ARMY RUN 2023 - HALF MARATHON KYLE AND ANGELINA

 I joined the army run ( www.armyrun.ca)  every other year, for a long time now. Here is a picture of me and Kyle. We decided to run the half marathon this yea - 2023. 

Our medals

Kyle is down - hahahah. Running half marathon, victory pose. 

we check in at Chateu Laurier for the night, because driving in earlier was a bit tiring. 

Amazing hotel and lots of history, this is even prettier in person

Just after that run - I am still standing which is good. 

Just before the run, knowing we hope to survive. LOL

Zumba 2023

 z masterjam 2023

at EY center

ZUMBA SATURDAY

BETO ON STAGE 

OTTAWA CITY

November 2, 2023 Pumpkins for the Planet

November 2, 2023 Thursday 

Today, we will be helping out at Moneys Bay (OSEAN), the community to upcycle the halloween pumpkin. In many years since starting the farm in 2019, we have been actively composting leaves, kitchen scraps, and pumpkins. We have amazing results -  enriching the soil for ecological farming.  We grow shrubs such as nannyberry, elderberry, serviceberry, saskatoon berries and raspberries, both for human consumption and wildlife. 

I found out this year and connected with OSEAN and they are gathering 1,000 pumkins, supporting foodbank and farming composting, and farms with wildlife. I am excited, I will drive the 15 cubic ft van so they can collect more. I am happy that Enterprise has one moving van available for today. 

This was one of our home pumpkin. Kyle decorated it, and it looks nice with the long pruner. We actually did not add fertilizer to our pumpkin patch, the compost was good enough to grow big pumpkins. 

Canada Day 2023

Canada Day 2023 

Ottawa City, Ontario Canada

 Every year, being Canadian is celebrated in our family in small and big way.

We are proud Canadian, all my 3 kids were born here in Ottawa, the national capital région. They study here in the Catholic School Board, and learn English and French. 

Kieren my youngest is now 13 years old ( born June 2010 ), my daughter Karlina is 14 ( born Feb 2009) and kenneth 19 ( born Aug 2004).

I'm beaming with pride, my kids grow up healthy and happy citizenship.

I followed my goals of setting up a small sustainable farm of végétables. Since this is an old, fallow farm ( overgrown for many years), it is a big job of clearing. We have 2 locations one in Kanata and one in Leitrem/Farmers Way Rd. My partner in this adventure is Kyle and we have been farming together for about 5 years. Weeds are always plenty, so we are busy plowing and composting.

It's been à hardworking farmer simple life and we settled in the edge of the city in Leitrem Rd with the land adjacent to our 10-acre farm. 

 

Feb 3, 2023 Friday feels like -28C

 Feb 3 2023 Friday -17c, feels like -28C

Called in to start work 230am. Got delayed,police pulled us over by 417 west/parkdale. After that was cleared, we hit Kanata by 3am. Worked in the cold, real biting cold, lots of snowdrifts everywhere.

We helped Funhaven area, ottawa citizenship, Antares, then finally head home. 

We sleep at home

Got a 3pm virtual interview for Canada post

Kyle and I went shoes shopping..I bought Kyle running shoes at wslmart

He took me dinner at bâton rouge, looks fancy, sea basse tasted great.

We come home, and we sleep.

February 4, 2023 Saturday -Costco run ( -23C)

 February 4, 2023 Saturday

It says -23C, but it also says feels like  - 40C . I'm not working today, so that's okay. Frostbite is tough, so I avoided that.

My mentrual cycle still gives me champs. I did not make it to any exercise classes.

Kyle and I were home watching Monthy Dons American garden roadshow on YouTube.  He is travelling USA to visit many gardens, so we are just happy to see it, very nice pictures.

We made chicken for lunch, some home cook with mushrooms and our own garlic.  I  am happy that we eat together for one weekend.

Kyle and I crave for pork adobo - so we brave the cold weather.  We drove to Costco and got our pork meat. We got salade, croissants, pork meat and avocado. We got 4 items and that's a surprise. We usually come out with full cart, but it's too freaking cold for that. 

We got home and got back to being cozy. I cooked the adobo, à dry style one without adding soy sauce and vinegar, like how we make adobo during fiesta. This cooking extract the lard and also give it dry texture and presetve better. We make à dipping sauce of soy sauce and vinegar which Kyle lives, so that was à great dinner

February 5, 2023 Sunday

 February 5, 2023 Sunday 

It was -17C on my phone weather application when I woke up at 6am. It's cold outside. 

There are 2 classes I wanted to attend at Nepean Sportsplex today, yoga at 9am then Zumba at 10am. 

Well, I need coffee and get ready. I have to put away some dirty dishes and Adobo meal that I cook last night. So, it's probably 19am zumba if I made it. 

