Category: Diversions

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Diversions

Big Ben, London England

So, I’ve recently confessed my fondness for Lego. I figured I should show some of the stuff I’ve worked on. The first of the architecture series that I got and put together was Big Ben.

But first I have to confess. It wasn’t that long ago when I looked at some of the stuff on the lego website and couldn’t understand the draw of some of the “themes.” What would be the attraction for a kit to build some spaceship, I mean, what else could you do with the bricks once the spaceship lost its allure? Then Toby pointed out the architecture series and I was (almost) speechless. How cool! I want them all really but I told Toby I’d limit it to places I’ve been to, which really only means he has to take me to way more places.

But back to Big Ben. Here it is, in pictures. Hope you enjoy.

001The pieces come all split up in little bags

the pieces come in little bags

 

which I then sort….’cause well, it’s what I do.

003

A fuzzy base004

005

006

007

Getting to a point where you can definitely see more structure:

008

And there are so many pieces I’ve never seen before – the cylinders, those nifty bar pieces. So nifty.

009010

011

And the roof is installed over the low portion of the building:

012

013014

Until finally:

015

I had a lot of fun that evening. And I’ve already been working on the next one with Q. Of course that will get it’s own post eventually.

Categories
Diversions Health

Running update – 8 weeks till my next half and other babbling.

I’ve got to figure out what motivates me. Really. I am still at the point where running seems like a chore. Where eating well, well, isn’t much fun either. So I thought I’d stop for a second and lay out my plan for the next couple of weeks and see how well I stick to it.

Monday: 6.5 km – start easy; finish faster
Tuesday: 10 km – start easy; fast 5k; finish easy
Wednesday: cross-training or rest
Thursday: 5 km – easy
Friday: 5 km – start easy; finish faster
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 13 km – easy

Sounds good I think. Should be about 40 km for the week. But as I haven’t run very much for the last two weeks 40km would be great for me right now 🙂

Other March goals:
-there are three shelves I want to put up in various spots in the house (cubby shelf in the treadmill room; rod shelf near my craft area and the other rod shelf near the washer and dryer)

-finish the pond cross-stitching picture I’m making for Q

-start knitting again – maybe make up some of the vegetables again for Q’s kitchen

-blog more regularly!

It snowed again today so it’s not looking much like spring but it’s lighter later and later every day. Spring is surely on its way….

Categories
Diversions

I _might_ have a problem…Lego

So there are some subgroups in my online mommas’ group. There’s a healthy subgroup, a group for mommas who have a new pregnancy, a group for mommas who need post-partum support. We cover the spectrum. There’s a newish group about saving money. Those who are trying to do more with less.

I posted this recently as a “high”

High (but also a little sad really, ’cause I am super lame). I got an email about the ability to purchase the new Simpsons Lego set before it goes on sale to the general public (why yes, I am a Lego VIP, I told you it was lame). I will buy it eventually but I don’t need to buy it early. It’s not like I have to be the first of my friends to get it. Honestly, no matter when I get I will be the first of my friends to get it lol. So I will wait for a double cash back on ebates first. Or a double VIP points event on the Lego site. I thought that was pretty good, and would offer some amusement for you all.

Seriously. None of my friends care about Lego. But look at this: 

*swoon*

but I can wait. Really, I can wait.

Especially when my mom told me to order this for my birthday:

4,287 pieces. 102 cm long. I may faint.

So what’s your guilty pleasure? Thankfully my family humours mine!

Categories
Diversions Health

Holly Jolly Fun Run – November 17, 2013

Just to be clear, there is no race distance I hate as much as the 5k.

But I noticed a ad a few weeks ago for the Holly Jolly Fun Run – a brand new race that’s a fundraiser for The Toronto Santa Clause Parade. I had no idea that the parade was a not-for-profit that doesn’t receive any public money at all. I kinda knew it started from Eaton’s or something like that but I thought surely by now it’s funding was secure – this year is it’s 109th year after all! But it doesn’t. It runs on volunteers and sponsorships. So this year it decided to introduce a run to raise money. I signed up; I mean, how often do you get to run in the first year of something? And with people lining the whole route!

And then it hit me. Well, it hit me at about 3 am a couple of days ago.

ALL THOSE PEOPLE LINING THE ROUTE

Do you know HOW many people line the route at the Toronto Santa Clause Parade? It was bad enough when I thought it was 1000s. Then I checked. 500,000.

FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND

There are only 2000 spots in the race. I am not fast. I hate 5 ks. But I was lured by the promise of exclusive hat and mitts.

So I concluded, at about 3:45 am, that if I was gonna do it then I was gonna do it big.

I posted the following on facebook:

“Comment below if you commit to donate at least $5 to the Santa Claus Parade (link in comments) – it’s a not for profit organization that runs on volunteers and sponsors. The more people who donate, the more I will dress up. So if I raise $100 I’ll wear my running tights AND my green sparkly skirt (with the rest being my normal running stuff). If I raise $250 I’ll add jingle bells to my water belt and face paint. $500 and I’ll find light up reindeer antlers, you get the idea. All I ask is that (a) you honour your commitment to make the donation and (b) _consider_ doubling the commitment if I run a PR (run my fastest 5k ever) – if I don’t run a PR I’ll match donations (up to a max of $250.)”

Here’s the link to donate: donate here.

Let me know (here or on facebook) if you’re going to contribute. I’ll add you to the total. And I promise loads and loads of pictures. Taken before and after the race ’cause I really want you guys to have to really think about whether you can double your donation 🙂

Categories
Diversions

Organizing spices

Do you ever get to the point where you just want to get control over something? Anything? Really, sometimes I get it into my head that I need to exert a little control over something. Usually this ends up with me sorting or organizing something. Today, because my brain is a bit mushy thanks to lots of travelling over the weekend, much drinking of yummy Michigan beers, and running a half-marathon.

So I took a couple of minutes to think about what needed to be sorted, what could be done in one sitting, preferably in front of a football game (it is Sunday evening after all and hockey hasn’t started yet) and didn’t require a whole heck of a lot of brain power.

Ah ha! The spices. Toby is the cook of the family but he has no memory whatsoever in most domestic-type areas. So he’ll go to the market and think “I’ll buy this and make this tonight. Oh I wonder if we have [insert herb/spice here], I should pick some up.” And we end up with three things of thyme leaves and 4 jars of cinnamon etc.

And voila, a new google spreadsheet is born. Shared with Toby of course. It lists the spices, the brand and how much we have left. Hopefully he’ll remember to check it before he buys another jar of rosemary leaves.

Am I the only one who loves spreadsheets this much? I have one for Q’s shoes, for keeping track of the baking classes available and that I’ve taken, my scentsy waxes and nail polishes. Weird right?