Author: Margaret Murray

I have a few pairs of summer sandals however, a comfortable walking pair of sandals is key for my lifestyle. Everyday I walk approximately an hour and somedays even more than the hour. Summer lifestyle is about sipping a coffee at home on the deck or heading to a cafe to read the newspaper or a chapter or two on my iPad. I meet many faces daily and the regulars always stir up a lively conversation about the goings on within the city or across the globe.

Exercising keeps both of us on the edge. It is this slice of life that brings happiness to our lifestyle.While on holidays, workouts become the routine. In Charlottetown we ran along the scenic boardwalk and it was here that I could feel nostalgia building in my mind. Running provides a healthy vibe for us and we can either try to challenge ourselves to run together or run at each other’s pace. We mix it up and aim to increase our stamina. In Quebec City we climbed 396 steps and yes, this was a workout. Also, walking up and down several steep streets provided an excellent cardio for the legs.

Exercising allows us to breathe in fresh air as well as develop our muscles to become better athletes. Sometimes we run outdoors or we create a repertoire of core exercises to keep the momentum challenging. It is rewarding to know that we are on the leading edge of awesome health.

My favourite toys when I was a child were the red building blocks and a couple of wooden dolls. These toys provided many hours of fun and also I could play by myself for hours creating several styles of houses with the red bricks which would be known as LEGO today. Some other toys that I was fascinated with were simple games including chess, snakes and ladders, checkers and memory games. Also, I remember playing hop scotch with friends and owning bright green and pink skipping ropes.

Seeing that most of these toys and games could be played individually or with a small group is no different as to how I see myself today. I fit in where ever I feel most welcomed and also I like spending some time alone to read, reflect and exercise. Self expression through toys, clothing, books, or hobbies is how I value and experience happiness within myself.

Summer of 2016 is about relaxing, exercising, reading, and enjoying valuable conversations with friends. Sometimes meeting on the spur of the moment while walking past patios creates bits and pieces of happiness. Many minutes of laughter occurs over the course of a day.  A good example of this was while we were walking past Cafe 22 whereby we recognized  some gym friends enjoying their pizza and wine. We chatted with them about the life of owning VWs and how there is room for negotiation when salesmen are attempting to persuade you to buy a new car that is six months old.

Gemma and I spent the afternoon sipping on a Corona and nibbling away at spicy chicken nachos. We shared many stories. Always energizing to hear what other friends are reading and thinking.

It was exquisite sitting under many colourful umbrellas  with some close friends at Pizzeria Gusto’s patio. We, too exchanged many laughs and stories about life.

Also, Darryl and I walked to the Grove and sampled a cider and some saucy steak bites. So delicious. Then a Market Burger was next on the agenda and was slightly disappointed with their creation. To top out the evening we relaxed with a latte at MAKE where we caught up with some reading.

Overall, summer life  is wonderful.

This line comes from a favourite band of mine called Hedley. Why should I compose a blog about being out of control? Well, it’s a procedure that I had to prepare for about two days and then admit myself to Health Sciences Centre to have a colonoscopy. I don’t need to say anything more about the prep.

I arrived at the hospital by taxi and I proceeded to admitting. While being asked a few questions tears welled up in my eyes. First time admitted to a hospital and I kept repeating the phase in my head…I can do this and just deal with it. I followed the purple bear symbol to the seventh floor and turned to this holding room filled with patients of all ages. Nursing staff looked overwhelmed with the amount of patients to be cared for. My nurse was amazingly witty and she thought I had way too many clothes in my bag especially when the temperature outdoors reached 34 degrees. However, I packed a bag full of treats: fruit and granola bars because I knew I would be famished after the procedure.

I waited two hours before I was wheeled out to another room. Once I reached the destination i was informed that my doctor had to finish an emergency. I immediately said OMG, you must be joking because we need to get this shit show on the go. The nurses laughed and replied, “the red carpet will be rolled out for the second time we wheel you in.” Sure enough, I only had to wait another ten minutes and I was wheeled in to the room. I joked with the doctor and immediately stated that I am healthy and I want to receive an A+ report and  a pass /fail is not in my category of standards. He laughed and asked me if students of today read any books.

