GETTING ALL ZEN TEENAGE STYLE

At the beginning of the month I started back to Hot Yoga, cause it's winter and cold out there but in Hot Yoga, it's like a summer beach party on a hot, hot day! 

Well, perhaps I'm stretching it a bit. It is very hot in there but it is not very beach party-ish. People are there to get limber and re-centered. It is a de-stressor and talking is strictly prohibited. 

We is all business on the other side of this door!

Unless, of course you are going to a privately arranged yoga class that my daughter put together for the girls she is house mother to. 

My Zen daughter and organizer extraordinaire (I promised her I'd trim her big arms. For some reason in our family we are little women with big muscular looking arms)

Then it is more like a beach summer party! Cause the girls are giggly and actually talk during the yoga class.

The girls getting ready for Hot Yoga

I admit, it was an easy, basic class, but I enjoyed the usually somber room filled with these young girls learning the ins and outs of yoga!

They giggled at such positions as "happy baby" and used each other as support while trying to do the tree pose. They totally lost it in the  "crane or crow" pose. Only my handsome son-in-law managed to nail that one. 

All in all, it was a good glass! The girls all loved it and I certainly loved sharing it with them. 

Next week, I'm back to the somber and serious business of a public class. And that's OK. But every now and then, it would be good to throw in a class filled with teenagers, who don't take life so seriously. 

HURRAY FOR THE UNDERDOG!

This past Saturday was the "Coldest Night of the Year" walk, a nation-wide fund raiser bringing awareness to the underdogs in our society - those who are homeless or living on the poverty edge. Those who struggle with mental health and the aftermath of making lots of bad decisions. It's those people you see on the street and sometimes avoid eye contact with or the ones you ignore completely. 

But this past Saturday we, as a community, got together and raised money to help support the underdogs and the people who are doing their best to support them! 

I volunteer at our local down town drop in centre and the funds raised in our town will go directly to keep our little centre afloat so we can continue to provide a warm place to stop in, have a hot drink or a snack and perhaps a listening ear. Not just for the underdogs but to everyone who cares to join in. 

Our goal was $20,000 and last I heard we were up to $21,000. HURRAY!! Way to go Belleville! 

And the best part was the sense of community and support that was palpable in the room as people came in ready to walk with their pledges in hand. I was working with the registration team and had tremendous volunteers efficiently taking and recording funds.

Many of our regular guests who drop in at the Centre also took part in the walk or held signs directing the walkers. And you could see on their faces that today they were not invisible. The positive energy in the room made them feel that yes, they also mattered, they also had a place in this society. 

I'm very proud of you Belleville. Proud that you were willing to look them in the eye and not ignore them. Proud that you were willing to put your money where your mouth is and support them.

From all of us who support our Nightlight Drop in Centre thanks for saying "Hurray for the Underdog! "

THERE'S COLD. THEN THERE'S STUPID COLD!

Here in Ontario, it is a long weekend. We have what is called "Family Day". This is a fairly new holiday but basically, it is a give-Canadians-a-break-cause-there-isn't-one-between-New Years-and-Easter-holiday-and-that's-way-too-long-kind-of holiday. Family Day is not a national statutory holiday, but only observed in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and in British Columbia. Sorry all you folks East and North of me!

So, what are we supposed to doing on this extra day off? Spending time with family of course doing all those highly encouraged  winter sports like skiing, skating, sleding, snowshoeing. Unfortunately, it's just way to cold out there this weekend.

Cause there's cold. Then there's stupid cold. We are experiencing stupid cold

Look closely....-27 it say's. Feels like -39 (Celsius). That's what you call stupid cold

Car did not want to start (the CRV refused, the Pilot was more obliging)

My Hot Yoga class was packed

Even the dog was not too keen on going for her walk

So all those nice Family Day outdoor activities that start with S were just not happening. But we were not beaten. We adjusted the thermometer to the right and partied inside.

Ridiculously decadent treats were bought, along with the standbys like chips and cheezies (Hawkins, a local favourite)

And an epic game of Settlers was on the menu

That really Happy guy waving at you? That is the best hugger I know (See my Blog "Hugs and Kisses" from 2014). If you need a hug, Andrew's your guy.

Tomorrow, the temperature will make it up to -12, feeling like -20 which sounds downright balmy at the moment. 

Happy Family Day everyone! May your Furnace stay strong!

A QUIET WEEKEND

Don't you just love this photo?

This is from a cat yoga calendar my mom picked up. It's a pretty good depiction of my weekend. Very Zen. Not as furry, granted,

but very Zen. 

I started my Saturday morning going back to Hot Yoga and much like my Zen cat I struck that pose a few times. I contorted my body, attempted the "Crane" pose without success and sweated very nicely. By the time it was done I felt all limber and loose and about as relaxed as a day at the beach. 

My son Adrian and his fiancé came to visit and he made me this beautiful loaf of sourdough bread. The student now surpasses the master.

I slept a lot this weekend. I was feeling a little under the weather, like I'm fighting something and as far as I can tell successfully winning. But still, I slept a lot. Long afternoon naps, bed early, that kind of thing.

I had lovely cups of coffee

In front of the fireplace with my very Zen dog

OK, I have to be honest here. This dog you see, lying in repose, all quiet and peaceful. It's a lie, friends, a big fat lie. This is a rare, rare occasion.

Actually Lulu is more like this:

Jumping on the bed and bothering my old 14-year-old cat.

Old Man Frodo preps his left hook. Not very Zen now, are we Lulu?

And the fight begins.

But, all in all, a nice quiet weekend....