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My WordPress 5k walk

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When WordPress invited bloggers around the world to join 80 staffers in 62 cities and take part in a 5k run/walk anytime during the week of April 4 to 10, I decided I was in! It was simple. No getting sponsors and raising funds; just getting out and getting some exercise then blogging about it. The idea obviously caught many people’s fancy as bloggers from across the US, Canada, Europe and Australia began to respond. It truly became a worldwide phenomenon as others from Islamabad, Indonesia and India joined in.

I decided to do my walk this afternoon. I knew that 5 kilometres or 3.1 miles wouldn’t be particularly challenging as I walk at least half that far several times a week. After saying hello to the pigeon that has taken to sunning itself at the edge of our driveway the past couple of days, I headed north and out of town. It was a chilly +4C but the big Alberta sky was blue. With the sun on my shoulders and the wind at my back, the first leg of my walk was marvellous.

I passed by the golf course where the greens have recently been cleared of snow and covered with grow tarps and daydreamed about the upcoming golf season. Some years the course opens as early as mid April but it will clearly be awhile before we swing a club this year!

Hole #3 - Sedgewick Golf Course

The walking trail is still mostly covered by snow so I walked along the edge of the road. As I looked out across the snow-covered fields, I wondered how long it will be before we’re out on the land seeding this year’s crop.

When I first planned today’s route, I intended to walk down to the shore of Sedgewick Lake but when I realized that the road into the park wouldn’t have been cleared, I chose a different route. Turning around at the park entrance, I headed back toward town. Walking into the chilly wind wasn’t as pleasant. I was glad I’d decided to wear a hat but I began to wish that it covered my ears! As I entered town and heard the school bell ring, however, I was reminded how lucky I was to be out in the sunshine, wind or no wind. I enjoyed my days in the classroom but oh, how much more I’m loving retirement!

After walking to the centre of town, I turned left at the second 4-way stop. There are exactly two of them in Sedgewick! I stopped at the post office to pick up the mail and, as people in small towns are prone to do, I stood on the steps for 15 or 20 minutes chatting with a friend I hadn’t seen for quite awhile. From there, it was a short walk back home again. Along the way, I looked for signs of spring and was delighted to find a few.

running water

budding trees

and the season's first pussy willows!

I’ve been given the cold shoulder

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Well, in actual fact, I’ve been diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis which is more commonly referred to as frozen shoulder. The symptoms are stiffness, pain and reduced range of motion in both shoulders making it difficult to do simple tasks like applying underarm deoderant and doing up a bra! Fortunately, in my case, it’s just developing and I’m hopeful that by taking action now, I can keep them from freezing up completely.

The cause is often unknown but in cases such as mine, it can start when the shoulder is not used normally for a period of time. Over time, the connective tissue tightens and restricts the joint’s movement. Apparently, the tendonitis that started in my left shoulder a year and a half ago, then in my right several months later, led to this. Gradually, especially over the past winter, I stopped doing things that caused discomfort. Richard took over the vacuuming and washing of floors and I adjusted my exercise program to eliminate those activities that put stress on my upper arms and shoulders. One of my biggest frustrations is the fact that I wasn’t able to lift weights all winter. My once muscular arms are skinny again and I really don’t like skinny!

The good news is that the condition usually resolves itself over time without surgery. The bad news is that that can take up to a couple of years to happen! Treatment usually begins with anti-inflammatory drugs but unfortunately, I can’t take those because they destroy my stomach. The doctor that I saw yesterday doesn’t feel that there’s enough evidence to show that either ultrasound or cortisone injections are very effective so for now, I’m on the waiting list for physiotherapy and I’m doing lots of gentle stretching. I also haven’t ruled out acupuncture.

I plan to follow the example of Bikini or Bust blogger, Donloree Hoffman, whose physical challenges are greater than mine. Rather than feeling sorry for myself, I’m determined to remain positive and work at overcoming this. I WILL have strong arms again! It’s just a matter of time.

And while I’m waiting for my shoulders to thaw, I’ll look for the silver lining. After all, this has turned my husband into quite the gentleman! Not only does he vacuum, wash floors and open the heavy garage door for me, he also holds my coat for me these days. Of course, he remembers the night when I cried because it hurt so much to take my t-shirt off. Fortunately, most days aren’t like that one and compared to the health issues that many people face, mine is really pretty trivial.

Always winter but never Christmas

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Like the children in C.S. Lewis’ children’s classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we seem to be trapped in Narnia, the land where it’s always winter but never Christmas. Our snow is usually mostly gone by the end of March but this year the melting has barely begun and spring seems a long way off.  One really has to wonder if we’re entering another ice age!