The nurses were great and joked with me about the colon blast prep and I had a smirk about OMG…out of control and I am ok. Then they connected me to some tubes and it was over in a few minutes. One nurse held my hand and was very sweet. Soon, Darryl came into the recovery room and I was ready to leave.

W e enjoyed the evening of relaxing and even walked to Cafe 22 where we ate a platter of grilled flatbread and I sipped a Savannah cider. No problems whatsoever and I am one healthy woman. I am very thankful to be healthy and thought to myself how on earth did all those people beside me in the rockery room become so unhealthy.

Let’s appreciate the simple things in life and continue to stay healthy.

I admire this phrase and thought it’s time to express myself. Sipping a cup of coffee, reading an intriguing ebook, or a strolling through the neighbourhood expresses my true self. It is amazing the number of people that I see and know when I am out reading during the day. Friday, I sat with a friend at Starbucks and we exchanged stories for over an hour. She is great at recommending new titles to read. We have a lot in common because we both are gym junkies and are into new routines.

Later in the day I decided to treat myself to a power breakfast at BerMax cafe. I sat and read a business magazine for a few minutes and then walked over to visit another friend at her fashion business. She brewed me the most amazing espresso. We exchanged some more stories about our aging parents.

Walking in the neighbourhood is peaceful. Noticing all the Monarch butterflies fluttering in my footsteps has one wondering about the sense of nature and its beauty. I continued on walking to our local farmer’s market and here, the kids enjoy a little snack from the homemade muffins or banana bread table. I, too couldn’t resist the tasty treats.

Both Darryl and I love the local pub and here, we chow down on the well known Danielle pizza altered to our perfection. Once again we were surrounded by well known people who enjoy a brew and a chat. Of course, we had to sample the night life at the old market square where some guitarists and soloists were entertaining the locals. Our destination was to reach the newly opened PEG Beer Co. close to the waterfront. We were amazed with this establishment and the story went on and on about a former teacher who went to Korea to gain experience and returned to his hometown and started this new adventure…brewing company. Now you catch a narrow glimpse of how I express myself.

This past week I tuned in and watched a few of the women’s and men’s Wimbledon Tennis finals. Exhilarating news when Milos Raonic beat Roger Federer in the semi-final thus making history at Wimbledon and became the first Canadian man to make it to the finals. Milos is 25 and showed confidence. He was coached by the former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe. I really felt for Milos because 99% of the applauses were directed at Federer…a well known player.

Today, Raonic faced the famous Andy Murray  age 29 from Scotland and he didn’t show his best. Therefore the Canadian professional  lost Wimbledon to Murray in three difficult sets. Murray was a much more polished experienced player than Milos. Milos was convinced that he would make history by becoming the first Canadian ever to win the Gram Slam title. In 2014, Eugenie Bouchard also made it to the women’s finals but lost. Milos wanted to be the youngest man to win the title however, half way through the sets the pressure was getting to him according to his coach. He definitely has to work on the mental aspect of the game.Tennis in Canada is really becoming noticeable and is beginning to take off.

Defining luxurious is not easy however, I clearly love a good cup of Americano. The atmosphere must be relaxing whether it’s at home, Starbucks or at another upscale cafe.

Luxurious doesn’t have to be expensive but I do like elegance and simplicity. That is the reason for me spending an extra loonie for the top brewed espresso. I get great pleasure from the enjoyment of this rich flavour poured into a grande cup.

Today has brought many changes to the weather including rain showers, sunshine and wind. However, when I look out the windows here at Fools and Horses Cafe, I see many facets of nature and people of all ages walking briskly with their colourful umbrellas and sporting tall Hunter rain boots.

Flowers and shrubs fill several steel boxes outside the cafe and the patio is empty  due to inclement weather. Sometimes we need to have a day here and there to stay inside and peer out through the window where we catch glimpses of children, teens and adults scurrying to get to their destinations. A few retro bicycles are securely locked to the bicycle stands and the owners bring their backpacks inside where they sit at the communal table pouring over various work related projects while others lean in closely to carry on engaging conversations.

Today, we ran the Manitoba Marathon Relay Race in 3:46. Our team was called Laidlaw Laggards and we placed 64 out of 464 teams and also we placed 27th out of 220 in the coed section.

We were stoked about our results considering we entered the team two weeks ago. I am so proud of myself for persevering with running and cheering Darryl on as well. We were good teammates!