Things to do for 2011 - February - March update

An update on my 2011 list.  We're off to a slow start, but I've never done this before, so I think its a good learning curve.

1. Read More, nothing special, just reading.

2. Pay attention to my blog and post more - already started

3. Join BlogHer

4. Attend BlogHer 2011, wherever it is

5. Do what I need to do to get off one of my medications

6. Go to the Zoo

7. Make a better attempt at brushing Gimli more than once a week

8. To achieve this, setup a grooming table in the laundry room

9. Start expanding the list of meals that I can cook from memory

10. Start branching out and cooking different things, planning is key and laziness is no excuse

11. Eat more fruits and veggies

12. Cut my hair, and not just a trim either, goodbye long locks. - I'm thinking about styles, but that could be a stalling tactic.  I think I'm just going to have to pluck up the courage and go to the Salon.  Preferably before we go on vacation to allow any mistakes some time to grow in.

13. Get a 2nd corgi

14. Learn to walk two of them properly

15. Improve Gimli’s recall

16. Make a Pooh Bear gingerbread house

17. See The Lion King stage show - bought tickets for June!

18. Continue with the No Complaint experiment - ongoing

19. Take more visits to The Arboretum and see our coyote friend again

20. Get off my butt and be more active - started with Wii Fit.  I lapsed a little but I've started working out in the morning, which seems to work better for me.

21. Play with Gimli in the snow - went out with him a few weekends ago when we had snow, had a great time romping and wrestling in the snow.

22. Try to make a snow ‘animal’

23. Get more sleep - trying, failing miserably, I think I need a new pillow.

24. Read Brene Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfection and apply it to myself

25. Woofstock?

26. Parasailing @Castaway Cay - not happening as its cost prohibitive.

27. Discover local restaurants in my city

28. See the Tim Burton exhibit - Saw this yesterday, 2/26.  I found myself wondering what other things Burton would have done if time and space warped and he met Walt Disney himself.

29. Go to the Animal mass with Jeannie

30. Make it to Trinidad to introduce Mike to the rest of my crazy family, hopefully I'll still be married by the time we return.

31. Go to the Winter Walk with your dog - Unfortunately, this was canceled due to a lack of attendees.  I am still on record and they've said they will try to hold it again in Feb/March etc, so we'll see.  If they choose to hold it again, I will definitely attend.

32. Start a new job - started Feb. 1st

33. Eat at a Summerlicious restaurant

34. Write a letter to Queen Elizabeth II for her birthday and include pictures of Gimli.

35. Lose anywhere from 5-10 lbs, I'm 122 lbs now.  Its deliberately vague as I'm really only striving to look better in my clothes.  I'm unsure if 5 or 10 lbs will do it, so starting off small. -working on it with eating better (cutting out a great deal of unhealthy food and Wii Fit.) I can already tell something's working, I now HAVE to wear a belt with jeans.

36. See Rammstein again - going to again in May when they return to Ontario!

37. Go to the Dog Jog - going in March.  Doing a 2k walk with Gimli!

38. Stop playing that soul sucking MMO that Mike and I started together, but I've been left in the dust - I need to see the billing cycle and cancel prior to the next cycle.

Wordless Wednesday - Don't keep me waiting!

Colorblind

The walls in our house are white.  Sterile, plain, white.  I like the color white, oh yes I do, but on door frames, baseboards and window frames... oh and ceilings.  Our ceilings have some funky designs on it, but you definitely can't paint it... I don't think... hmmmm.

Mike and I have been agonizing over the paint colors for the main floor of our house.  Its open concept once you get past the foyer/entrance area with these lovely dark kitchen cabinets, lovely dark dining room table and sideboard and black leather couch and dark hardwood floors in the Great Room.  I love it, with the exception of the sterilized wall color.

Mike and I went over a great many color swatches to narrow things down to about 25 or so different colors.  Yes, I just said narrow things down.