 I came out to start the car, ut made a funky noise, yup! That's the cold, even the car is complaining.

I got myself ready and going for 10am Zumba. 

Today is also Karlinas 14th birthday. Since it's the weekend, it will be a lunch type meal at Montanas. We always come to Montana on her birthday, and we both love it. She is now Grade 8 at St Mark's in Manotick area. She is a tall lady, taller than my 5 ft 4 inches height. I am happy of her growth and progress and I pray that She will have a great life herself. 

She is a great sport and loves to laugh with us. 

January 26, 2023 Thursday

 January 26, 2023 Thursday

working midnight up to 2pm, wow what a long shift. Lots of shoveling and no salting. 

come home and did laundry

kids have snow day, they stayed home

contractor (NCC) repair of our cieling, Storm Derecho damage

7-9 pm master gardener of ottawa carleton meeting online via zoom

back to winter snow removal work - report for 1 am. 

January 25, 2023 Wednesday

 January 25, 2023 Wednesday

There is forecast of snow and we will be coming to work at midnight. It is a snowstorm - so it will be a logn shift. 

we start by midnight. 

January 24, 2023 Tuesday

 January 24, 2023 Tuesday

January 23, 2023 Monday

 January 23, 2023 Monday

work starts at 230am for snow

january 22, 2023 sunday -1C

 january 22, 2023 sunday

kyle drop me off and karlina to our sunday chore

nepean sportsplex 8 am, 9am, 10 am

karlina at walter baker library

have ice cream and fries with kyle and karlina - walter baker

kyle hockey at nepean sportsplex, ange at gym

call in for work : 230am 

january 21, 2023 saturday

 january 21, 2023 saturday

worked since 10pm friday to finished till 8;30 am, lots of salting of all site

breakfast with kyle

catch up with sleep

january 20, 2023 friday

 january 20, 2023 friday 

work midnight 12:30 am to 9am

work again at 10pm till 830 am saturday for night partrol

breakfast with kyle

catch up with sleep

January 19, 2023 Thursday

 January 19, 2023 Thursday

zumba 9am

yoga 10 am all at water baker

kyle had the winter tire installed for the silver rav change tire + alignment is 115$

5:45 pm zumba at lorry greenberg community center. Karlina used the Greenboro library as well. 

January 18, 2023 Wednesday

 January 18, 2023 Wednesday

worked from 3am to 10am

pick up winter tire for silver rav

pick up the kids from st marks

doctors appointment 2pm 

and kierens eye exam at 3pm at costco optical 

January 17, 2023, -6C, Tuesday

 January 17, 2023 

Tuesday

it was not snowing ..so here is the break I needed, after last weeks snow storm. I worked like 50 hours in 3 days, and it was nuts. 

I cleaned up myself and got ready for gym class. I decided to try Nepean Sportsplex again, since they have 8 am class. Well, bummer...there was traffic on the highway, so I decided to proceed to Walter Baker Sports Center because Zumba starts at 9:15 am, so I have time. 

Boss at worked message that upcoming freezing rain, possibility of call in. But did not happen. We will start at 3am. 

Walter Baker  ( Barrhaven) 100 Malvern St, was my old stumping ground, 20 years ago, I used to come here to swim and read books at the adjacent library, Ruth Dickinson. Just las Sunday, I took my kids for swim and library. 

I came in early to make sure I made in on time for Zumba class. The group was nice, and the teacher was really nice. She is very good at cueing the dance and I feel that I have a workout. 

Then I stayed for the Yoga class at 10am. it was a good one,  i feel it helped my left shoulder. I have been feeling off with this shoulder for couple of days now, and it seems to help a bit. 

I showered after the class, and headed home. 

We have to work tomorrow starting 3am. I did few paperwork in the office and pay some bills. 

Kieren will have his doctors appointment tomorrow (chadha medical)  and also his optometry appointment at  Costco as well. 

January 16, 2023 Monday

 January 16, 2023 Monday

It was a sunny day, and i slept a lot - probably the whole day. 

I cooked some mashed potatoes with the chicken and veggies. It was nice to have the little gang gather for a meal. 

I manage to fold some laundry and went off to my class.  The gas has been pretty funky and I was on my blinking "running out of gas". I found a gas station off Brian Cobough road, and filled it full. It was quite high, around 1.47 but heck, I need gas. 

Francois Dupuis Recreation Center

ottawa.ca

2263 Portobello Blvd, Orleans ON K4A0X3 ·

Zumba at 630pm

Zumba toning at 7:30 pm, then take the last 15 minutes on the treadmill.

 I was surprise that the parking lot was empty when I came out. They must have close by 9pm. When I arrived at the center, it was so packed, that I cannot find a parking spot. 