We did have Christmas, of course, but it seems a long time ago now. We always have a real Christmas tree and when we take it down, we toss it into the firepit in the back yard. When spring comes, we cut it up and burn it in the first fire of the year. It looks like that’s a long way off though. There it is barely peeking out of the snow!

As far as I know, Aslan, the lion, hasn’t been seen in town but the sidewalk on our street is covered with deer droppings. Hunger has driven the poor creatures into town in search of food and many shrubs have been completely decimated.

I do hope the White Witch’s spell is broken soon and we finally emerge from this blanket of white. I know I’m not the only one who has had enough of winter!

the birdbath

and the front porch!

Walking around the world

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English countryside

I went for a walk in the English countryside this afternoon without ever leaving home! Yesterday, it was scenic Argyll in Scotland and perhaps tomorrow I’ll choose a segment of Italy’s Appian Way, the most historic road in the world.

Scotland

How is this possible? It’s easy with virtual walk DVDs from VITA Digital Productions! My sister got several of them for Christmas and after using them for the past three months, she loaned them to me. I rearranged the basement so that its tiny TV is right in front of the treadmill and off I went!

I’ve walked well over 200 miles since the beginning of September, many of them on the treadmill. That can get really boring but with these videos, time flies by and I hardly notice how far I’ve walked. Most of the videos are filmed at approximately 3 miles per hour, a little slower than I usually walk but that doesn’t seem to present a problem. It just gives me a little longer to notice details along the way. Argyll is actually one of VITA Digital’s Virtual Jog/Bike Ride videos so it was filmed at a much faster speed but even that seems to work. It’s a wee bit disorienting when the film speeds up on a downhill slope but so far, I’ve managed not to lose my balance!

All of the videos were recorded with natural sounds so as I walk, I can hear birds singing, water splashing or cars passing by. Some also have a music option so if I choose, I can put on my virtual earphones and listen to that instead.

I love visiting new and different places and have always considered walking the best way to see the sights but until we pack our suitcases again and head off to another foreign land, these DVDs will help satisfy my gypsy longings. In fact, I’ve already ordered four more of them. Soon I’ll be able to look down on the Mediterranean as I stroll the Isle of Capri or Italy’s famous Amalfi coast. I’ll also be able to go for a nature walk that will take me through all four seasons in 60 minutes but most of all, I’m looking forward to Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. I won’t be able to stop for tea at Ronnie and Myrna’s but maybe I’ll walk by their house and see Lindy’s boat anchored offshore!

Eventually spring has to come, the huge drifts of snow will melt away and I’ll be able to spend more time walking outdoors again but until that happens, I’m going to enjoy walking around the world in the comfort and safety of my basement!

Isle of Capri

 

Growing and changing

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One of the first things we wanted to do when we got back from our recent trip to Japan was to make another trip; this time to Calgary to see the grandchildren that we hadn’t seen since Christmas! After just 8 nights in our own bed, off we went and what fun we had.

It’s amazing how much young children change in such a short time. At just 10 1/2 months old, Jami-Lee is standing on her own and taking those first tentative steps!

Even more exciting is the change in Drew’s speech, however. Diagnosed with a severe phonological disorder in early January, he hasn’t started formal speech therapy yet but Melaina has been working with him every day and he’s making wonderful progress! He still has a long way to go but not only is he saying lots of words more clearly than before, he’s also started putting them together into 2 and 3 word phrases. It was such a delight to hear him shout out “Grandpa’s turn”, “Gram’s turn” and “Drew’s turn” as we slid down the slide at the playground. He still has trouble with the G sound at the beginning of our names, but it was quite clear what he was saying.

Now we’re back home again. We’ll be sleeping in our own bed tonight but only for three nights this time! We’re off to a church board retreat on Friday. As someone at my Sunday School board meeting said tonight, those DeBocks just never stay home!

Kabocha in my carry on

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On our recent visit to Japan, we enjoyed many fabulous foods but one of them kept showing up over and over again. The Japanese call it pumpkin but kabocha is actually a winter squash that is also known as the buttercup squash here in North America. Similar in both texture and flavour to pumpkin or sweet potato, it can be prepared in a wide variety of ways. It’s a common ingredient in tempura and we were also served it in soup, nabe (a one pot meal that’s something like stew) and even ground up in pancakes.

When we were in Vancouver, I mentioned kabocha to my daughter-in-law, Robin, and told her that I hoped I could find it in Alberta, perhaps in the Asian grocery store in Edmonton that I occasionally visit. Later, when she went grocery shopping, she brought one home for me! Apparently, it has become commonplace in Vancouver grocery stores.

The kabocha flew home in my carry on and we enjoyed part of it with dinner tonight.

