woman in pink

There were only two of us in the gym, on an afternoon during +3oC temperatures.

I have decided that my new regimen will include spending a certain amount of time every day using the treadmill or elliptical, especially since walking in this heat just drains me of the will to live move.

I settled onto the more taxing of the machines with my water bottle and a newspaper section. Because the only way I can manage the elliptical is to be distracted from the fact that I am on an elliptical. I politely say hello to the woman in pink on the machine far off to my right. She is watching the television with subtitles for All My Children. I ask if I am blocking her view, because if I was I would gladly have used that excuse to move to the easier machine. But, no, she was fine. I notice that she is standing tall and elegant and I want to emulate this instead of gripping the bar for dear life.

I spend a fair bit of time programming the machine, organizing my water bottle on the little shelf and holding my newspaper as I pedal. I stare out the window, I read for a bit, I glance at the television, I read a bit more. I wipe off the sweat that is pouring down my forehead. I slow for a drink, but the water bottle is one of those with a wide mouth, and I have not slowed enough so it sploshes on my t-shirt. I check the time. 4 minutes. I realize I am panting. I furiously read a book review about a book I will never read by an author I have never heard of. Keep moving.

I decide I need a towel at the 6 minute mark and as I get off the machine I glance at the woman in pink. She is steadily doing what you do on her elliptical machine. Very fast. She has long, straight blonde hair. Not a strand seemed to be frizzed. I see no beads of perspiration. I am fascinated.

My hair is uncomfortably damp. My face, I know, is flushed (one reason I NEVER wear pink when I exercise). Keep moving. My legs are shaking, but to slow down is actually more difficult so I keep pedalling. I stop to drink some water. And rest. I cannot keep moving. It has been 16 minutes. Oh wait, plus the original 6 minutes. Yay, I actually went over the 20 minute level! I smile in pride. I wipe the sweat from my brow, my arms, my chest, my neck, my head... I try to stand upright as get off the machine. I try to breathe more slowly and less obviously. The woman in pink is still steadily pedalling. I feel a bit intimidated.

I move to the treadmill...

I move to the steam bath...

I move to the shower....

As I am drying my hair, the woman in pink comes into the change room. Still no beads of sweat, no frizzy hair. Still standing tall and elegant. She changes into street clothes and leaves, looking for all the world refreshed. I wonder if she was an illusion.

I think about another woman in pink, Pinklea.

She may or may not be an illusion, but she has bestowed upon me an award, so I like to think she must be real. And she lives in Vancouver where I hope to visit again some day....

A Prolific Blogger Award.

I'm not always particularly prolific, but now I have a responsibility to try harder.

And, of course, there are rules.

A Prolific Blogger must link back to the person who awarded them. That would be Pinklea. Done.

A Prolific Blogger must link to the original blog where the award is explained and add your blogname to Mr Linky so everyone else can read your prolificness. Done. I am #347.

Then, a Prolific Blogger must pass this award on to 7 other Prolific Bloggers.

Hmm. Well, if you think you are a prolific blogger and would like this award, it is yours. Take from me with my blessing. And keep blogging. Keep moving. And stand tall and elegant. And proud of your accomplishment.

Thank you Pinklea!

awards

I received this award from Jientje who takes the most gorgeous photos from her little place of Heaven in Belgium. Thank you so much!

It is actually for my photoblog Sightlines, but I am cheating a little and displaying it here. I'm also cheating a little by not passing it on to anyone specifically. I don't have that many regular commenters on my photoblog but I find I get a little tingly thrill when I see a new 'follower'. Someone likes my photos enough to want to come back for more! I also check in on several phototoblogs but can't always think of anything original to say, so I just quietly enjoy their work. And sometimes, as with Jientje's, I get all dreamy.
But for now, I am dreaming of awarding myself a brief holiday and am headed off to a cottage by a lake.
To celebrate friendship and a birthday.
We might imbibe a little. We will definitely eat well.
And we will laugh lots.



Have a great weekend everybody.

bridges

As if I wasn't bad enough at keeping in contact with my real life friends, I fear I am also a little remiss in keeping up with my blog friends. Many of you write long, well thought out, introspective posts that leave me breathless. Sometimes I save them to read later when I am not so breathless, and, well, forget. Sad, aren't I? Some leave me speechless, even. And I forget how to write out an inspired, well thought out, comment. So I leave it for a moment, and decide when I wake up from my nap - for I am always napping - I will be able to think clearer. Ha, I should know better.

