What Happened at the Yard Sale for the Cure?

Saturday, May 26th was a slow yard sale day, which is probably too bad as this was my first, and probably my last, yard sale. We had everything out by 8:00 and started packing up around 3:00ish. For the day we only sold $117.00 woth of stuff. However, instead of bringing all that stuff back in the house we filled up our vehicles and drove down to Goodwill.

So at the end of the day, we sent $58.50 to breast cancer research, Goodwill got some good stuff for their stores and we cleaned out the basement a bit. I guess if I look at it that way it wasn't a total waste of a day.

Happy Mother's Day!

I Made It Three Times!

Well I actually made it to the gym three times this week. I aimed for two workouts but was able to squeeze in three workouts even though all three of my jobs are quite busy. On Monday and Wednesday I only was able to do one set of 10 reps of my exercises with weights due to time constraints. However today I left work at a good time and was able to do two sets of 12 reps. As a bonus, since the weather is great there is hardly anyone at the gym so the weight room is not as crowded as it usually is. I'll try for three workouts next week also.

Gym - what is that?

Well after my first, and so far only, personal training session, I went to the gym two days after that and haven't been back since. With lots of work leading up to Cuba, then Cuba, and then lots of work after Cuba, I just haven't been back. Work seems to be taking over my life these days however, I plan to try and make it to the gym at least twice this week. I'll shoot for three times but I will be happy with two. If I schedule my next personal training session that might inspire me to go to the gym regularly. I shall keep you posted.

A Few More Cuba Pictures & Links

Jon has posted a few more of our Cuba pictures on his Sportsshooter webpage. Please click on his link under "Links" on the left side of my blog to open up his webpage. He updates this webpage on a regular basis and baseball season has come. So if you click on his webpage and you see Blue Jays pictures, you moved a little too slowly.

Other links under "Links" are Cari & Steve's blog (Cari is my cousin who lives in Brisbane), George's blog (Cari's brother, my cousin, lives in Halifax), Jon's website, and Jon's blog.

What a Nice Surprise

For approximately 4-5 years I have been completing online surveys for Decima Research. I can't even remember how I began. Until recently, as you completed a survey your name was thrown into the monthly draw for $1,000 (now you can choose between entering your name into the draw or getting Aeroplan points). I didn't think I would win but I enjoyed completing the surveys and giving someone my opinion (they asked for it).

Last December I received an e-mail from Decima requesting that I complete a form as my name was selected as a possible monthly winner. I would hear in about six weeks. Yeah, right. I completed the form, sent it back and didn't hear anything.

Upon returning from Cuba I had a notice from a courier company that tried to deliver a package, but of course I wasn't there. I called the courier company on Friday to redirect the package to my work address for delivery today. I asked the courier company where the package was coming from and she said Decima Research. I thought that maybe perhaps it was a cheque for $1,000 but then I also thought that maybe they were sending me something to try at home and then I will complete a survey later about the product.

Yes, you guessed it. The thin package came today so I knew it wasn't a product to test at home. It was a cheque for $1,000!!!! No letter, just the cheque. I actually was a monthly winner. It actually does happen to the average person like me. That money is going into the vacation fund for the next trip (after I make a quick trip to Talbot's of course).

It took 4-5 years of completing surveys to win the money but as Jon and I have always said, "Good things come to those who wait."

Cuba - the hotel

Jon and I have recently returned from Havana, Cuba. We were there from April 15-19. Below are pictures from the rooftop of our hotel in Havana, the NH Parque Central. The location was perfect - right in the heart of Old Havana.


Overlooking Parque Central (see my note at the bottom as to why the park is lit up). The Capitolo is on the right all lit up in yellow and blue.


Capitolo in the back, a hotel in the front.


The hotel's rooftop swimming pool at night.


Jon and I having a ""romantic" dinner in the rooftop restaurant with the pool in the background.


The hotel's rooftop swimming pool during the day. I actually laid out in the sun and got a hint of colour. I remembered my sun screen. I can't say that for everyone there.


On our first night we thought this building was vacant. We found out that two of the floors are a school and there are stores on the main floor.


Parque Central during the day with the Capitolo in the back.

On our final night we decided to have "romantic" dinner at the rooftop restaurant. However, in Parque Central, there was a large group as well as a large screen. A man's voice we could hear over the loud speaker (of course we couldn't understand what he was saying) and lots of cheering. We thought that since it was the anniversary of the Bay of Pigs, it was probably Fidel Castro's speech from 1961 (I believe). How romantic! After dinner we ventured over and found out that it was a baseball game they were playing on the large screen! A baseball game! It was the team from Havana against their arch rival from Santiago (the only two teams in Cuba) competing in their World Series. Havana lost 19-6. As I said, a "romantic" dinner.

More pictures to follow.

Getting Rid of "Stuff" for a Good Cause

Stuff - we all have it. Stuff that is hidden away in closets or filling up basements and garages. Jon and I have been kicking around the idea of having a yard sale at some point over the years but instead, the stuff is either moved around from spot to spot or eventually some of it is bagged and dropped off at Goodwill or some other charitable donation box.

However, a short time ago I actually read a flyer that was deposited at my front door. It really grabbed my attention because I rarely read flyers - "Yard Sale for the Cure" on Saturday, May 26th. How does it work you ask? You sign up to register your yard sale and all or a portion of the proceeds you make is donated to help fund the fight against breast cancer. 100% of the proceeds donated will go directly to a charity. To find out more information please go to http://www.yardsaleforthecure.com/.

If you are not able to host a yard sale but would like to participate, yard sales that will be participating in this charitable event will have special yard sale signs. Just look for the signs and the pink balloons and anything you purchase at these sales will go to help find a cure for breast cancer.

Bathroom Renos Take 3

And so it shall begin ... again. Over the next several months we shall be commencing, and hopefully completing, bathroom renovations. This will be the third time over the past ten years (third time is a charm right?). Pictured below are the new vanity with actual storage space, which will be nice for a change, and the peacock slate floor tiles. The wanescotting has been purchased as well. The next big purchase is the clawfoot tub. As the bathroom transforms I shall keep you posted. At least for this renovation I am a member of a gym that has a shower.

Jon's 40th Birthday

This past Saturday Jon turned 40. We met up with a few friends at a local pub to celebrate the monumental event (Jon with Debbie below).

Personal Training

Well I signed up a couple of weeks ago for two personal training sessions at the gym I joined last October but didn't start regularly attending until a few weeks ago. The gym had a special on personal training so I bit the bullet and signed up for two classes. It was hard to get a session scheduled after work so I scheduled today's session from 6:00 - 7:00 a.m. - bright and early. I was up at 4:58 and was at the gym by 5:50 (it doesn't open until 6:00). I wasn't alone. There were about seven other ladies waiting for the doors to open.

The trainer asked what I was interested in learning over the two sessions. I currently use the machines and wanted something new to make the whole exercise regime a little more interesting. She showed me some very effective exercises for upper and lower body using free weights (I mean effective), a great lower back strengthening exercise and some ab exercises using the "ball." I keep seeing people use the ball and was always nervous about it. Getting proper guidance using the ball was one of my main objectives for signing up for a couple of sessions. The ball wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be and since it made me concentrate on proper exercise form and not the little voice in my head saying, "Great, one more ab crunch," the exercise actually was enjoyable (yes, that's what I said - enjoyable). I'll let you know down the road once I have used the ball several times if these exercises are still enjoyable.

All in all, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I'm actually looking forward to trying these new exercises out on my own. Yikes - what is happening to me!!!