Just a little self diagnosis....

So I fell over at ballet... I jumped and landed (not so gracefully) on the side of my foot. I thought I had just twisted my ankle and it seemed ok so I kept going, taught a class, came home... then I couldn't walk. So ever since I have been sat down with ice on my foot or a tensor bandage but it hurts like hell to put weight on it. I decided to research on the internet and this is what I found...

http://www.zfootdoc.com/ganglion.htm

My bump isn't that big so maybe I just burst a blood vessel and twisted my ankle a bit?? That ganglion thing makes me feel a little nauseous...

Maybe I should go to the clinic tomorrow!?

Houses in darkness..

So my last post was my 100th post!!! Yay!! Here are some houses in the dark for Earth Hour.. Although this year was hugely successful internationally, as we were looking out of our windows around town it was sad to notice how many houses were still lit up. We did something during Earth Hour that we never seem to find the time to do... TALK! We lit some candles, Sean had a beer and I had a glass of wine and we spent two hours chatting about all kinds of things. Life gets so busy with work, kids etc.. the evenings seem hectic with getting home, getting supper ready, getting kids in bed, tidying up.... that we forget to take time to do something so simple. We just end up exhausted and stuck in front of the TV. So we made a pact to take time out more often to sit and chat and enjoy each others company! Anymore pictures I can add to the collection? email me.

Todd and Perry's apartment block, Gore Bay ON

My Mum & Mark's place, England UK

Our house, Gore Bay ON

REMEMBER EARTH HOUR!!

Don't forget to turn off your lights tonight! 8.30-9.30pm. One hour that is all!!!

Here are 10 different ways to spend Earth Hour and reduce your carbon footprint:

1. Attend a local Earth Hour event or organize your own by throwing an Earth Hour street party with your neighbors
2. Gather family & friends for a night picnic in your local park and look at the stars
3. Enjoy a family dinner by candlelight
4. Organize a treasure hunt in the dark
5. Take the dog for a night walk
6. Have a candle-lit bath
7. Sit in the dark and share stories
8. Organize a family night playing board games
9. Share a romantic night in with your loved one
10. Upload your ‘on the night’ photos and videos to flickr and YouTube respectively, and then add them to the Earth Hour flickr group and the global YouTube Group.


Check out the website for more info.... http://www.earthhour.org/home/

Welcome spring!!

1st official day of spring, picnic table and BBQ out... look what happened...


It snowed!

Subject: Join me in fighting poverty!

Hi,

This may look like any other email, but it is actually a crucial piece in the fight against extreme poverty.

I’m taking action with ONE, to help spread the word about the difference we can all make when we join together as one in the fight against extreme poverty. While there are many great organizations delivering direct assistance in Africa, ONE is an advocacy organization focused on making sure policymakers and politicians do their part in this important fight. Tens of millions of lives are at stake if they don’t.

So far more than 2 million people around the globe have joined ONE, and more people (like you?) are joining every day.

You can get involved by visiting:
http://www.one.org/

ONE members are making a difference by convincing world leaders to take the simple steps necessary to help the poorest people in the world work their way out of extreme poverty.

I hope that you’ll join me.

Thanks!

Best present ever!

My friend Audrey got me a composter for Xmas. Let me tell you I am very excited about this! It's a cute little stainless steel bucket that sits on my counter, when I opened it I thought it was an ice bucket!! (sigh-eyes rolling..) There is a small green cone composter in the garden. Now this is all new to me but as I am trying really hard to not only be greener but be an avid gardener that has wonderful flower beds and grows fresh vegetables I thought I would give it a go. Note to you: I am a horrible gardener but I try REALLY hard every year and put my self through the money and expense to produce, well nothing really, everything dies.. Luckily I have a thoughtful friend who not only got me a composter but a handy book to tell you how to do it!

Now that I compost and all the paper/burnable stuff goes in the fireplace.. wow am I every shocked at how much less garbage we are dragging to the dump every week! We would have to go twice a week now if we skip a week it's not a big deal! Due to the climate we are living in it seems that there is not really too much composting going on right now as everything appears to be frozen so it seems I will have some more figuring out to do once the ground thaws and the sun reappears with some warmth! Who thought I would be so excited about a composter???

Kids Fishing Derby 2009

Last year Hugh (my father-in-law) took Caleb to the kids fishing derby.... He decided that he would take him every year and that would be their 'thing' they do together. Saturday was beautiful, warm and sunny so he comes to pick him up loaded up with a trailer of fishing gear, ice shack, quad and off they go. Unfortunately they forgot fishing rods so I had to run out with them and we took the opportunity to take some pics and make a video of Caleb fishing.

Firstly I got to drive my car right onto and across the lake... VERY cool for a city girl that grew up in Dubai and has never experienced all these winter activities! So there is a picture of my car below on on the right of the photo you can see the causeway. Caleb was ok when we got there but then started crying and then realized it was because of the fish Annie (cousin) had caught. He went fishing last year and caught a fish so why he was scared this year I am not sure. But he was pretty sure the fish (which weighed in at 22 grams) was going to bite him. And everytime the fish moved.. he squealed! Now I have married into a family of hunters/fishers, so as you will hear Hugh remark on the video.. he will need to toughen up!!! Caleb also asked which you might hear if we could take the fish to the doctors... Sean missed that the first time but when we watched the video back boy did we laugh!! Despite his crying he did not want to go home and was easily pacified by a ride on the 4wheeler and went back to fishing once Mum and Dad were out of sight! He didn't catch anything else which was a shame as he set out to 'catch a big perch for supper'!!

Our vehicle on Lake Wosley

The offending fish...

VOTE EARTH

http://wwf.ca/earthhour/

http://www.voteearth2009.org/home/

The big reveal...

It's like being on one of those TV shows where you walk into your house after a few days and it has been miraculously transformed! We watch a lot of those shows, my husband PVR's divine design and a handful of others that I usually have to sit through... SO anyways I go away for the weekend to Meldrum Bay to see the Featherstones and my husband while I am away takes it upon himself (with the help of Todd, Perry, Sue & Scott) and paints the downstairs of our house. Now I am not expecting anything like this and I am thinking it will be years before anything gets done as ripping out lath & plaster, insulating and dry walling is not in the budget, nor do we have the time. Did I mention really old ugly wall paper??? It is amazing what a few cans of paint can do!!!

Anyway here are the pictures.. and yes I love my hubby very much. Just when you feel worn down, underloved and appreciated he make a grand and thoughtful gesture like this!!! and.... we are blessed with truly wonderful friends :)

Dining Room Pre Makeover...

Tada!!!!!!

Entrance way when we 1st looked at the house...

Entrance way and stairs....

Living Room.....

Living room.. still have to hang pictures and make shelving unit in original doorway..

Here I was thinking no-one read my blog....

Well except My Mum, Kavita and Adrienne......

The other day someone else from the Island posted a comment on my blog.. YAY! A reader.. She mentioned that she had found my blog on another one.. http://ourmanitoulin.blogspot.com/

Sure enough there I am listed on there... 'Favorite Manitoulin Blogs' as well as a few others I follow...

Makes me a little more inspired to update more often!