I'm Really Really here and I'm Really Really Posting!

Oh Me, Oh My, what HAVE I been up to? I've been recieving emails to ask if I'm "OK" because I have not posted in so long, and I thank you for caring!

VALINDA - you are ever so patient, always faithful and you are the sort of friend I hope I am to others. You never let more than a few days go by without checking in on me. I truly appreciate you.

KIM, you keep tabs on me too - and you're almost spooky in the way you seem to send lil encouragements my way at EXACTLY when I need it. OMGosh, OMGosh x 100 - I just went to your bloggy and Judy's and its confirmed I missed (or should I say MESSED your birthday) Sigh sigh. Forgive, please. Everyone else, pls, hop over to Kims and wish her a happy old live long day for me? She's got some great giveaways to celebrate her milestone as well!

And MELANIE, dear daughter, I did not realize you get your "Mommy-fix" at my blog. That alone is reason to be more diligent.

So what HAVE I been up to? {and speaking about daughters, encouragement in the same breath} I have been working on my health and beauty regime. On the inside, trying to eat healthier, on the outside (if I were an insect you might say I have been working on my exoskeleton) - I've been RUNNING!!! and working out on an elliptical on a regular basis. Ok, yeah if you have followed me for a long time you're shaking your head asking "running?" for I have creaky knees that grind, will eventually have to be replaced. Well, its a foregone conclusion they are going to wear out all on their own, I may as well enjoy running and being in great shape so that WHEN that transpires the road to recovery will be faster and easier. I can't tell you how good it feels.

My Mr. and I have so many fond memories tied up in running. We used to run AT NIGHT, thats right middle of the night, but safely, down bike paths with loads of moonlight. It still plays in my head like a romantic moonlight movie score. I see the silhouettes of trees against the bruised black/blue night sky, with silver ribbons of light playing from the edges of the clouds. I see the moon ringed with frosty translucent pastel rainbows, shimmering. I see stars twinkling like studs in a velvet sky. I see bright streaks of colour painted onto the undulating water on the lake in a perpetual cycle. Ahhh, so do you see how running is so much more to me than just a way to stay in shape?

I'm into eating healthier. I'm not a breakfast person EVER except on very very special events, but I do have a date with my Magic Bullet each day and I whip up fresh, slushy fruit drinks to start me out. I never know what colour will happen. Sometimes pumice, sometimes fuschia, sometimes green with little black seeds (kiwi). All the blueberries, peaches, pears etc that I froze in the heat of the summer is blessing me now with a delicious bit of the okanagan in my mug each day.

And I'm really REALLY into salads. I'm sort of stuck on ones made with leafy baby greens/herbs, peppers, carrots, apples (picked straight off a tree practically right outside my window) toasted pecans - all tossed with a smidge of extra virgin olive oil and apple balsamic vinegar.

Then, for more of my OUTSIDE, I've been experimenting with make-up. Our daughter Melanie shared links with me for KANDEE the Makeup Artist. Have you ever seen her? Watched one of her YouTube Videos? Visited her blogs? If not, you MUST. Talk about talent, she has a true gift to 'do make-up' and she's a tremendous encourager as well! Here's one of her Video's so you can see what I mean.

Our daughter sort of went wild experimenting one day and this is what she came out looking like - is that pretty cool? Now I have never seen her looking like this and she assures me this is NOT her daily look LOL! But it is impressive nevertheless! I've been playing around with some of Kandee's tips and hints for makeup and learned a lot.

Melanie, Good Goth Girl!

I've been knitting! Ok well, I'm sure everyone agrees its nice to recieve a hand made gift. I wanted to make something for my sister Nina for her birthday and after looking at a lot of ideas I thought I would try to knit some 'wrist warmers' Well... they certainly are NOVEL, and I really will be surprised if she ever does wear them, but they were my first and she can just treasure them in a drawer somewhere. Since my effort at hers I've been working on more - actually refining the basic pattern I had and adding in a few features. I did learn how to knit using a set of circular needles from watching a YouTube video by a lady who tells us to think of the one needle not in use at any given time as a 'swinging udder'. Sounds strange, but it works. I do NOT know how to crochet. One day, one day I am sure.

I've been LEARNING Adobe Illustrator and digital photography at the school where my Mr. teaches. I'm loving it, managing to attend twice a week.

Leena and husband Jussi

And lastly, I've been doing quite a bit with our Women's group at our church. We've begun hosting the occaisional crafts night and have established a weekly bible study group. Its been a wonderful time of connection and growth, though it calls for a lot of commitment and hard work. I also maintain a blog for our Women's group and you might want to check that out as I just updated and posted a beautiful song sung by a guest last Sunday - Leena, singing "Standing on Holy Ground" Click HERE to be taken to our OCC Women's Blog

And, I did manage to make one small teensy giveaway. Kristy YaYa (blog reader) suggested all sorts of wonderful boy/guy type words to be fashioned out of the brass stencil I have. Kristy, more WILL come, but I have to confess this is all I could get out of an entire shoot last time. My camera's flash is DEAD and gone and I need to purchase another. Out of 50 photos I took only this word turned out clear enough for me to cut out. Look for more words in the future, I will borrow my Mr's camera if I have to.

DOWNLOAD
{personal use only}