by Tish MacWebber | Jun 5, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
Here we are at the end of another weekend. I have been non-stop busy since the last edition, and am hoping things slow down (just a little) for the next few days. I write this because I am feeling a little drained of energy.
Friday night was so long ago, I honestly don’t even remember what I did. That is how busy the week was. Saturday I slept in a little and got up to volunteer for the Boston Terrier Rescue Canada group. BTRC is run completely by volunteers, and they do whatever they can to raise funds. I was working in a canteen at a local cat show. The SPCA was hosting it and asked us if we would like to help out to split the profits between the two organizations. The message went out late in the week, and I picked my time slot, and off I went.
Let me say, first of all, that I am really proud of myself for looking at all of that food, and ONLY buying an apple. I paid for it and enjoyed it. I ended up with pizza to take home, and it was supper. It has been a while since I had to stand on my feet for a few hours. Although I was glad to have a chair for a couple of necessary but short breaks, I managed OK. I do have nerve pain in one leg and I have finally figured out that my hip flexors are the root cause. If it comes down to it, I tough it out, but I can be in a lot of pain while I am doing so.
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Cat Show Poster
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Donation sign. Empties for Paws
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The Saturday Morning crew
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The Saturday afternoon crew
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Bin for empties to recycle for BTRC
What does a person do when they go inside the Cat Show after the volunteering is done? Well, if you are me, you look at EVERY cat you can see, and you buy new cute little socks with cats all over them. I wanted the cute change purse too, but I am on a budget and that means I can’t always get everything I want.
My new kitty cat socks!
I bought something practical. I can always use more cute socks.
Today is Sunday. I slept in later today, I needed it. We had been invited to a friend’s house to play board games. It was set as a potluck. I decided to make His & Hers Lasagna. His lasagna is traditional. Mine is THM Lazy Lasagna. No noodles and yes it has spinach.
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His & Hers Lasagna going in the oven.
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His & Hers Lasagna all cooked.
He helped me with the prep and assembly. I made some guacamole dip and we brought Nacho Scoops for that. It was good. The best part is that there are leftovers of the lasagnas and the guacamole. So I have lunches prepped for the week right now!
We played Cards Against Humanity first. After supper, we played Ticket To Ride, Europe. It was a lot of fun, once we all knew what we were doing. The board game looked like this when it was all over.
Ticket To Ride Europe Game
It was a busy weekend. I didn’t get a lot of cleaning done, but we got the prep cooking started for the week. That’s a wrap for this weekend! What did you do?
by Tish MacWebber | Jun 3, 2017 | Events
Relay for Life 2017. Tish & Matty
I attended Relay for Life to participate in the Zumba at Relay. My Zumba instructor does this every year, and when I am able to attend extra Zumba classes to support her and to get me moving more, I go. I actually met her at Relay several years ago. I have come a long way with my Zumba since then, and I will be continuing to go to Zumba as long as I am able to go. I do what I can, and I am feeling the rewards of stress relief, getting stronger and healthier.
So many people are affected by the ugliness of cancer in their lives. Relay is a fundraiser to help find a cure for cancer, but for many people, it is more than that. It is a chance to reflect on loved ones who have lost the battle. It is a chance to support people you know that are fighting cancer. It is also a chance to celebrate with those who have looked cancer in the eye and beat it. Sometimes more than once.
Members of my family have had cancer. It is something I have learned to live with while trying not to live in fear of it. I have been spending some time with a good friend who is not going to win her fight with cancer. It is hard to face as a friend, but it must be even harder to face as a person with terminal cancer. It makes me sad to know that her time is limited and that her family and friends will feel this too. It is hard, sometimes, to know what to do or say. We are becoming better friends because of this terrible thing that is happening to her. We were friends before, but it is important for me to make sure that I am available to spend time with her now, while she is still here and able to enjoy the company of our friendship.
I went to Relay and did Zumba there. I did not participate in anything else. My focus this year was to go and have a good workout. I promised another friend that passed away that I would take care of myself, and although it wasn’t cancer that he died from, in going I am keeping my promise to him. The first few classes I went to after he died broke my heart. I cried. I fought to finish the classes, and I am still keeping my promise to him every time I go.
They found a Rebel who was unable to convince them of the health benefits of Zumba at Relay.