Almost a month ago (yikes!) The Gossamer Woman herelf, Irene, presented me with a lovely award and ... I am finally getting around to posting it and passing it on.

I find it an amazing thing that people might be inspired by what I write, or want to follow my photoblog. Then, I have myself a stong coffee, or a stiff drink, and think: well, why not, for heaven's sake. So I am always grateful and just (deep breath, tearing up a little) so proud, when someone wants to bestow an award on me. For you see, I am actually very shy - I would be blushing in real life - but in the blog world, I feel a little less shy and (dare I admit) a little less boring.

Of course, I have been inspired by some pretty great bridge builders. It is a strange thrill when I 'discover' a new blog and read on to see familiar names in the comments, so I know that there I have found another connection, another link. An international bridge. So in true spirit of bridge building around the world, I'd like to pass this on.

Pinklea, Susan, XUP, Gilly, Absolute Vanilla

So, copy and paste (or 'save picture as' and 'upload image') onto your blog, if you wish (no obligation) and if you'd like to share, please do.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a few more winks of restorative sleep because I have a few more blogs to catch up on.

gratitude

On Sunday last, I came out of the grocery store to find a glorious full moon complete with halos and interesting clouds. And no camera. When I got home, I read that the next SundayStills challenge was to be ... the moon. I was so excited. Perfect, I thought. This will be easy (afterall, I work nights!) Wasn't to be. The moon barely even deigned to appear through the overcast sky. It didn't come to me, so I had nothing to offer on Sunday.

I didn't even have anything to offer on Saturday for the PhotoHunt challenge, the theme of which this week was: nautical. Perfect I thought, for HMCS Haida, the most decorated and successful battleship in Canadian history, is docked not far away. I could have made an effort, but I couldn't be arsed to get out find the energy to venture outside and look for it.

I was feeling a little down about my lack of energy. And my lack of enthusiasm.

I was tired of feeling lazy, but too tired and lazy to do anything about it.

Then, I read Delwyn's post and found she made me a postcard!

Violet has provided me with much joy through her variety of photographs allowing me to live vicariously in a stunningly different part of the world. She is warm and generous in her ongoing comments. I am glad I have met Violet.

You should see her other great hand crafted postcards, especially these ones.

She's over at A Hazy Moon and well worth the trip to her little part of the world.

So, today (Monday) I ventured outside. Into the throngs of people enjoying a holiday.

And took pictures.

But that is for tomorrow's post.

fun stuff

I have decided that my wee black cat on my sidebar needs a name. She is now Maisie.

Maisie, as you can see, is also trying to play with my new widget, the black box. Ha, but it is just out of her reach. You have control of the cursor so go ahead and play if you dare. Someone described it as like being on a magic carpet ride. I'd like to give them credit, but I have no idea where I saw that while I was being whisked off to various blogs through the magic of randomness. The coolest and most addictive widget to hit the internet was created by the Stray of Chasing Sheep, for Caroline of In Search of Adam – as a marketing tool for Caroline’s new book Black Boxes. So, learn about Black Boxes and how to get your own by clicking on about black boxes. That's easy. Then when you are ready to play, move your cursor thingy over to 'decide' and click, then make your choice and see where you end up. You may discover a new bloggy friend.

So, an extra special WELCOME if you came here via the black box. Please say hello, cheers, or anything nice you can think of, in the comments. I'm friendly and will definitely return the cheer.

For the rest of us who do not live in the US, but will still be affected by the upcoming election, and who already have had many, many discussions over who we think should win, well now we have a chance to make absolutely no difference at all with a vote. Go to If The World Could Vote where you will be able to cast a ballot for either Obama or McCain. The site uses your IP address to determine which country you are in and only one ballot can be used per computer. The results are mapped out with the results shown on a world map and a bar graph for each candidate in each country.

I Kick Ass, in an unspectacular way.

I have been a little neglectful.

But really, it was all so overwhelming.

It seems that even while I'm on holiday, I can still Kick Ass. And I should acknowledge it before Urban Animal comes to find me and actually kicks my ass for not mentioning my NEWEST AWARD.

Also, while still on holiday, I got tagged by Frogdancer over at Dancing With Frogs.

