Category Archives: Something About Us

Health Issues, Something About Us

Training started for me today

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Well, it’s taken me a long time to get my act together, and to commit to getting into shape. Maurice has been really supportive, and knows me. I tend to go gungho and then get crippled up, so baby steps for me. I hope to one day be running like the wind, like M and Maxie do. For now I hobble.

Maurice, Max and I went for a walk tonight. We did a lap around the block to the park and then through the park and back to the house. It could not have been more than a kilometer, but it felt good to get out as a family. I would like to gradually work up to doing an hour a day, but for now, baby steps and 10 minutes.

Tomorrow I’m aiming for 15 min walk, and  Wednesday, Canada day, if the pool is open, I will go for a work out and swim. I’m doing this. I would like to lose 40-50 pounds by Christmas. I’m doing Kimkins, a low carb diet, and I’ve set a goal for myself to lose 15 pounds in 30 days. Well Mondays are my official weigh in, so I can tell you that  in the first week I’ve lost 5.5 pounds, so it’s doable.

I just need to make some lifestyle changes and not lose focus. I want to keep my eye on the prize. I’ve bought a bathing suit that’s about 4 sizes too small, and I’m going wear it on our next winter holiday. 🙂

…Pam… Day 1: 10 min walk

Something About Us

Spirit of the Haida Gwaii

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Bill Reid sculpture
The Spirit of the Haida GwaiThese pictures are of the famous Bill Reid sculpture called the Spirit of the Haida Gwai, a representation of part of the creation myth of the Haida people. It is on our Canadian 20 dollar bill of course.

It stands in the Vancouver International Airport, near the international arrivals lobby.

The original is on the lawn of the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC. It was a long process, begun in 1985 by Arthur Ericksonn, the architect for the Embassy in Washington, asking Bill Reid to think about a statue for the lawn. It was finally cast and installed in 1991.

Bill Reid sculptureI have to always stop and take a picture or two of this magnificent piece of art. It is truly monumental in size – over 20 feet long – and extremely complex.

Reid wrote a poem, dedicated to his wife about the statue. It is a long poem and available for reading on the Bill Reid website.

Bill-Reid-sculptureDon’t miss it! Even if you drive to Vancouver, get out to the Airport and see this wonderful work of art! And the price – my favorite – FREE!

The sculpture here at the airport was installed in 1994. It is made of bronze, but it was given this green patina to resemble West Coast Jade.

There is a third one at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

Something About Us

Tribute to Nurses

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Cathedral Place Office towersThe Vancouver Medical Dental Building was built in 1929. On about the tenth floor there were constructed 11 foot high terra cotta statues of the Nursing Sisters, a tribute to the nurses of the First World War.

Art Deco tribute to World War 1 nurses.The story goes that one of the architects who designed the building was wounded in the war, and he credited the Sisters with saving his life. This was his way to pay his respects.

They could not be salvaged when the building was demolished, but replicas now reside on the Crystal Place office building, on the corner of Georgia and Howe, but down at the 3rd floor level, where they are clearly more visible! When we were waiting for the Sun Run to start, we took a couple pictures of her – and so – here she is! Really pretty cool.

Something About Us

Sun Run Sunday

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Sun Run, 2009Today was the Sun Run. It’s quite an event, the 2nd largest in the world. As one of the winners said, “Oh I’ll be back – watching 50,000 people run is inspirational!” There were actually 55,858 people who ran, walked or rolled the 10k course through the streets of Vancouver.

Before the startI’ve run in the Sun Run before, but the last time I ran it (2000), there were 40,000 runners, and we ran through Stanley Park for the most part. This course was quite a bit different, never entering Stanley Park at all. There were two tough bridges to ascend, but for the most part the run was flat and level.

Facing away from the start lineNot that that helped me! But at least I made it through. But it was a tough go… if it had been an 8k, I’d have been fine. If I’m philosophical about it, I haven’t run for 8 years, and I’ve only been training for 3 months, so can’t expect much. Excuses, excuses, I just didn’t have it this time. Ah well. I’ll be out running on Tuesday with Max, and we’ll have a fine time.

