The Art of Zen and Penguins

Zenning my home is anything but a zen activity. I've been going at it in a feverish rush. I must pause however, and prepare for the party as I have a cake to decorate, crafts to prepare etc. Pip is sleeping. She still isn't 100%--cranky. Taking a break from my work leaves me feeling desperate--I need to be writing or painting every day or I feel useless in a way. I must finish Zenning so I can get back to my work!

Major workout this am. Did my weights, cardio at the gym and came home in the light so there was time for a run. Very mild here today, bright sun and melting snow. I hate being too busy to snowboard or skate. That too grounds me somehow.

MoJo Flow

OK, so I spelled mojo wrong last time (corrected). Well, fear not,it is slowly returning. Came up with a game plan. First: Writing on hold until I get a bite. I will work T and F (5:30-7) early am towards finding an agent and that is all. And I will paint until the fall when I start my Uni. classes. Next: my home has been on hold forever--I've put no effort into it as I wanted to focus on my work--writing. But now, I've decided to make it my Buddhist-inspired, minimalist yet super family-functional house; using only what I have. It is a challenge and alot of work but I will finally get my home flowing effortlessly (wish). I am making a few inexpesive purchses to help it along: craft bins and shelves (IKEA) in the kitchen for the children. Tabs will get bunk beds so the nights Mist doesn't want to sleep down stairs she'll she with Tabs. I have rearranged my art and am displaying all my best works and photographs. Also, I shall puts tons of stuff in storage and give to charity in attempt to simplify my home.
Pip still has a high fever, no appitite but good spirits.
Mist freaking because we found a mouse hole and mouse poops in her closet.
Tabs excited about her upcoming party.
Peter a busy boy at work.
We will have to wait until next weekend to snowboard--way too busy.
Will try to attend a movie Friday night with PJ for a little adult break--Attonment.

MoJo a Go-Go

Hormones, February, sick kids...it all adds up. I have temporarily lost my mojo I want to do things, but I am too busy. Tabs big party this Saturday: 13 children total. 3 for a sleep over afterwards. Pip up most of the night with a high fever39.5.
I would like to snowboard this Friday night but I don't know if Pip will be well enough to leave with a sitter and I don't know if I have the time to leave when I have so much to do for the party.
Don't feel like writing, want to paint but unsure what project to work on. They're both connected to my writing and I am not inspired! Too much emailing cranky, rude agents takes the fun out a a writing career.
I need a full time house keeper. I do. A family of five is very messy especially when I am the only one with a organizational/neat gene.
Even researching for my thesis is boring. All I'm interested in this month is physics and I think it is a little too late to consider a PHD in physics at this point in time.Where oh where has my mojo gone?

Du Legumes de Chien

Nous avons mange du legumes de chien ce soir--Je demand pardon de mas famile.

Froggie Gone

I have been researching the origin of life(consciousness) and the universe. My readings have convinced me that there is no beginning and no end, that consciousness has always existed along with the universe. Science has no idea as to the true origin, as scientists (the human brain) cannot fathom anything at all about the universe before plank time (when the universe was much smaller than a hydrogen atom). And the big bang theory only covers the history from what happened to that tiny weenie universe from that point and no sooner. So, given this little tidbit of info, then I am focusing on the wood frog. How can we explain that during the winter, the wood frog buries itself in the ground and freezes solid and dies: no heart beat, no brain activity--nothing. Then, because it has the miraculous ability to use glucose in its cells to keep its body fresh-frozen, pure energy--heat from the sun, warms its body--bam! It is alive once more. How fascinating that life can come and go--as long as a body is strong and there is energy to shock it alive again. This death and rebirth of the wood frog has me perplexed. Buddhists believe that during death one is at an all time low level of consciousness but still conscious. So perhaps, that explains dear little froggie.

Mists on the Mountain

The long weekend for us bachelorettes has arrived. Mist had a fever last night but seems better this AM. I hope all of the bachelorettes are well as I have planned a wild and crazy weekend for 4 wild western gals in the city. Starting with my homemade whole grain waffles served with whip cream, pure maple syrup and strawberries. Our home is completely invisible inside a low fog that has drifted up from the lake. The morning is dead quite in the mist. I half expect a ghost to walk out of the mist to greet me, when it's foggy like this.