We enlisted Gimli's help to choose the paint swatch.  Yes, we chose a colorblind dog to choose the color on our walls, but bear with me.

Gimli likes choosing one item over the other.  For example, I'll hold two different toys in front of him and ask him to "Pick one".  He'll choose which ever toy he wants and he'll walk off to play with it, completely unconcerned for the one he left behind.  We wanted to have fun with this theory.

We placed in a line all the swatches and placed a cookie on each one.  Gimli sat on the other side of the room drooling.

Once released, he ran over and chose this color.

Benjamin Moore - Etruscan

You know, its not so bad.  I goes nicely with the tile, backsplash and with the incoming sun in the mornings.  We'll see once we get it on the wall though.

By the way, the swatch color is the same color as Gimli's hair.  Yes, he's a narcissist.

Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire, Gimme That Which I Desire!

We need a new car.  A bigger car that can accommodate Mike's wheelchair standing up and folded in the trunk area and still have room to place other items in the trunk area.  For example, suitcases, a couple of traveling crates, groceries etc.

Right now we have a Mazda 3 Sport and while I do love this car, we've out grown it.  We have Gimli now and we like taking him places and for that we need space to secure him properly in the car.  When we bring home corgi #2, we'll definitely need the space.

Late last year we decided that this Spring, we would get rid of the Mazda 3, (boo hoo since this was my first new car), and get a car that better serves our needs.

To help us on this quest, we went to the Auto Show yesterday.

It was crammed with people.  Every car manufacturer was represented and it gave us a chance to get up close and personal with the cars without feeling pressured by salespeople like you are when you go to the showrooms.

Here is the short list:

Mazda 7 - this was on the list, but when we tried Mike's old chair, it didn't fit properly and we were disappointed to take it off.  However, when we tried Mike's new chair, it DID fit and so we're glad to put it back on the list!

Hyundai Tucson - The trunk space in this car is quite large for the size of the car and we both like the look of the car.

Subaru Outback - We did have the Forester on the list, but when we looked at the Forester, the interior cabin looked cheap.  It reminded me of the cheapness of the Nissan Sentra.  The Outback looks nicer on the inside.

Kia Sorento - We were looking at the Sportage, but the chair did not fit.  We moved up to the Sorento, but the vehicle itself is quite large and I wonder if its too large for two people and two corgis.

Nissan Murano - Not bad, visually I don't really like it, but we'll see when we do the test drives.

Toyota Rav 4 - This one is a contender, the only sticking point perhaps, is that the trunk door opens out and not up like the rest of them.

Ford Escape - I don't like the Escape.  We rented one when we went to California/Las Vegas in 2008 and while it does have the trunk space, it was very bouncy on the road and I don't like that feeling.

Mazda Tribute - Basically the same car as the Escape, nothing fancy to look at, I don't much like it.

Jeep Patriot - The interior is very spartan like, very boxy and basically a Jeep.  If you want luxury with a Jeep, then you pay the big bucks for a Grand Cherokee.

We'll see how it all works out come the Spring.

I also had a look at the Mini, which I call my wishlist car.  Its a shame we don't need 2 cars else I'd be looking at Minis.  I can certainly see myself driving around with a couple of corgis in the backseat and my license plate: 'Luv2Frap' or 'Corgwyn' or perhaps just 'Candy'.

Wordless Wednesday - Make up edition

I wanted to put up recent pictures of Gimli but my photo editing software is acting stupid ever since I had to reload my computer in December.  Don't ask, I've repressed that memory and I don't want to get into it again.

These were all taken from September to November of last year.

What fools these mortals be...

Last week, on Tuesday night I had a nightmare.  I dreamt I was in this house with these two other women and a malicious entity.  From what I can remember I was visiting this house and the two women were cleaning up the house to be sold.  The former owner apparently was killed by the entity.  Long story short, the 3 of us were in this house where we saw the ghost of the former owner and the presence of this entity.  So much so that a name was said, which I'm not going to repeat and I'm trying to forget the name as I believe saying the name will give it power and make it real.

