Welcome 2009!

New year, new opportunities, new adventures!

Bring it on!

I've got some cool things on the go with Animas Canada right now.
www.animas.ca - check out "what our pumpers say"
www.childrenwithdiabetes.com - check out "focus on pumping" conference in Toronto in March.

On the training side of things ...
I've been having a rough go since I came back from the holidays. Training was going great until my shoulder started acting up on me. I'm fighting with myself about it. I want to keep training but know that if I continue at the pace I was going, that it will only get worse and I don't want to have to deal with a busted shoulder when I could be on the water. Now is the time to take care of it when the snow is still around and I have the time to do it properly.
Also having some issues with food and my body, I don't get full ... ever! I can eat all night and not be full. It's really starting to concern me. I know I don't need the food, I know that I shouldn't be hungry and that I shouldn't eat ... but I'm having a really really hard time not eating. I'm concerned because all the weight that I dropped in the fall ... back in like 3wks! Now I have 5 wks till I go to Hawaii, a bum shoulder and back to square one in terms of paddling weight!
Hoping I can get some insights and tips this weekend at the 1st Annual Winter Slipstream event put on by ConnectedInMotion. A weekend with active young professionals that also have Type 1 Diabetes. It's kinda neat because ConnectedInMotion is the result of a confersation that I had with another girl I met last November at a Diabetes Conference in TO. We talked about how there must be lots of other people our age out there that love the outdoors and being active to share strategies, tips and tricks for managing our diabetes with. Well, over the past year, Chloe has taken that idea and run with it. She's done an awesome job and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us this weekend.

Work wise ....
Wow, semester 2 starts tomorrow. Really looking forward to starting fresh again with new classes. And finally I have 3 phys eds! Figures, my last semester and I finally get 3/3! Should be interesting, we have a new phys ed guy starting with us too. I haven't even met him yet but hear he's a good guy and will be a great addition to our team. My soccer guys got back to practicing today. I'm looking forward to see how the rest of our indoor season plays out, as well as the City Championships and hopefully an Ofsaa birth!

So much coming down the pipe in the next 5 months!

Stay tuned!

Damn Diabetes!

Sitting at work, waiting for my sugars to come up a little bit so I can get going on my workout for tonight. Nothing like taking your insulin for lunch then realizing that you forgot the major carb part of it at home! Good thing my office is well stocked with food .... and they think the excuse is cuz I'm diabetic ... it's just that I like food :)

Western Holiday

Part two of the winter holiday is well under way.

Flew in on the weekend, had a fantastic time with some paddling friends that hosted me for the first little bit. Sadly no pics but great memories, I'll see them tonight at a canoe club workout I believe.

Chilling here in Calgary at the moment before for we head out for an afternoon at the climbing gym.

Yesterday I finally got back on the slopes for the first time since grade 8 (about 14 yrs!) Needless to say I was a freakin out a little. First time skiing on a mountain too (quite different than the 'hills' in Ontario!). After staying on my feet getting off the chair lift the first time and making it down the hill, it all started coming back to me for the most part. Hit a couple black diamonds (didn't know that's what they were until I was down it already).
But loved it all!
Had a great group of folks with me to share the thrills and laughs with. Made some new friends.

Twas the night before Christmas ....

...and all through the house we sat round the living room. Ranger snoozing on the floor, mom snoozing on the couch, Martini and dad cuddling in the chair ... what a cute scene.

I had a perfect day today. Saw my doc, went to the gym, made lunch, went back out to get one last thing for Christmas, long bath with epson salts, then read myself into a nice nap till dinner ... doesn't get much better than that!

I've had a lot of time to reflect the past couple days. To reflect on how lucky I am to be doing what I'm doing. To think about all the people that have touched my life in the past year. From diabetes, to paddling, to teaching and coaching, so many people have been there to support me, to encourage me and to assist me in my journey back to life.
And what a journey it has been!
Physically, I've got my diabetes pretty much under control. The folks at TRIDEC and ANIMAS have been phenomenal in their assistance with that. I also have reached a point where I'm finally comfortable in my body again. I finally feel strong and confident for the first time in almost 5 years.
Emotionally, I'm happier than I've ever been. My friendships have grown stronger, new ones have flourished and my relationship with my folks is stronger than ever. Makes it easy to go to sleep with a smile knowing that so many people care about you.
Intellectially, excited to start some new courses, loving all the research I'm doing on diabetes and kids, reading for pleasure again, it's great!
Socially, started some new sports, meeting some new people and challenging myself in new ways.