Hmm. these are people who are on the resolution just like myself. Lets see how soon this will last. 

It was a dry cold day, must be around -7C, then the night dropped to -20C.

January 14, 2023 Saturday

 January 14, 2023 Saturday

the work was short 1am to 9:30 am. thank goodness that clean up after the storm

we stop at marks to look for gloves for kyle but nothing nice

Did zumba class at greenboro for 10:30 am to 11;30 am

slept for the day until 5pm

visit tessie and uncle ken and barrhaven with kyle. we were suppose to bring garlic to friends, but none seems to be home. 

January 15, 2023 Sunday

 January 15, 2023 sunday

it is nice and sunny today, it could go as cold as -20C. but hey it was -10C when i left for gym class. 

I did Zumba at Bob Mcquarrie for 9 am

and cardio class at ray friel at 10 am. 

Im home going laundry and cooking pancit, then I will take the kids swimming at walter baker by 1pm. 

January 5 2023 Thursday

 January 5 2023 Thursday

Oh boy, did it ever froze? Freezing rain last night and I have to scrape the car before heading to work. Thank goodness for Kyle who has the strong muscle to do it. 

we did a midnight shift, throwing some salt on the icy sidewalks. 1:30am to 9:30 am. 

I got home and took pictures around me, everything is frozen. The roads are icy, some accidents. 

I sold 2 bags of garlic to a lady, I talk over the phone with her, and will deliver it tomorrow in alta vista. 

I am sure I will be called in to work again tomorrow. 

January 4, 2023 Wednesday

 Jan 4, 2023 Wednesday

We manage to get the truck from Tom yesterday. So another farm truck. LOL

It was a mild day and it continue to melt the snow, and the farm looks different. 

I was out going for a little walk and digging some holes for compost

I was called in for work to apply some salt to sidewalk as the rain melted all the salt. 

I did a early morning snow run from 4am to 7am, then come home and do some work. 

Started cleaning up some garlic and started selling them. 

Finished Kyles 2021 taxes, 1 done. 

Jan 3, 2023 Tuesday

 jan 3, 2023 wednesday

woke up late and no motivation to do anything. eat, and got an old truck from a friend with kyle. its not a question if this is a money pit, it is just an old rusty 2005 silverado. 

Daylily Collection 2022

 This year, i went to Artistic Landscape in Bank Street and they seem to be getting rid of the big display garden. I do not know why, maybe they do not supply these kinds of daylily anymore. These are mature clumps, probably of rare kinds, so I am a sucker for all things beautiful and flowers. 

Hemerocallis

So here are my new added collection list:

1. Yellow - Double Charm ( rare) Hardy 1969 double lemon yellow self pollinating

2. Yellow  - Techny Peace - 1987 Reckamp - Klehm- single - pastel yellow blend with green throat

3. Daylily - Tuscawilla Tigres - a double orange, early to midsummer bloomer, then reblooms again

4. Daylily - Catherine Neal - 1981 Carpenter - I like the dark color of this daylily - almost dark violet to brown

I did not have the chance to take picture for 2022, but the coming years, it will be a beatiful ones. 

December 28, 2022 wednesday, ( a snowy day)

 December 28, 2022 Wednesday

we were called in for snow work and to my head, it will be a short clean up shift and will be done by early morning.

It kept going and going and it was 8am and still snowing and i was getting hungry. Kyle has to come home and meet the contractors to install our new water heater. He came back and joined us again, he said lots of accidents on the road, it is a Wednesday afterall. 

John and I decided that we need breakfast, by 11am - we are so hungry shovelling snow since 2 am. The breakgast at A and W was done by 11 am so we settled on burger anyways. 

Silly me, I did not check for the weather anymore, so I was not ready for this cold. By lunch break, I was still hungry again. 

One of our sites was a Call Center with many cards parked already. It was darn near impossible to drive my truck around the building and it was a bit challenging time span.  My snow truck is big, its a RAM 5500 with a 20ft enclosed trailer carrying my sidwealk Kubota and 2 snow blowers. I am at most 40 ft long and it is not easy feat to snake it around parked cars.  I ended up parking in the middle of two buildings then walk to the end of the other building and shovel snow by hand. Not really! I sit in the truck while the guys shoveled the other side - I was miserable at this point. 

We still hustle and did out run and continue until we finished our route. After which, we headed back home. We finished by 3pm and I was super hungry. No amount of chocolates can fill me up. 

It was a lesson for me that I did not check the weather. 

I could have pack myself some hot water and noddle cup and I will be fine. The burgers is not something that gives me comfort, only noddles (I'm asian) . 

The next day was a good snow clean up and actually it was 12 midnight to 5:30am  run on Thursday, december 29, 2022.  