All in all, not very scary, until a voice said, "Hi Candy".  I woke up immediately and peered around the room as if I could see something.  I lay there a little scared until I managed to fall asleep again.

On the following night, I had a better dream.  I was at home by myself, not even Gimli was around.  And I happened to go across the street to the neighbor's house where there was something going on in the garage.  Who do I find but none other than one of my favorite bands, Rammstein!  Yes, all of them were in the neighbor's garage having a jam session.

I was ecstatic!  Rammstein and I and no one else in sight.  I can't remember what we said but I remember talking to all of them in English and having a great time.  The last thing I remember, before the stupid alarm woke me up, was talking to Christoph, sigh, and he asked me if he could have my Animal drumsticks.*

I said, "Of course!  If I can have your drumsticks in return."

He obliged and I was seconds away from accepting them before the aforementioned stupid alarm woke me up.  Drat!

I woke up with the song, Waidmanns Heil stuck in my head.  See it here:

Believe me, I've been chasing that dream ever since last week, but alas, I can't find that garage anymore.

In related news, Rammstein have announced they are coming back to North America!!!  And we now have 2 definite chances to see them in two different cities!!!  We're going to try for tickets again.

Seeing Christoph twice in less than a year would be awesome!

http://www.rammstein.de/en/news/tourdaten-fur-usa-kanada-im-mai-bestatigt/

* See the Animal drumsticks:

I'm still hungry...

I was recounting what I ate today to someone who proclaimed, "That's too much food for you to be eating!".  Mind you this was after I had eaten dinner and was full after I cleaned my plate. I lamented that I was still hungry, some 1/2 hour after eating dinner.

I didn't think my food intake today was very high, which explained why I was still hungry but there was no denying this person.  I then tasked this person to build me a list of foods that I can have that fits in with what you think I should be eating and was met with silence.

Here's what I ate today:

Breakfast
raisin bran cereal and skim milk - 230
whole wheat toast - 170
Becel margarine - 70

Mid morning snack
grapes, about 15-20 - 50

Lunch
fiber 1 bar - 100
canteloupe - 32 calories in 1/4 of a melon.  I did not have 1/4, more like two slices, but we'll leave it as is for this experiment.
nectarine - 61
honeycomb cereal - 115
banana - 108

Afternoon snack
rice cake - 80

To add all of this, it comes to 1016 calories.

For Dinner, I had this: http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/zesty-chicken-rice-skillet-94966.aspx.  It states as is, its 340 calories.  I tend to tweak it a bit when I make this, so we can probably extend the calories for giggles to 400.  I also had a salad with cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and baby carrots along with salad dressing.  I used Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette and I always use more than is recommended.  The regular serving is 90 calories, so we'll double it to 180.

Thus bringing the value to 580 calories for dinner.

For the entire day, it brings a grand total of calories to 1596.

Based on the USDA average recommended intake for someone my age, weight - 121 lbs, height - 5 ft 4 in, the most calories I can consume without gaining weight is roughly 1800.

Point made, good night.

Gimli's Valentine's Day present

hewo, this is Gimli here.

i want to tell u what i did to Candy today to make her Balentine's day spechel.

it started yesterday when we played in the snow.  i like the snow, except when it stiks to my belly hair, then i try to eat it because im a corgi after all.

yes, so we were in the backyard and i was pouncing after the wubba.  it don't squeeek anymore when i bite it but Candy says its her favorite toy, but i don't understand why she sais that.  Candy was scooping up the poo, i don't know how it got der because i am a royal corgi and wouldn't leave poo all ober the place.

anyway, after the poo went away, we played fetch with the wubba.  it kept falling into the deep snow and i had to pounce to get it.  Candy said i look like something named a tiggr, because i was bouncing around all over the place but i don't know what a tiggr is.