It’s skin, a dull, dark green with whitish stripes, is extremely tough and very difficult to cut. Softening it slightly in the microwave helps a lot.

Simmered, mashed with it’s skin on and mixed with a little mayo, it makes a super simple and delicious side dish somewhat reminiscent of a flavourful potato salad.

Now, how should I prepare the rest of it?

Unbelievable

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I’m not sure I’m ever going to eat store bought bread again.

Until just over a year ago when my aunt gave me her bread machine, I’d never baked bread. I raised my family on store bought. Over the past year, however, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with all sorts of breads; raisin bread, cheese bread, whole wheat, cracked wheat, multigrain, and cornmeal bread and even honey wheat bran bread. Delicious! We seldom use store bought bread anymore but once in a while when life gets hectic, a loaf comes in handy.

The days just before we left for Japan were just such a time. I fully intended to put the half loaf of unused McGavin’s 100% whole wheat bread into the freezer before we left but I forgot to. Imagine that bread sitting in the cupboard for 44 days. Eww!

Not so! Believe it or not, when I opened the bag there was not one spot of mould nor does the bread even smell bad! Granted, we turned the heat in the house down while we were away so the cupboard was cooler than usual but still, what must they put in bread to preserve it for that long? Whatever it is, I doubt it’s good for us!

Obviously, in spite of the fact that the bread still looks and smells fine, we won’t be eating it. In fact, I’m not sure I ever want to eat store bought again! There’s a loaf of Country Harvest bread in the breadmaker right now and soon the aroma of freshly baked bread (without any preservatives) will fill the house.

International Women’s Day

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I didn’t expect to be able to update the blog this week. We’re in Vancouver visiting my parents and I probably shouldn’t admit that I’m ‘borrowing’ internet from a neighbour! It’s a very weak connection so I don’t know if I’ll be able to finish and post this or not but I really do want to comment on the fact that today is the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day.

What does that mean to those of us who had the good fortune to be born in a time and place where women’s lives are relatively easy? Hopefully, it’s a time to reflect on the progress that has been made over the past century that brought us to this point as well as a time to consider the plight of sisters worldwide whose lives are not as easy; women like those in Afghanistan. Though there have been many important improvements in that country in the last decade, Afghan girls and women continue to have vastly disproportionate access to education, justice and health services. They also have the worst maternal and newborn health outcomes in the world.

What can we do to help women in Afghanistan and other developing countries achieve a better life? According to CARE Canada, “women are the poorest and most vulnerable, yet greatest agents of change.” When women are empowered, conditions improve for their families and their communities. When mothers are given the resources to provide for their families, children go to school and when children go to school, great things happen.

This is why I’m a Kiva lender. I choose to contribute to loans that give women hope and enable them to climb out of abject poverty. For more information about how you can do the same, visit the Kiva website or click on the banner in the margin to the right. For other ideas, visit the Care Canada website. That’s what I’m going to do as soon as I have a better internet connection!

A favourite place

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moon jellyfish

We paid a visit to one of Sam’s favourite places this afternoon; the Vancouver Aquarium. Of course, at 17 months old he doesn’t have a very long attention span so Matt & Robin have a membership which allows them to make frequent short visits. It was fun watching Sam’s delight as he ran from one display to the next and we all enjoyed watching the sea otters frolic. It was the jellyfish that mesmerized me though. They looked like delicate moving flowers!

sea nettle jellyfish

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

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I’ve always found names and their meanings fascinating. While doing my devotions and reading in the book of Isaiah yesterday, I came across an intriguing one. Tucked in the middle of Isaiah 62:4 is the phrase “you will be called Hephzibah”. I’m not a Hebrew scholar so I was delighted to discover a footnote that gave the name’s meaning. Hephzibah means my delight is in her. I realize that the prophet, Isaiah, was referring to the city of Jerusalem when he penned those words but I began to wonder what kind of woman God might call Hephzibah. What kind of woman would delight God?

That’s when I came across the pig’s snout! Proverbs 11:22 says “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.” Whoa! Now that’s a very non Hephzibah image; a woman whose God given inner beauty is wasted like that of pure gold rooting in the mud!

Next I had to pull out my trusty dictionary to find out exactly what discretion means: using or showing good judgement, wise, sensible. Apparently that’s the kind of woman that God delights in. Does that mean that she has to be staid and steady all the time, that we can’t have any fun in life? Absolutely not! After all, a God who would include a gold ring in a pig’s snout in his Word must have a sense of humour. But, I ask myself one more question; am I living my life in such a way that God could call me Hephzibah?

Do you know anyone who is a Hephzibah kind of woman?