I remember an essay that I wrote back in high school for a scholarship application about the key to happiness in life being the balance between your physical, intellectial, social and emotional self. Wow how words come back around 10 years later!

Happy Holidays to everyone and thanks to all the folks in my life ... I wouldn't be where I am without each and every one of you!

On holidays!!!!

After much anticipation, the holidays are finally here! I put my tree up at home the first week of December. It looks kinda pretty with the fireplace and all. The mantle is now covered in Christmas cards (thanks folks!) so I'll have to take a new pic.

I'm back home with my parents for a little while before I go on another adventure. Mom had the trees up and whole house decorated by the time I got home. I swear it gets more and more extravagant every year ... I love it!

A lot has happened this month. I've started climbing with a coworker and absolutely love it!
I submitted my papers for a Leave of Absence. For those that don't know what that means, it's now official that I WON'T be teaching for TDSB next school year. I'll be embarking on my greatest adventure yet. And to assist me in funding that venture ... well, I recieved confirmation from the BC College of Teachers that I am now qualified to teach there for the next 5 years! And if I want a permanent certificate then I have to take some English courses ... damn you Waterloo and lack of English requirements! Now that I have the BC stuff I'll get the Alberta application ready to go in the new year just to keep as many options open as possible. Who knows, I could end up working at a bar somewhere serving drunks to pay my training/traveling bills!

Also this month, I've continued my training with the Premier Womens National Dragon Boat Team. I haven't been named to the team yet but hope my hard work pays off. It's been about 8 weeks now that I've been on a structured plan for the first time since I left Waterloo four years ago. We held a fundraising raffle and I sold the winning ticket for the pair of Leaf tix vs. Ottawa ... go me :)

Don't know what it is about the holidays but it's so easy to go to bed early! This year ... didn't even bother to bring the school bag out of my office. Don't get me wrong, there's work to be done but experience has told me, no work will get done so why bother!

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow

Here we are in December now, I've been off the water for four weeks! Time seems to be flying by though as I always seem to have stuff to do. Workouts have been going well for the past 7 weeks. Only last week was an off week for me. Fighting off getting sick and was just crazy tired. I was active everyday but no good hard workouts except Monday. Back on the bandwagon this weekend though with the first group weight session with the Premier Women.

Pool paddling started 3 weeks ago along with climbing 2 weeks ago. Makes for a crazy week with pool paddling 1x/wk, yoga 1x/wk, climbing 2-3x/wk, running 2-3x/wk, ball hockey 1-2x/wk and now weights 3-4x/wk. Somewhere in there theres time for rest!



Got a pic for new motivation the other day from Kathleen of the muscle women in Kona. Seeing what I looked like after just a summer of paddling ... wonder what I'll be like by that time next summer with the added training!

My fun activity these days seems to be the climbing. Samji got me back into it a few weeks ago and I love it. My hands aren't liking me for it at the moment as I climbed yesterday and today but it'll all be worth it.

As the holidays approach I can't help but get excited to hit the skys again and see friends that I made this summer. Also to explore a new city where I may spend more time next fall as my big adventure begins.

But for now, it's time for ball hockey playoffs!
Stanley out!

Best Halloween Ever!

Hit the water with Wendy, Rich, Jarvis and Sheila tonight. Wow! Paddling Oct. 31 in capri tights and tshirt. I've never felt such a warm wind this late in the year. Had some good waves to ride which just topped it all off wonderfully. It's paddles like this that remind me just how lucky I am. To have a sport that I love, people that I love and a job that I love, I'm one lucky gal. All the cares of the world don't seem to exist when I'm out on the water. It's just me and the water, that's all that matters.