Cambie BridgeThe most amazing thing was to see the MASS of people! Really amazing – you come around the corner onto 4th and there are two kilometres of 4 lane street absolutely solid with people running – absolutely solid. Pam described it as a wall of people moving,  when she saw us coming over the Cambie Street Bridge – and it really was something to see.

Lots of people run it in costumes, but I saw a very inspirational saying on one ladies shirt. It said, “Living proof that organ donation works. Thanks to…” and she named the people who I assume saved her life. Wonderful.

Truly an amazing experience. Sometimes the running is tough (move over to the right BEFORE you start walking please!) and you have to dodge around people who are slower, but it is a FUN RUN. And the inspiration on the way from people lining the route, giving you applause and words of encouragement, that really helps too. When you’re struggling they inspire you to get back into pace cuz hey, they came to see runners, so give ’em a show!

Tons of runners carry cameras, so there must be a lot pictures of the race around. Here is a link to the Vancouver Sun’s gallery.

Something About Us

Run for Life

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Riding in the carI have been doing some running lately. Seems every time I get a dog, we start running! When Buck got too old to run, we gave it up.

Run for LifeMax is a fit ball of energy tho! He loves to run, especially if there are birds to chase. We run around Surrey Lake and he thinks it’s a total gas to chase the ducks and other birds making use of the wetlands.

On Sunday April 5th I ran in the 5k Run For Life, a fund raiser for cancer research. My family has been hit hard by cancer, so I figured it was a perfect time to do a little fund raising and get some excercise too. This was the first 5k I’ve run. It was fun – I will definitely do it again next year too.

Run for LifeI’ve run in the Sun Run before, and the last time there were 40,000 people. This race had about 300! You can be a little more anonymous in that 40,00 mass! But 300 – not so easy…

It was held out at Sun God arena in Delta BC. We got there early, and there were lots of people milling about, some obviously course marshalls, wearing bright yellow vests with crosses.

Run for LifeLots of people were there to support cancer survivors in the family, some proudly wearing names of people they are hoping to help. (Go Mario!)

There was a no dogs policy, and this little guy in the picture to the left gave his opinion on that rule… (click the thumbnail to enlarge it.)

The Sun Run is in just two sundays now!

(I’m running in that too – have not run in it since 2000 I think.)

Something About Us

The Time to buy is NOW!

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Well we did it. We replaced the old Pontiac. It was a relic, but man, she was a good ole boat. Did her job day after day, with little cleaning, little love, and lotsa cursing! haha

The new carWe bought a beater 1991 Grand Prix for our first car – I’d been a motorcyclist for 28 years, so it was all quite new in a car. We figured we’d get a beater in case I wrecked it! We’d only anticipated getting three years out of it, but it last seven, so we got our money’s worth out of it.

The new boat is a 2004 Chevy Impala. Much bigger in the interior than the Pontiac, but not much longer, if at all, on the exterior. It is taller, but no wider. Lots of pickup. Power this and that. And a  HUGE  trunk! Wow – we’re going to rent it out for the Olympics!

Kinda fun having a “new” car! Really nice ride. And hey – it’s built in North America!

Now the picture shows the color! LOL – if you can see it under the SNOW we got this morning! DO YOU BELIEVE IT!? SNOW!? AGAIN!?

Sigh!

All About Max, Something About Us

Weather wins again!

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Eye of MaxOnce again Mother Nature whacks the West Coast. Who knew there was still snow around? Well, trust me, we got more snow – Max in the snowCheck out Max’s reaction to the annoying turn of events! Guess I’ll have to use a colored ball on the golf course tomorrow!

Max and I have been getting out a little more regularly for longer walks lately. I think he knows with his shedding, that spring is here too, because he’s quite a bit friskier. He’s enjoying the outdoors after all that snow, which he did NOT enjoy.