Never too old? Part Two

I have photos to go along with Part One now....in addition, I did not yet mention the paddling test we had to do..........which consisted of.....tandem, paddle in a straight line....turn the boat, and then weave through a series of 4 buoys....switch paddling hands, and do it again, then "dock" which is to pull up sideways to the bank, and then do the course, again, but BACKWARDS!

But, wait, you are not done yet...........now you have to switch positions, which means, the person at the back of the canoe gets in front and vice versa....and now, you get to do it ALL again!

But, wait, you are not done yet..........now you get to do the course yet one more time, in a solo canoe.........

But the fact of the matter is...............I did it. I had a blast, and I would do it all again ( just not too soon, I am still mending!)The EGGS motivate me!

Entering and re-exiting the canoe!





Swamped Canoe race

Everybody Poops

I am a regular reader of a blog posted by a friend of mines daughter in law. She writes with great humor about her two little darling boys. On one of her posts, she has a video of an uncle reading a book to several youngsters called "Everybody Poops"...its quite funny, the reading and the reaction of the kidos. The title of that book is the motivation for this particular blog.

I have a little green frog who lives on my back porch, and each night, he sits on the little window and eats the bugs that are enticed by the light that shines through my utility room. I very rarely turn that light out, so, I think he is a smart little frog who has found a great place for a guaranteed nightly dinner.

As with all animals, this little frog poops. He poops where he eats, and leaves his little gifts on my back porch.

Lots of big poop for one little frog!

Never too old? Part One

I have blogged in the past about going canoeing/kayaking with friends. I have had a great time, every time.

I had the opportunity this weekend, this ENTIRE weekend to take a flat water training course. So, I did.

First day, get up at 6:30 AM, leave the house at 7:15 AM and drive around lost for 45 minutes. I did get there at 8:03AM, and we were suppose to be there a little before 8, so, yes I was late......but, I tried.

We watched some video's on basic water safety, etc, then we had to haul 4 canoes off the trailer and "portage" them to a swimming pool, which is a fancy word for CARRY ! I will tell you, I think they are heavy, even if others don't.

We then left the canoes beside the pool and had to take a swim test, which consisted of swimming 4 laps (I can not remember the last time I swam ONE lap, not less FOUR !), and then we had to tread water while an instructor wanted to "chat" a few seconds (seemed like hours to me!), and then we had to float for one minute (this was the easy part, I float well!), and then they threw our life jacket to us, and we had to put it on while treading water. There is some sort of fancy way to flip over it, and go underwater and come out in it, but, I just tread water until I got it on...

Now, being that I am SO out of shape, I am now exhausted, but it is only 10AM....we now have to put the canoes in the pool and do the following:

1. Learn out to get in a tandem (another fancy name for two people canoe) canoe without out tipping over.

2. Learn how to jump out of the canoe without making it tip over, and come crashing on your head. (I was not looking forward to intentionally getting wet this way)

3. Learn how to get back into a canoe while treading water.
(I should add here, that the idea of having to do this, of having to haul my overweight, out of shape, body, that has absolutely NO upper body strength into anything, not less a canoe on the water, almost made to chicken out!

4. Learn how to fall out of the canoe when your partner attempts to get into the canoe. (This was actually not a required skill, but, the lesson was learned)

5. Re-learn how to enter a canoe while treading water.

6. Learn how to get into your canoe when it is full of water. ****note***canoes will not completely submerge (fancy way of saying sink)....they have some flotation stuff built in the walls, but it does fill up all the way!******

7. Learn how to holler out "hey, do you need help, it looks like your canoe is full of water?" This made me laugh and want to say"duh, you made me fill it with water", but, I refrained! Then you have to, while sitting in your canoe, and not falling out, flip the other canoe over, to get the water out, drag it across your canoe, to make sure every drop is out, and then flip it back over, and put it back in the water....did I say you have to do this and not fall out of your own canoe.....hmmm. well, yes, you do, and my partner and I actually did!

The above actions took until noon.......no one drown, but here is a photo of just one of my bruises..........



This is just one.............I have several matching pairs..........canoes are made of really hard material! I will write more about this later, right now, I need some more aspirin, and ice packs!

Salt, you Wonderful Silent Killer

So, I started blogging about something different, and I realize the whole blog was probably going to be my opinion about salt and how much I love it and how hard it is to do without it.

Dad is suppose to be on a low salt diet. Me and my "I know everything attitude" I figured we just spice up his food with jalepenos and onions and such, and heck, he would not even miss the salt. That like many of my other "oh I know so much", is a big fat lie! I cooked and I spiced and I ate what I fixed for him, and like Catherine said "it would be good if it had a little salt". So, what I want to know is, how come years ago, in "days of Yore" did they trade salt and how come it has such historical value, when, it is SOO bad for you? I suppose it all has to do with "limits", which is a whole nother topic to blog about when I get on my soap box again.

Anyway, I have ordered several low salt, no salt cook books and we will see if that is better, but for now.........I really feel bad for Dad that salt is no longer one of the food groups!