HOTTIE

Happy Engagement Anniversary to my Hottie Hubbie! XOXOX

Hip Dresses for 2008--Texas Style

A Quote From Tabitha:
Tabitha's rock and roll fashion: You can find fashion. If you put different clothes together you can make fashion.

Coffee, Tea?

My new coffee table. The matching end table is even more stunning. Had my eye on these before Texas. During Tabs dance class I wondered back to the shop to browse and...super luck--they were on super sale! My Fashion Video is in the works and coming very soon--for all the fashion fanatics out there.

I Killed the TV

Three in a tub...I did it for them. I personally haven't watched TV in years. But PIP, man she was addicted to "Treehouse." So, I unplugged the cable--we get no reception without it. And I will cancel the cable as there will be no TV in this house forever more. We will rent DVD's and the girls will play video games but that is it! PJ and I read our news on line anyway. I hate TV. It turned my just-turned-2-this-month girl into a little tater tot.

Black & Blue

Here I am a few short hours ago--optimistically looking forward to a great day on the mountain. My thresh hold however, has not been crossed and let me tell you, today was WORK! I can get down the mountain in a flash, boarding willy-nilly, but if a practice my turns and try to improve my technique it's crash bam! Mist and I boarded all day and are officially knackered.Tomorrow we celebrate Pip's B-day.

Reinvention

Must reinvent the weekend. Peter still down with the flu, though improving...So...Japanese food today at lunch, tomorrow snowboarding with Mistaya at Crystal all day. And no dinner party this weekend. Will wait until March to entertain as next week PJ goes to Van and I will have the girls to myself. Have planned some fun activities to keep us amused. And then the next weekend is Tabs big B-Day party. Gran may come for that.
Skating was the best on Wed. I loved it. Had too much fun and never wanted to leave the ice. The guy booted us off at closing time. It is wonderful to have crossed the thresh hold from "fun but work" to "nothing but fun!" Hope snowboarding progresses as swiftly.
Maybe a movie tonight. I want to see the documentary about the Chinese dam even though it will definately be a downer. Still dancing...

Addicted to Dancing

Hey, back to the grind. Tabs and I just made chocolate cookies that we will turn into ice cream sandwiches. Tabs insisted as it is Valentine's Day tomorrow. We are skating tonight: me and the gals and a few of their friends. Pete has a fast-forward flu. He had the flu shot but got it anyway--but at least it's a mild case. So he will stay home with dear Pip. Will snowboard this Friday night if we can find a sitter. And on Sat. will go back up to Big White to skate and snow coast--we have free passes.
Will meet Pete for Japanese food for lunch tomorrow-a great new restaurant--very healthy cusine.
In love with "Apologize"--Tabs and I are obsessed with dancing to it.Mist says she can play it on her guitar.
Drive way and street solid ice sheet this am. Couldn't get the van up the drive after my gym trip. Ended up in neighbor's snow bank. Sooo slippery couldn't walk across the road to get home; had to take off my shoes and walk in sock feet. Pete managed to get it up on fourth attempt.
Back to major agent searching...so much work. Painting and writing again too.
May have small Mexican dinner party this weekend--love to make authentic Mexican meals. Later...must dance once again--I am addicted.

La Canterra

Peter and Mistaya at La Canterra.

Zoo

Me and my gals at the San Antonio Zoo--Pip's napping.

River Walk

Here are my girls on the river boat cruise along the San Antonio River Walk.