I didn’t see the Storm Troopers in the crowd this year. They were at Relay, but I am guessing Darth Vader ordered them to not participate in Zumba. There were a lot of people there. I saw some angel wings, costumes, masks, and a little girl in a princess dress. When Zumba was over, there was a song still playing on the speakers. We all stopped, and the little princess walked over to me and wanted me to hold her hands and keep dancing. So I did. I don’t know her story, if she was sick, or if she was there because of someone else. I knew I didn’t have a choice in the matter. When a princess approaches you in a crowd full of people and wants to hold your hands and dance, well, you hold her hands and dance in a circle until she wants to stop. I don’t know who she was, except that she was a princess for Relay. I don’t know why she chose me in a crowd full of people, but she did, and I wasn’t prepared to walk away. That is why I attend Zumba at Relay. You never know what kind of memory you will take home with you, and it somehow makes you feel that even when it seems like the ugliness of cancer is at its scariest, if you are able to support a friend or hold the hands of a princess and share a dance, there is a glimmer of hope. Be present in your life, and do good unto others while you are here. Which left me with the message I am carrying in my heart. Hope.
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Zumba Stars
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In the Zumba Zone!
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There were a lot of people there.
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Wider angle pic of the crowd
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Which one do I follow? A radio celebrity is on stage with the Zumba Queen
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Clapping to the warm up song. The Relay Princess is in this picture.
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Finding my Zumba groove
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AIR DRUMS!
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Words of encouragement and hope with some of the participants
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One of the teams and the Zumba Queen
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Looking out over the Relay crowd-pic from the Fredericton Relay For Life page.
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Zumba moves take practice! -pic from the Fredericton Relay For Life page.
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Group photo with my former Team Wipeout. Hey Ellen we take amazing group selfies too!
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Silly after Zumba selfie.
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The real after Zumba Selfie
Most of the pics are from my friend Matty. There are two from Fredericton Relay For Life 2017 Facebook Page, all shared with permission. Why do you Relay?
by Tish MacWebber | May 22, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
A while back someone gave me a smart band to wear at Zumba Class. I already had a pedometer, but this levels it up for me. It also keeps track of my heart rate, which I also use now that I can.
It has been helpful to keep an eye on my heart rate. I am able to work out a little harder because I know when I check it, the smart band will tell me if I am working my heart too hard, or not enough.
I report my steps on the Zumba page also. When I started, I was told you can get up to 5,000 steps in a Zumba Class. As there is a movement in the world to get a minimum of 10,000 steps every day and walk your way to a healthier lifestyle, getting 50% of those steps done in an hour is a HUGE ADVANTAGE. So if you are thinking that it is just another dance aerobics class, you are setting your standards for Zumba too low.
I average around 4,000 steps in a class. Sometimes less, sometimes more. My goal is to have it increase to the 5,000 steps (or more). Since I got the smart band, another member of the Zumba crew is using my pedometer in class. She is averaging 5,300 steps a class. I have got to say, she is definitely in the Zumba Zone. It is absolutely possible, and realistic to aim for 5,000 steps while in a Zumba class.
What else do I love about Zumba? The Zumba Crew, the music, dancing, and having fun! I don’t do all the moves, I’m not always confident that I can do them all. I am changing how much I do all the time. Some days I push myself. Some days just being there and going through the motions is all I can do. But I go, and I participate, however I can.
Sometimes I have to stop and check my blood sugars. Most of the time, they are normal. If they are low, it means I have to drink a juice box before continuing my workout. If they are still low after that, it means I need candy and to lower my insulin dose before the next class.
I have missed a few classes this spring because I have been sick. Nothing serious, but I was not able to go in the last few weeks. I look forward to going back this week. Monday is Victoria Day so the next class will be Wednesday. If I am feeling better, I may just push myself to hit 5,000 steps. It is something to work towards, and when I get there, I will aim higher.