December 30, 2022 Friday - A walk at Flectcher Wildlife Park and Carleton University

 Friday, December 30, 2022 

It was a decent day, maybe 3 degrees C and I notice Kieren has a stuffy nose. Of course, winter is like that. You get runny nose, cough etc, since you will be spending most time indoors. The cold winter air when you get out does not help. 

However, outdoors is still best place to be. 

I took Kieren to a walk /hike at Fletcher Wildlife Park, it was nice and great weather. I took him to the pond, which was frozen, so we read about turtles and frogs hibernation cycle. 

We walk towards Carleton University, the path at Fletcher is really connected with NCC pathways and boom, you are at Carleton University. We did our usual, cross the Hartwell locks and explore the paths. He has not been to Carleton University in awhile, with COVID and also life has gotten busy. My 3 kids grow up at Carleton as I spent my undergrad in there. When I did not have babysitter, i took 3 of them to school library. I think they are at university before stepping into kindergarten. I took them to Carleton Swimming pool and tunnels and have fun times. There are few changes over years and Kieren was quick to point the out the newer buildings. Where there use to be open ground, now buildings are there. We did a short loop between Architecture and Engineering building, he looked around for the rocks where he used to climb, but no avail - it is fenced off due to construction. His rock was situated directly accross Minto Case, he used to climbed it everytime we come back from swimming at the pool. 

All my kids attend Carleton U summer camps and Ken attended Shad Valley. That was the highlight of his summers. 

Kierens favorite building is still Minto Case, he pose beside the mural of a student of Engineering. After a quick picture opportunity, we went back to our loop at Hartweel Locks and came back to Fletcher. We did enjoy our walks despite his shoes being dipped in the puddle. 

We went to barrhaven to see my uncle ken and tita shonee. I brought in some little gift, calming tea, biscuit, anthorium plant. I make my uncle laugh because i put a shiny golden christmas balls on the anthorium plant. I brought in some homemade cookie, i hope my uncle will enjoy it. 

Kieren loves to spend his money, so we stop by at FreshCo near Lietrem Rd. All his wants is TicTac. I manage to get some grocery and some fresh herbs. Thats something I love on winter - fresh herbs makes your food like gourmet, even if its just a noodle soup. 

We came home and we got Karlina to get ready for their weekend at dads. 

Kyle and I went to Toms house to check the truck - yeah, his old truck. He said he will give it to Kyle to make room in his driveway. The kicker is - it needs a new battery. We went to Canadian Tire and bought a new battery. It went and fire up, but still, who knows if the brake works - we will find out on January 2nd. We will come back to continue the truck journey. 

Dec 31, 2022 saturday ( rainy day but 6 degrees C, its a good day) Tessie & Me and the Fax Machine

 december 31, 2022 saturday

It was a rainy day, roads are so foggy, but still a pleasant 6 degrees C. 

we worked over night doing snow patrol, we started at 10pm on a friday and finished at 7am on saturday. the overnight was rainy/misty/ foggy, so driving conditions was not the greatest. We still finished our 61 sites on time, refilled our gas, and happily got off work. 

I dropped Kyle at home to rest and I went to see tessie. I pass out on her couch and woke up at 8:30 am, and I drove her to her doctors appointment at Somerset Street.  

She got the prescription needed, so  we went to Dynacare in Barrhaven to get her bloodwork done around 10am. I am surprised that the clinic is open and with few people so we get it done in no time. Next stop was Walmart  Barrhaven to pick up her prescription - while Walmart is always fast, today was a slow day, so it took her awhile. However, that was good, at least we got prescription needed.  

Next on the agenda is to call the hospital for her x-ray. While calling hospital to book an xray is best thing to do, good luck being answered. So, instead of calling the hospital again, we decided to fax a document to request an XRAY.  ok...fax, sending fax people of the 20th century...Just so our luck, Staples Store is beside Walmart. They have this old looking fax machine, that came straight out of 1990s and it worked. It was self serve, and me being a 90s office junkie, I know how to operate the darn machine.  Fax was sent in no time, and it cost me 1$ per page. Waiting 5-30 minutes on the phone for call in? or 1$ on Fax machine? I will take fax machine anytime. 

Tessie at this time got sleepy and tired. She was sleepless and not feeling very well. I was starting to get sleepy. I was up overnight and need a real sleep.

Tessie managed to get me a kind of sardines with black beans on it. Looks like a fried fish with black beans, she got me 4 cans because i liked it. 

So our errands were completed, and I dropped tessie at her home. I drove for another 25 minutes to my home, Kyle was already sleeping, I quickly eat the sardines and rice and went to bed as well. 

Sleep very well and I woke up Sunday morning at 3:30 am Jan 1, 2023.