at the same time Candy was sitting in the snow and trying to make a snowman, but it only looked like a pointy mountain.  she called me over and she pushed the mountain and it broke in haf.  that got me excited and i started digging in the mountain and grumbling and eating the snow, it was yummy.  then, she asked me if i was ready to go inside?

i wasn't ready yet, i had all this snow to eat!  so i pounced on her and we fell into the snow and she laughed and called me a snow bear and i tried to eat her glubbs and then she hugged me again and it was great fun.

we went inside and i had snow balls on my belly so i lay on my towel like the good corgi i am and waited for her to come back with the loud air thing.  i don't know why she has this thing that blows air but she used it on my belly and the snow balls went away.  it must be magical from the faeries but why would the faeries send such a thing to me?  i don't understand these things.

today i got to ride in the car when Candy and Mike went to the supermarket.  i don't know what they have der but i have a feeling i would like it.  Mike stayed with me in the car and Candy went away.  when she left i started to cry because i thought she was going away and i didn't know why she didn't take me.  i lub her so much because she spends all day with me and she shares things with me like appels and banannas and nectareens and cucumbers and more things i don't know the names it just taste gud, i sit with her in the kitchen because she gives me things sometimes, like hard boiled eeegs, maybe you have seen my video, and when we go on walks she protects me cuz she the leader, and she loves it when i smile at her and she smiles at me.  oh oh oh and i snugle in bed with her at night and i lie on my back and paw at the air to trick her to come play with me and it works every time, i'm that good of a corgi.

well she came back to the car with some bags and she was talking about how these crazy people were buying flowers and wine and chocolit, i don't know what that is but it sounds yummy cuz Candy is always eating it but she won't share with me.  i think i need to up that corgi charm to get some.

Mike told her how i was crying and she was so happy and she said it made her balentines day, whatever that is.

heer is a picture of us when i was still a puppy, Candy sais its one of her faborite pictures.

hope u enjoy your balentines day,

lub Lord Gimli

Things to do for 2011 - February update

An update on my 2011 list.  We're off to a slow start, but I've never done this before, so I think its a good learning curve.


1. Read More, nothing special, just reading.

2. Pay attention to my blog and post more - already started

3. Join BlogHer

4. Attend BlogHer 2011, wherever it is

5. Do what I need to do to get off one of my medications

6. Go to the Zoo

7. Make a better attempt at brushing Gimli more than once a week

8. To achieve this, setup a grooming table in the laundry room

9. Start expanding the list of meals that I can cook from memory

10. Start branching out and cooking different things, planning is key and laziness is no excuse

11. Eat more fruits and veggies

12. Cut my hair, and not just a trim either, goodbye long locks.

13. Get a 2nd corgi

14. Learn to walk two of them properly

15. Improve Gimli’s recall

16. Make a Pooh Bear gingerbread house

17. See The Lion King stage show - bought tickets for June!

18. Continue with the No Complaint experiment - ongoing

19. Take more visits to The Arboretum and see our coyote friend again

20. Get off my butt and be more active - started with Wii Fit.  I lapsed a little but I've started working out in the morning, which seems to work better for me.

21. Play with Gimli in the snow

22. Try to make a snow ‘animal’

23. Get more sleep

24. Read Brene Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfection and apply it to myself

25. Woofstock?

26. Parasailing @Castaway Cay - not happening as its cost prohibitive.

27. Discover local restaurants in my city

28. See the Tim Burton exhibit - going in February

29. Go to the Animal mass with Jeannie

30. Make it to Trinidad to introduce Mike to the rest of my crazy family, hopefully I'll still be married by the time we return.

31. Go to the Winter Walk with your dog - Unfortunately, this was canceled due to a lack of attendees.  I am still on record and they've said they will try to hold it again in Feb/March etc, so we'll see.  If they choose to hold it again, I will definitely attend.