How do you motivate yourself to exercise?
by Tish MacWebber | May 15, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
*Please Note: This is being published before I have all the photos in. It will be edited again after I have all the pics and the group photo to add, and this note will be removed*
This weekend was busy already. It is Sunday afternoon. I am getting ready to head into my kitchen and do some prep cooking. Before I do that I have to find the kitchen again. I have been sick with a sinus infection, and things are really falling behind. So today I plan to do the dishes, clear off the kitchen table, island, and countertops. I have 1 cupboard that I have decided will be a goal to spring clean inside of it today. I want to reorganize it and find homes for a couple of pantry items underneath the island. That is what I am up to today in my kitchen. If I don’t get it all done, I am going to work on this before next weekend, so I can move on with the Kitchen Spring Cleaning project and get into the rest of my home.
I missed a few days of work at the day job this week, because of being sick. I am starting to feel a little better, and I had made plans a few weeks ago for a couple of things I did yesterday. I started the day off at a craft supplies sale. The idea behind it was to have a “yard sale” for excess craft supplies from the vendor’s stash. I went shopping, and I picked up some beads.
I also decided to take a leap of faith and submit a written piece for a paid publication. It is a story, and I have sent it in. The deadline is tomorrow. I asked a writer friend to do a basic edit for me, and she did. Now I wait.
I had also planned to attend my first Paint & Sip event. It was last night, and it was a lot of fun! I have been wanting to attend one of these for a while, and I am so glad I went!
It was organized by a friend, and six people attended, including me. It was hosted by Buddy Art Paint & Sip. The group had looked at some other painting ideas, and took one they liked and changed it from a night sky background to a sunset sky background. When they settled on a picture to paint, it was planned for last night.
Paint & Sip events are becoming very popular. People are going to them for fun, and to do something different. Other people are also using them as a way to raise funds for their favourite charity. Whether it is a night out with friends or a fundraiser, it is a fun way to spend a few hours. Have a glass of wine, or two, share some snacks, and create your own work of art, that you can take home and hang on your wall.
The host painted a demo piece, and he also painted along with us at the event. This is what we were painting. The one on the wall was his demo, and the one in the easel was the one he painted along with us.
The Demo piece is on the left, and the painting on the right was the one done during class by the Artist.
We arrived at about the same time. We found our canvases, and they were all blank. We each started with yellow and a circle for the sun. We listened to Bruno Mars, Sia, and Rod Stewart while we painted the sky.
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Two mountains, another pretty sky and birds
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Another version
Next is a progress picture of some of our group.
Paint & Sip Smiles and Sunset Skies
Shortly after this, we had a snack break. There was a nice spread of finger foods. The wine glasses magically refilled. It was also time for new paint colours.
Paint and Sip Snack time!
I made a musical request for the next part. We were going to be painting the bottom part and the trees in black. On came The Rolling Stones with Paint it Black by special request! I was a little startled when I realized there were two paint colours on the next palette. The white was hard to see. The host then surprised us with some ’90’s tunes, and some of us were singing along while we painted.
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Paint & Sip Smiles and Sunset Skies
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Still painting and smiling!
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Still painting and smiling!
In the end, we had a lot of fun. There are 6 finished pieces of individual art, and we all look forward to planning another event. I am going to share them without revealing the artist at this time. When the group photo is available, I will add it in and edit this sentence out. Until then, you can try to guess which one is mine! I can’t wait to share the horizon of the 6 setting suns!
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Vibrant Sky and one squirrelly tree
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Pretty Sky and evenly placed trees
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Still painting and smiling!
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Our cheat for the sun
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Well blended sky, beautiful lighting around the trees, and birds
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A Family of Trees
When I polish this story off after the first published “draft”, when the rest of the pics are added, I will also share the comment from the host that really surprised me! Keep an eye out for an update to this story, it will have more pictures and be more complete.
If you live in Fredericton and want to plan your own event with Buddy Art Paint & Sip, here is a link to their facebook page:
Buddy Art Paint & Sip
Shared with permission from Buddy Art Paint & Sip. This is their logo.
by Tish MacWebber | May 9, 2017 | Road Trips
At the end of April, we went on a road trip. We crossed the border from New Brunswick into Nova Scotia. The plan was to visit with family. When we finally had the car packed, and hit the road, I decided to take some pics along the way, and write a story about our trip. We hadn’t gone on a road trip in a little more than 2 years, and I had gone long past the get out of the city stage. I managed very well in those 2 years, but I enjoy travelling to see friends and family, whenever I can.