Hope, BC

I have to write this day down. I won't believe its existence if I don't. What started out as Fabulous at Francesca's turned into up at two with
Pip who was sick to her stomach yet again--day 10 of the wicked S. American Stomach flu. And then we were up at 5:30 to get to the air port. The South Texas sunrise was beautiful--a tangerine stripe on the horizon. All seemed well and although the air line had us listed as Mr.'s and Mrs. (Pete and Tabs were Mr. The rest of us Mrs.) we thought it humorous. And then the surprise. The air line had secretly tagged us as "suspicious passengers"--United. So we were forced to stand huddled as a family in a Plexiglas box while they searched all of our take on luggage and then were led out to be frisked one by one--even the Pip.
So...the flight was insane. Pip was out of control--screaming at the top of her lungs during take off--refused to be belted in her seat. Tabs and Pete were seated at the front of the plane while the rest of us were at the back. Anyway, 1/2 way through the flight Pete switched seats with me. It was quite the surprise when a man came up to the guy in the seat beside me to complain about how he was stuck at the back of the flight with that screaming baby. He had no idea I was the mother.Even as the flight ended I heard one too many conversations about the screaming baby. Needless to say, Pip will not be flying for awhile.
And now, for the finally: we landed late from Denver to discover the Coquihalla was closed due to a massive avalanche. So in the dark and rain we attempted the Princeton high way. As we climbed deeper and deeper into the pass the rain turned to a blizzard and the road to ice.Not to mention the snow at the sides of the road grew deeper and deeper and the traffic thinned out to nill--all the while "no stopping avalanche area" signs lined the high way. The snow grew too thick and the road to slippery so we headed back to Hope--doing a U-E on the high way. So, here we are holding in Hope.

Francesca's

Peter and I just returned from a fabulous meal at Francesca's--Mark Miller's restaurant of Southwestern cuisine had the best margarita outside of Theresa's. We ordered the girls room service--no one ate much. Girls much improved. Pip though, seems to have major gas pains still.
I shopped at La Cantera shops today. Wow! For a girl who hates shopping...well lets just say, this girl now loves to shop. Nothing beats the selection down here. I purchased some boots--chocolate brown suede, lace up the front, many on sale tops from Abercrombie and finch and I could have shopped all day.
A beautiful day of sunshine and peace. No one up in the night. Doctor came last night for insurance purposes. He was wonderful--so personable and helpful. If you're ever in San Antonio call Dr. McGillvery he came right to our room fully equiped.Took Tabs BP etc. and she didn't even wake up. Fly home tomorrow. To Denver and then Vancouver. Plan to drive to Kelowna the same day. Kelowna seems like last year. We've lived many days in Texas it seems. Will miss the sunshine and the Spanish.
Wish we had more time...I so wanted to do wilderness hiking around here. We all wanted to see an armadillo.

Sunshine

Still in San A. No one well enough to fly yet. Spent day at resort. Feel well enough to work out in gym tonight. Will take hotel shuttle to shops tomorrow. Pete still stressed trying to fight insurance to pay for changing our flights etc. They are being insanely stubborn. Up all night with all three girls. Mist V all night, Tabs V and D. Pip D. Whoopi! Vacations can be a lot of fun, fun, fun! Despite all, my nerves are intact and am loving the sunshine and this quiet--top notch resort. I could live here.

S O S!!!

The eve of our departure. Mistaya has taken ill. Tabitha is having another bad spell, Pip still ill too. Must try to change our air line tickets as Mist not able to fly in the acute stage. She fought it like a trooper. But this is one nasty bug. So...I cannot believe 5 out of 5 down with it. Pete very stressed.Tabs unwell tonight too. Good grief. Must find strength...

