.00. Coffee was and extra $3.00. I'll never have enough money to do a Camino at the rate I'm treating myself!!

I also realized that not only do I have to be fit, I also have to be nimble. I have to be able to manipulate backpack - open to retrieve wallet. Right hand with waffle, left hand with walking pole, where does one hold coffee. In fact I looked like a house of cards ready to collapse, when a kind stranger offered to reset the lid on my coffee before everything fell apart. There are angels everywhere!!

 
The waffle was filling. The coffee was great. It was early so the crowds were manageable. I bought $5.00 worth of green beans and passed on the Ginger Gala apples for $7.00. There were maybe 7 in the entire basket. Maybe next time when I bring my own breakfast.

The entire walk took me 2.75hrs. The walk down hill was about an hour. OK, I used to be able to do 5kms in 45mins. That was about 10 years ago. I spent half an hour at the market and then walked back uphill, a little slower, but not exhausted.

And as a footnote - pun intended. I had no blisters!!

Buen Camino!!

The picture? The peace at the end of the struggle.

Have a wonderful day!!

The Joy of Connections

 Another glorious week of Summer....gorgeous weather.....lots of activity...and...lots of connections.

1. Sunday I was invited to a friend's house for lunch. It's always a delightful visit. Her home is in Pickering, a stone's throw from the lake. While we chat and prepare lunch, her husband plays classical music on his amazing grand piano. I also get to spend quality time with their standard bred poodle - so much fun!

2. Tuesday I met with 10 friends; all of them I have known since grade school. We grew up together in Weston, ON. Even though three of us went to the local Catholic school, while the others went to the public school, we all went to "the dances." When you add in the "boys" who also came out to the dances, we were quite a large group, an instant party. In fact one of those "boys" dropped by on his way to see another chap from the group, who was in rehab for a fracture. We go back a long way!!

 
3. Saturday, I walked again to The Brickworks. It's a wonderful 10kms walk through a forested ravine. This is where I connect with nature, my music, my mind and all the morning people out for runs, walks and cycling. Sometimes I'm so lost in thought that I forget what I'm listening to on my phone. "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" sounds just as nice on a warm summer's day, as it does in December.

4. I usually don't post for Sundays (saving those events for the following week), but I wanted to add a long walk on consecutive days in preparation for my Camino, so I'll mention that I walked again to The Brickworks for their Vintage and Artisan market. The connection here was a knitting booth called InfiKnitLove.com. I introduced myself because I am Infiknit.com (also .ca). We chatted about knitting, yarn and the craft business in general. It was a lovely conversation.

 
My Joy for the Joy Jar this week has to be my meeting with friends from elementay school. Several are in their 80's. We all live in our own homes, drive and are very active physically and socially. In fact, one woman is 83 and still working, as am I. They are marvelous examples of longevity. Though many have lost spouses, there was still a lot of Joy, laughter and fond memories among us.

Have a wonderful day!