TWO Recognitions! I think I actually squealed when I read them. Abby looked up at me from her sleeping post on the footstool, and I could just tell by her eyes, and the strange curve of her mouth that stifled a yawn, that she was thinking: oh god, please no, she's going to want to tell me about this, whatever it is and I'll need to go find somewhere else to sleep. And off she ambled to another room. I followed her anyway and tried to explain my excitement but she was having none of it and took a sharp right turn to the litter box, turning to glance my way with a look that could only say: privacy, please. I knew better than to continue following. She's a quiet, wordless cat, with a potent litter box.

Anyway, thank you Urban Animal. And I know, I'm supposed to pass it on, but after my last post, probably no one wants to know about my ass kicking abilities!

But, from Frogdancer, I need to list 6 unspectacular things about myself.

Only 6?? I came up with 35. Oh well. Here's my list:

1. I am nervous around dogs. More afraid of being licked than bitten.


2. Once a year, or so, I remember that I have pierced ears and will wear earrings to see if the holes have closed up.


3. I will not eat mushrooms. Or olives. Ever. If you order a pizza with those on it, I will studiously pick out every mushroomy, olivey (and green peppery, just in case) looking bits on each slice before taking a bite.


4. Sleeping is a favourite pastime. I wish to be a pampered cat in my next life.


5. I talk about drinking much more than I actually drink. Alcohol. Not coffee. That I do drink more than I talk about.


6. Until 5 years ago I had the same prescription for eye glasses as when I was 12. But not the same glasses.
   

Now, the rules are that I also tag 6 others with a reason for choosing them. Well, my reason is the same for all of you. I'm interested in your writings of your little world you live in and am nosy enough to ask for more.

• Grumpy Old Ken because you tell such great stories of your life
• Sagittarian for your great Kiwi videos you share
• Whim because you have so much honesty in your life story and will soon be famously on a billboard
• Gwen for the amazing art you do which almost tells a story by itself
• Robin for your descriptions of your neighbourhood and work, the good and the bad
• Mr Nighttime because you also want to be a writer, so must share all.
  

Now I'm off to spread the good news.

inspiration ... in appreciation

the weather for today
morning afternoon evening night

Well, what do you know ... it is RAINING! with a THUNDERSTORM!

We have had more lightning strikes in the last month than in all of the last year. If nature wanted to prove she has the power she has done it, she has succeeded. 9,050 times in fact, in June alone. And how many times did I jump up with a start at the sound of rain and run outside to check on my sunroof that was all along closed? Well, not 9,050 times, I'm not that absent-minded.

The cat is oblivious to it all and is sitting outside on the balcony
soaking up the wet from the green carpet.
Watching the pigeons.
Yes, Clive and Jack and Vera are back.
Maybe not the original ones, but who knows?


Doesn't matter as the tv is on and the remote is nearby for easy switching from
to

The weather in England is windy.
The weather in Italy is wet.
The weather in Canada is wet and windy.
The weather in Australia is warm and sunny.
Well somewhere in Australia.

Maybe not Melbourne, where it is a chilly, winterish 12C and my blog friend Frogdancer is knitting SCARVES for everyone due to some idea of extreme cold.

People in Australia live in a topsy turvy world.


But, since she has given me my FIRST AWARD I shall not be rude or condescending or mention any more that she is knitting scarves in 12C weather.

So, it seems I must now pass this on to SEVEN other people.

I could hardly sleep for thinking about this immense responsibility. This is my first afterall. I promise to become more blase by the third or fifth ...
So, in no particular order here are my chosen seven:

Crystal Jigsaw for having such good stories and turns of phrase. And for having a life sized cardboard cutout of David Tennant in her room.
XUP for seeing so much humour in life. Jazz for her dry wit. So few words can convey so much with her comments.
Urban Animal who used to be a Happy Downtowner but now just keeps on running. Like a fox. Chasing a dream. And happy to do it.
Under There for the most thought provoking writing. Ever. A perfect combination of seriousness and funny. Ruth over at synch-ro-ni-zing for her prose and photos. Lovely.
Lone Grey Squirrel on whose blog I lurked for a long time before finally commenting and was immediately challenged/inspired to come up with my own New 7 Wonders votes that took up so many delightful hours of my time last week.


Padraig Harrington has his award.
So drop on by. Pick up your award and pass it on to your own seven..

Drinks are on me.