Tejas

Although Tabs is much improved, Pip seems to be holding on to the dredges of the bug. She vomited again last night in the middle of the night and she has been ill since last Tuesday! None the less, we managed to have a great day exploring Texas anyway. We went on an African safari at a wild life ranch. We drove around the ranch while the animal came right up to the van. The girls were allowed to feed them. They were quite fun: Zebras, antelope, water buffalo, buffalo, elk, deer, goats,tons of African antelope type creatures and ostriches. The ostriches terrified Pip. She got hysterical. They popped their heads through the windows to look for food and when we shut the windows they continuously pecked at the glass. They were huge! The zebras were very friendly and stuck their heads in the windows to be fed as well. The ranch land outside of San Antonio is fascinating: dry grass, tons of cacti and shrub like juniper trees. This entire area--all the way to Austin lies on top of a huge limestone wall. There is no soil underneath the shallow top layer--just solid limestone. I have no idea how the ranchers find a place to drill for water. There are juniper covered rolling hills and dry valleys just outside of San A.--Very beautiful.
We went back to the river walk for a Mexican lunch(desperate to get some more befor we leave, despite our stomachs)and then to the Spanish Governor's palace for a tour. It was built in 1730. It was the only (European built)building in the entire 'Tejas' area. San Fernando Cathedral was then built very near the palace as the area eventually started to be settled by Canary Islanders. Anyway, the cathedral was closed for reno's but is one of the most famous cathedral's in the world. I am not sure why that is.
Despite all we have been through and continue to battle (Pip not quite better yet) I want to stay in Texas. It is so fun and interesting. I love the desert, the Mexican and Spanish history. I don't want to move here permanently but I'd love to stay and explore some more.
And the San Cantera Westin Resort is wonderful. So relaxing.

S O S

PETER DOWN DOT SEND IN THE TROOPS STOP


Spent the entire morning at the hospital with Tabitha. She was so ill: listless, couldn't even speak or move, eyes sunken. She was so deydrated they filled her with 2 doses of IV and a bag of sugar water as her sugar was depleted also. After that and Motrin she is much improved and is relaxing back at the hotel. What an insane stressful day! I was nearly hysterical this morning rushing her to a medi clinic and then the Dr. told us she needed to go to a hospital, so we rushed her there. She lay in the back of the van. The Baptist hospital was so much nicer than Kelowna's. A seperate children's emergency, quiet, modern. The doctor was quiet good and I learned exactly how much to feed her-hydrate her and how often. The nurse had just finished the army and had been to Iraq. He said he was jealous of the Canadian snipers over there as they had much more superior and powerful guns than the American Sniper team were allowed--who knew? So hot here today. These people absolutely fry in the summer. Over 100 week after week. Texas is in a state of fire emergency. Smoke in the air today. Misty is filling her little spaghetti legs with all that delicious Texan food. The rest of us will come home emaciated waifs but the Mist is a glowing Texas girl. Pete hit hard last night with the bug but is doing much better today. Man was he sick. Not much sleep down here under the big sky and all that food and stuff...

Happy 2nd Birthday Penelope Scarlett

Happy 2nd Birthday my darling little Penelope Scarlett! Mist picked out an adorable Dora doll for her. We will celebrate with a cake and meal etc back in Canada. My will also be having Tabs big party this month back in Canada too. Recovery is slow. This is no ordinary virus. Everyone is ever slightly better. No V yet today since Pip vomited twice in the night again. A great resort. Mist and Peter have been swimming twice already today. The pools are outside with a waterfall and water slide. It is warm today:high 20's. Tomorrow I think all might be well enough to drive back into San Antonio for a few of the short tours we missed.Maybe by Monday all will be well enough for a nature hike. Some VIP is staying here. Secret service chauffeur in a blackened window Ford Escalade with special license plates. Texas is a state of excess: food, drink and stuff! Their small drink is one of our x-large. Every two feet is another restaurant. And you can get alcohol from every Popsicle stand and corner store. People walk around the hotel with a beer in hand--those Texans live big.

Systems temporarily down

Have moved to a Westen resort just outside San Antonio. Very Posh and quiet. We're on a hill with great views of the land. Still sick. Tabs and Pip still quite horrible. What a nightmare. Vomit and more v.... Pip stopped vomitting last night but is still so out of sorts. all she does is flop herself around and cry. I am concerned. I dodn't know what to do. She still seems to feel so horrible. So far Peter and Mist have not come down with it. This resort has 5 pools, 3 outdoor--the courtyard is gorgeous. And it has a full sized Starbcks right down down the hall from our room. No one could handle a road trip to the coast so our ocean vacation is off and we'll stay here to recoup. It is a wonderful resort. We have a balcony and the room is big. I am jealous that Miranda saw Mika. He sounds wonderful, gotta love someone a little bit shy.