32. Start a new job - started Feb. 1st

33. Eat at a Summerlicious restaurant

34. Write a letter to Queen Elizabeth II for her birthday and include pictures of Gimli.

35. Lose anywhere from 5-10 lbs, I'm 122 lbs now.  Its deliberately vague as I'm really only striving to look better in my clothes.  I'm unsure if 5 or 10 lbs will do it, so starting off small. -working on it with eating better (cutting out a great deal of unhealthy food and Wii Fit.

Gimli and his egg

Last week some friends of ours were over and the topic of boiled eggs and dogs came up.  He had given his dog, Ozzy, a hard boiled egg and was amused at how gently Ozzy treated the egg.  Gimli, *gasp*, had never had a hard boiled egg before.

I know, I'm a horrid owner.

So, this morning, I made one extra egg to give to Gimli...

For your viewing pleasure:

Boogedy Boo

I hadn't planned on talking about the 'ghostly' phenomenon at this time, but something strange happened again this morning.

A bit of history:

Last year, sometime in late November, Gimli and I were home alone during the day.  The house was quiet, the furnace wasn't even on.  I heard 4 thuds, which I call footsteps.  At first I thought Gimli was playing with his toys a little too roughly, but when I peeked at him, he was dozing at the window.

If it wasn't Gimli and it wasn't me, who was it?

Naturally Mike thought I was crazy and dismissed it quite quickly.

Since then my imagination has been playing tricks on me, at least that's what I tell myself.  Sometimes if I'm alone, I'll see something stir in the corner of my eye, only when I look properly there's nothing there.

Sometimes Gimli will bark at something in a room, only when I go investigate there's nothing there.  More to the point, there's nothing like a pile of clothes or the ironing board or something that could scare chicken Gimli, so what's he barking at?

This morning, I was in the middle of a lovely dream where I visited the zoo, and then I was being pushed to move out of the way.  Turns out Mike was shoving my leg and asking, "Do you hear that?"

It was the same thuds again.  I was too groggy to count them, but it was the same sound.  I mumbled that it was probably the neighbor shoveling his driveway...

Except...

There was no snow last night, the driveways have been clear since Wednesday when we were all out after the storm and the neighbors parked their cars in the garage so there was no snow to clean off of them.

Maybe now Mike will believe me.

Tunnel Vision

I was supposed to post this yesterday, but I conked out around 9.30 and said forget it, I'll post it tomorrow.

Of course, by the time I made it upstairs and into bed, I had to get out of bed again to pick up Gimli and place him onto the bed.  I got comfy only to feel Gimli roaming around on the bed and then a small corgi butt squished up against my back.

I pressed back against him and then he pushed me back.  We continued amid my giggles until my corgi allotted snuggle time was over and he went to lie down at the foot of the bed.  Yes, Gimli was a psychiatrist in his last life and so snuggling only lasts so long until the timer goes off in his head.

In any event, the picture below was taking with my BlackBerry on our walk last evening.  This is following the rampant amounts of snow we were supposed to get in Ontario.  Although for a corgi, snow taller than 11 inches is lots of snow.

This is Gimli waiting for me to join him in the mud room to get ready for our walk.  How can you resist that face?

My dog is taking lessons from the ghost

I am convinced our house is haunted, mainly because Gimli and I were home alone one day and I distinctly heard 4 footsteps on the stairs.  But that is a story for another time.

Today after work, I headed into the bathroom for a scrunchy, yes, I still use that 80s term, its cuz I'm that cool.  Anyways, I walked back into the bedroom only to be scared by Gimli, who proceeded to look at me with his head to the side... I'm sure he thinks I'm crazy.

He doesn't wear his collar in the house because the metal pieces were discoloring his chest hair and because I'm paranoid he would get stuck somewhere and strangle himself.

That being said, I'm convinced he uses this to his advantage as its not the first time he's sneaked up on me and scared me.

Oh oh, this reminds me of the time I was reading The Shining in a somewhat darkened room when I heard Gimli's clicking toenails on the floor but didn't actually see him until he was a couple feet away from me.  Yeah, I was reading the part where Danny first sees the old lady in the tub.  Don't laugh, you'd be scared too!