We stopped for gas just outside of Fredericton, where we live. Snacks are necessary for road trips, as well as beverages. A pit stop is also necessary before any road trip. While there, I took a pic of the giant sized road sign of a familiar sight in the area.
Moose Warning Sign. A full grown moose can total a car. It is best to avoid them if seen on the road. The trick is to see them before they cause an accident. Hence the signs.
This gave me an idea. I would take pictures in the car as we travelled. It is a harder thing to do than you think it is. I was a passenger, but our trip was filled with highway driving, and a lot of missed opportunities were not able to be captured by my camera as we drove along.
I decided that I would focus on the different signs along the road, to document where we were going, and provide pics for the story. We didn’t slow down for this. Except for the last pic, which was a near miss itself.
We stopped in Moncton. I wanted a coffee. We got one here.
We then drove until we crossed the border. The first part of our trip was to make it to Nova Scotia.
Welcome to Nova Scotia, photobombed by me!
Before the NS border, there is an unusual warning sign.
Honeybee Warning Sign. I wonder if they can check all the flybys?
Can you imagine bees flying to an office to check and see if they have the proper documentation to enter Nova Scotia? They would need Bee-cases!
We were going to Truro, first. It is between 3 and 4 hours to drive from Fredericton to Truro. We had dinner with family and friends, and we all went back to swim in the hotel pool. The pool was COLD. The Hot Tub was WARM. It tired us all out.
We spent the next morning with our friends. We then saw our family again and spent the afternoon playing Munchkin the Board Game. We played twice, and I had so much fun, I forgot to take any pictures of the game. We had a potluck supper, I had made a Greek Pasta Salad with Chicken before we left Friday, and had it on ice or in fridges the whole time. Everybody liked it, and we had some before on the road trip…with my cup of coffee in Moncton, actually, and had some left over that we took with us. We hit the road again after supper.
Then we were off to Dartmouth Crossing, an hour past Truro. We checked into our second hotel room that weekend. I was too tired to go swimming again, so we watched TV and went to sleep. The next morning we had to get ready for a busy day. We were going to see my husband’s Grandmother who is 108 years old! She will be 109 in July. She still lives in her own apartment, in the same building as Roy’s father. We were all going to get together for lunch.
There are 2 signs here. The restaurant where we ate lunch at is to the far left of that building in the background, so the sign for it is here, and also a road sign near the place where Nanny Webber and her son, Roy’s father, Roland live. His friend Gloria lives there too, and she also joined us for lunch.
We met at Nanny Webber’s apartment, had a chat, and picked a place for lunch. We moved the party. We had lunch. Two comical things I noticed. Roy and Nanny Webber both ordered cheeseburger platters. She didn’t eat all of her fries, as she told me sometimes she fills up too much on potatoes. But she saw the lemon meringue pie, and wanted a piece, but not a full slice. I told her Roy could eat the other half. So they shared a slice of lemon meringue pie. Another funny observation I made, neither one of them ate the meringue!
We then went back to the apartment, where I took this pic of the 3 Webbers together.
Roland, Florence, and Roy Webber, l-r
We then said our goodbyes, after promising to try to get back for her birthday in July. We will try.
One last stop before we headed home was at a fish store. Roy is setting up a new fish tank, a 75 gallon. He has been working on making decorations, and there is a theme. There will be a blog about that when he is finished. He wanted to get some live plants. It is a freshwater aquarium. We got a few fish too. All the plants and fish survived the five-hour drive to get home. They are all thriving in their new home with us.
Neat little aquarium themed fish store
We drove home after we finished up our purchases at this store. It was a straightforward drive, with a few snack stops. One last sign I want to share with you if you are ever travelling in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. There are lots of signs like the moose sign I posted above. The other kind warns of places where deer like to cross the road.
Deer Crossing Sign
Before I finish, I talked about the giggles we had on this trip. I missed so many good pics because the camera was off or it was too slow to focus. We had a wonderful trip and looking back, I wouldn’t change much about the visits we had. I also snapped this last photo out of the back window of the moving car. It is of an Inukshuk, an Inuit symbol for others to know that they had been at that place. So someone had been there before, and now you know that we were there too.
The Inukshuk pic, taken through the back window of our moving car.
I said it before in another post, but it is relevant to this post also. Hindsight is 20/20, eh?
