Shedding It

 The daily routine of getting rid of things is really starting to be effective. So far this week it has included a dresser, books, various ornaments and a lamp, and much moving items to more sensible places in my house.  I am doing well with keeping active most days, too. The local pond is a joy in the fall. When I went at lunch, there were a good two dozen people swimming or playing in the water - everyone from children to seniors. The leaves are just starting to turn, and the surface was sprinkled some of them. I finished up the day by trying to make a tortilla de papas (epic fail in terms of looks, but very tasty) and having dinner with friends while we watched Dirty Dancing. I had never seen it and enjoyed the costumes and dancing (and the occasional lapses into very 80s styles). 

 Mel suggested a drive up to the cottage property so we went via a route that took us past two shed building companies. A decent shed that I can use to sleep in instead of a tent is one of the next things on my list. We looked at lots of models and got an idea of what it would cost for some of the features that appealed. I’m pretty sure I could manage with a small room with a couple of windows and a door, plus a screened porch and shutters to protect everything when I’m away. I would want the insulated floor, walls and ceiling, to make it 3 seasons. I’m even considering a small divider so I can install a composting toilet. Today’s other achievements were clearing out several bags of trash (plus some larger pieces), starting a storage space for kindling, and opening the trailer to store some equipment so we don’t have to keep hauling it from home. And now that I’m home, I’m realizing I could have left even more behind.

 I joined the 220 workouts in 2020 Facebook group back at about 174. I had been tracking the number of workouts I did this year, inspired by the  Fit is a Feminist Issue  blog. I’m now up to 215 today, depending on what I do. I really like the challenge of completing 220 workouts in a year because so much is up to me. I decide what counts as a workout; for example, my regular commute to work wouldn’t count, but if I added something extra, then I would count it. Now, I commute to the office only rarely, so I am working hard to make sure I incorporate movement into most days.  Yesterday had to be one of the weirdest workouts ever. I put together a swimming video that illustrates most of the information in a 1595 swimming instruction manual. Then I took a little swim around the pond with my friend who filmed for me.

 My parents used to use that phrase, mostly because my mom always had cold feet. It was true for me today. I went out for a swim in the rain with Tom, Aimee, and Vicki. Tom couldn’t stay long but he took this picture of the rest of us. That’s Vicki in the wetsuit. It is her first year of swimming outdoors and she is doing great - she is a natural athlete. Aimee had a really tough workout at the gym yesterday, so the joke is that she couldn’t lift her arms to wave at Tom, who took the picture.  I’m now curled up in bed trying to warm my feet. My heart is warm from two good swims with friends this weekend. 1.28 km today.

 I started my morning with a 1.2 km swim; it was brisk but nice once we got warmed up. Nadine and I mostly swam head’s up breaststroke, and confirmed that it is how the little old ladies keep swimming past Thanksgiving. When the air is colder than the water, your arms get really cold doing freestyle. Keep them in the water, it’s actually warmer, with the added bonus of being able to chat while you swim. Then I spent a couple of hours harvesting grapes for Hidden Harvest. We harvested 80 lb, of which 40 lb went to one of the food banks, 20 stayed with the owner, and the remainder was split among the harvesters. I foresee at least one more evening of processing grapes for later use, as I can’t eat 4 lb (as much as I love them). Since it was near my sister’s place, I stopped by and we walked her dog. Then I had an outdoor tea with friends, and played with their dog until he was exhausted. Next up was a visit with my parents, and now I am getting ready to go out for dinner with my sister o

 It has been cold, rainy and miserable all week so I haven’t felt like swimming. But today dawned glorious / sunshine and a promised high of 19 before tonight’s frost warning. I could go for a swim! But then I had a couple of urgent phone calls. Still, there was an hour break, so I could squeeze one in before the next call! So I got into my suit, eventually located my bag with the all-important goggles, and headed out the door. That’s when I remembered that my daughter had taken the car for work today. Technically, I could still make it if I walked, but it feels like too much of a push. Instead, I will do some reading in advance of later calls today, and hope to sneak in a swim at lunch. That’s my empty parking space in the background.

I volunteer with a local group called Hidden Harvest. It works to harvest unwanted fruit and share it with local food banks and shelters. It has been quiet thanks to the pandemic, but today there was a little event at the home of Jeff, another volunteer. Jeff has been developing a bit of a food forest; his half acre property is home to a variety of fruit and nut trees and shrubs, with a few annual plants. The trees and shrubs I remember seeing: apples, a pear tree with four varieties grafted on, Asian pear, red mulberries (native and endangered), Italian plum, Canadian plum, currants, serviceberry, red and black raspberries, pawpaws, grapes, hawthorn, sea buckthorns, black walnuts, heartnuts, one I can’t remember (maybe quince?) and one I had never heard of so the name didn’t register. Down the road, a neighbour has given him to plant more seedlings, so he now has some 100 apple and pear trees growing from suckers out of the trees at his house. We learned a bit about grafting and pruni

I get very stiff and sore from sitting at my desk all day. I’m not good about getting up and moving around between meetings, the way I would if I was in a normal office in normal times. I don’t even get my usual exercise from walking or biking to work right now. Yesterday I had a massage and got a bit of a lecture about not moving my back, shoulders and neck often enough during the day. Today I resolved to do better. I managed one chair yoga session, and then I went for a 7 km walk along the river with a friend. It was a lovely evening, made even better when we stumbled across a little open-air violin concert (two violinists).  This friendly duck swam right up to us as we stood on a boat launch. When I got home, I spotted a Yoga with Adriene video that focused on  Upper back  and so I played it while tidying the kitchen. Periodically I would do the exercise, or a modified version. It felt fantastic. Yoga hasn’t really been my thing since I was a teenager, but I am convinced I need to I

When I started this blog, I was thinking about shedding in the sense of unloading - cleaning out my house, my mental blocks, and my habits. Lately, things have been going in a different direction. I mentioned to my friend Melanie that I have a waterfront property in western Quebec that I have never developed. A few weeks ago we went up and spent an busy afternoon cutting trees and bush, and exploring a route down to the water. Melanie is convincing me that with a plan and some gradual updates each time I go up, I can eventually have my cottage getaway. In the meantime, it will be a great place for a small group of friends to camp and do experiments. This weekend we went up again, accompanied by our fiend Mila. We found a better route to the water, cut more brush, and Mila cut the locks off my old trailer so I could open it and assess the damage from sitting in the open for nearly a decade. It was still dry inside but had mouse damage, so she recommends gutting it and putting in a cot i