Cold April

Holy smokes, it's almost the end of April already and yet it feels like we're still in mid-March. It's been so cold this month, I'm starting to wonder if spring will ever fully arrive.

For all who are wondering, I'm doing great after my ultra long walk the other day with my close friend D... The main things that were bothering me were my ankles and my Achilles tendons. I barely felt anything in my legs and back. Even my bum shoulder is feeling great, and I have more mobility in it since our walk. Not sure what did that, maybe swinging it back and forth so much during that 90 minute stint? 

As hoped, I was able to take my regular walk yesterday, but with a little extra tacked on to it. Husband - who goes with me once in a while - and I walked down to the one road and back... It's about 1/3 of a mile one way, or 2/3 mile round trip. 

Now I did make a mistake in my calculations in my previous entry. I said to the stream and back it was 1/4 mile round trip. It's actually 1/4 mile one way, making it 1/2 mile round trip. 

Oops. So I've been walking a lot more than I realized. That's good, right? :) 

I remembered the camera this time around - it's only a point and shoot idiot proof one, a purple Vivitar - and snapped a few photos. You can see the buds coming out on the trees more, and the greens are starting to become more and more vivid. 

The last one is our lone daffodil. It doesn't come up every year, but it is so pretty when it does make an appearance. 

I've also learned a few things about the things I'm eating... I'm now counting a lot of things, like calories, and taking note that just because something "looks" healthy or says "whole grain", etc, doesn't mean it's healthy or right for someone with my condition. I've become one hell of a label reader, and I've noticed that the less of a certain type of food I eat, the better I'm feeling. I do have to keep things within a certain guidelines, but I'm finding that on the lower part of that scale is best for me... So I'm now adapting my eating habits and grocery list to suit that even more. 

Let's just say I'm noticing a huge difference in only three days. It's a pain in the ass to keep track of certain things, but I think in the end, this will be a good chunk of my daily maintenance and bringing myself back to my old self again. It's not just good for my body to do this, it's good for my mental health and overall well being. I find the better I feel physically, the better I am mentally, and that means I'm more productive in the run of a day.

My long term goal is to get back into a size 10. I don't expect that to happen for a few years yet. My doctor wants me to lose weight, but only 2 or 3 pounds per month. If you lose it too fast, it'll come back so much easier. Slow but steady wins the race in this case. :)

Have a lovely weekend everyone... My writing day got preempted by a school inservice this week. No worries, I still have a few extra left between now and the end of the school year. :)

Observations

I owe all of my family, friends, readers and anyone else passing through an apology. Things have been crazy here, and I finally remembered to update my blog among the chaos.

Hearts Remembering is in its final stages of revisions and edits. After careful consideration, I already know who is getting it first, and pending rejections, any other publishers... Thank heavens I've done my research, and know where to look to see if they are taking unagented submissions or not. 

Eh, enough about Hearts Remembering... I'm almost "done" with that one as much as I can be, even with help from the Betas. (Speaking of which, they loved it!)... 

I'm recuperating. Before I post from what, I want to toss out a reminder that anyone who laughs at someone getting hurt, sick or anything else that may stop them from doing things is a complete narcissistic twat waffle. Same with wishing any kind of injury, harm, or illness on anyone else, especially if they saw your true nature... JUST SAYING.... 

I threw out my left shoulder - the rotator cuff - about six weeks ago, and it's just starting to heal now. It's the shoulder I injured a few times over the years, starting in high school, and several times since. So, it's a little weaker than the right shoulder. This has prevented me from doing the really heavy renovations around the house, which ticked me off. I'm not supposed to do any lifting with it, and my doctor said not to do any work with it that makes me lift it above my head. Husband has been doing what he can for me heavy lifting wise when he's home... Thank heavens.

It has NOT stopped me from writing and working on prelim stuff for various story ideas though. I can easily type with it held in place with a band around it to hold it against my side, and haven't really used that since before the equinox. I was using a sling when I left the house - especially during my walks - to keep it stabilized, so I wouldn't injure it further by swinging it back and forth like we humans tend to do when we're walking at all.

It's much better now. I can raise it above my head without any weakness or pain, and although my doctor still has the ban on me doing any heavy lifting or work above my head, I am no longer using a sling. I'm still doing strengthening exercises and being careful, but it's well on the mend, thank heavens.

My fall endurance is back, after not taking a lot of walks during the winter time due to icy conditions and just horrid weather in general. I'm able to make the full trip one way without stopping at all, and able to get up any hills without losing my breath. 

The fact I just hit 21 months smoke free this week is probably still a bit of a factor on my speed and endurance are holding up. Even with my allergies in full swing, I'm still motoring, despite sneezing constantly. I put the earbuds in, and crank up Creed, Whom Gods Destroy, or my newest discovery music wise, DISTURBED (heavy metal band out of Chicago, IL)... Their cover of "The Sound of Silence" is beyond amazing, and I love the rest of the "Immortalized" album, and two of their other albums, "Indestructible" and "Asylum"... It's platinum stuff! I have to get the rest of their work for my collection but it's all awesome so far... *grins*

ANYWAY... 

I've been practicing my photography too. I am still using the idiot proof point and shoot camera, but I'm learning a few things here and there to get better shots - thanks to a few tips from my photography pals around Facebook and other spots. 

Here's a few photos I snapped just this morning, during my walk....

All of these were taken within a mile of my home. I live in a former farming community, and it feels like the middle of nowhere, but in reality, I'm only a couple of miles away from a major highway.

I've also noticed I'm needing smaller jeans, or at least a belt. That's what happens when you're eating real, healthy food you prepare from scratch - not the processed garbage like convenience foods, fast food, or junk food - and getting your daily dose of exercise.

More on that another time though. :) 

I have to remember to get some sunblock though.. I'd rather not get a sunburn. I fry, and turn lobster red after a few minutes in the sun without protection. Thank you northern European ancestry... *grumbles*

We purchased Star Wars The Force Awakens on DVD, and my son finally saw it. He didn't like it when Han Solo died - hell, I CRIED when I saw that scene!!! - but loved the rest of it. 

Folks, my son has finally discovered my favorite franchise of all time. I'm so proud of him!

Have a great weekend everyone, and if you're in Nova Scotia, I hope you're loving this ultra warm weather like I am! :)

And on a final note, my cousin shared the following on Facebook yesterday... 

WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT AHEAD!!!

************************************************

************************************************

************************************************

************************************************

************************************************

LMAO!

"Ch-Ch-Changes"

As the title suggests, there have been a lot changes in the last while.

Before I start, I would like to publicly congratulate ALL students who participated in the Mental Math Challenges and all other challenges held at the regional Knowledge Festival. All of you are winners just for being asked to represent your schools in my opinion.

Son did it again. He was in the Grade 4 division this year and cleaned house with getting first place, another perfect score of 40 correct answers for 40 questions! We were proud of the honor bestowed on him by his school by being asked to be a representative of his grade, and now even more so for his win. :) Congrats, Son!

CHANGES........

It's like someone flipped a switch... Things are FINALLY warming up here in my end of the province, and the amount of snow has went from over 2 feet in spots to barely a couple of inches in the last two weeks. The temperature is now going well above freezing too, and it's nice to open the windows or just go outside into the sunshine without freezing the toes off!

Our driveway, finally clear of snow and ice.

That photo was taken three days ago, and even more snow has disappeared in that short amount of time. I think the melt so far has been a record setting one, just like the amount of snow we got in February of this year!

Another change that's happening is related to something that happened in December.

After 45 years as a physician, our family doctor had to retire due to deteriorating health. We were sad to see him go. He was my son's doctor for Son's entire life, and mine since before I was born - he even delivered me.

He retired so unexpectedly that he didn't have time to get someone to take over his practice for him before he hung up his stethoscope.

Son wasn't happy going over to the one ER to get refills on his meds, which was what we've been doing for the last three months with him. It was at four hour wait at best, and he would get antsy and bored even if we brought snacks, books and toys with us for him.

I was hoping to get on with a doctor - local or otherwise - just for his sake. I didn't care if they didnt' take me on, as long as they took him on.

Well, we hit the jackpot. Back in March, I got a call that we had a new family doctor. She's a brand new one, just establishing her own practice, and started this month. All three of us were taken on.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO relieved. There is a shortage of doctors - family docs and specialists alike - in the province and to get a new family doctor after only a three month wait is almost unheard of these days. I know people who were waiting for *years* to get someone else. Either the doctors were retiring or settling in another spot.

Her clinic is about an hour away by car, but that's okay. We have a family doctor again.

We love her. She's young, with a sunny personality and is very open to a lot of things.

It's one heck of a huge weight lifted off my mind.

It's also a darn good thing we found her. Our old doctor passed away in March.

Someone said what would have happened if he had died suddenly without retiring first?

That was something a lot of us do not want to think about.

I'm glad I don't have to now.

WRITING:

"Hearts Remembering" has been edited and gone over, and is now back into another perk cycle.

It may not be in there for long though.

I'm considering adding a couple of extra key scenes because it seems choppy and skips somewhat in spots. I'm hoping it'll smooth things out.

My best friend and I will probably be brainstorming those parts sometime soon. I'd like to get this one sent out to the rest of the gang ASAP, so I can get a move on with other things related to it and Away to Me, as well as get moving on a new story. I'm not sure if I'll be working on Ten or not. Gotta see how things go I guess!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

It's April? Well, It Doesn't Feel (or Look) Like It!

It's one of those years when I am nauseated each time I look outside.

It's April 7, and we had another four inches of snow come down yesterday into this morning. Our driveway and the road had been finally clear of snow and ice -I saw gravel in our driveway for the first time since December! - and now we're back to the endless blanket of white crap everywhere.

It's sickening. The west coast  has not had a true winter at all, and we got theirs on top of our own, and then some.

I'm so ready for it to be over with until at least November. I just want to open my windows and change the air in my house. Is that too much to ask?

Anyway.............

I haven't had much of a chance to work on editing or anything else writing wise the last couple of weeks... I decided that "Hearts Remembering" could perk for a bit longer and I'm glad I did it that way. I'm starting to see a LOT of stuff that I wasn't seeing before March Break, and I think it's going to be much easier to edit it now.

My best friend got a sneak peek of the ultra rough draft of one of the scenes... And she edited it for me! She and I just click when it comes to something like that. She knows my style (and loves it) and knows what I will like and dislike for editing suggestions. Thank heavens she's only been sending me the ideas/suggestions I'll consider. lol

Except for a few left out commas and one or two parts where she left out a word or two, it's pretty much perfect and will be going into Draft 2 of the manuscript. It took me a while to do because well, she kind of forgot to put in the paragraph breaks and I had to compare her gigantic paragraph to the three pages that scene covered in the manuscript to see where things went. lol

This week, I'm hoping to do a full reread on "Hearts Remembering", while editing and formatting the current draft of it... In between chatting sessions with my best friend on the messengers that is!

As for the weather, I would just like to see my lawn again. I don't care if the grass turns green or not, I just want to see something *other* than a blanket of white in my yard and around the neighborhood.

Please.

*Kicks Old Man Winter in the "family jewels"*