Perserves, Hunting, Pickling??? Me??? Really!?

So, I do not have my firearms license but I have been considering to option! Not because I have turned into a redneck or anything now that I am in Huntsville...don't even go there! lol

I am planning on going for the course and to get my P.A.L. and all the certifications in the new year. I am also not sure if I have it in me to go for big game, I will start with grouse or partridge! And before anybody starts thinking I am a terrible person, think about what has happened to the meat that you have bought at the store and what it took to get it there...you will start to see that hunting makes a lot of sense, Google it.

I have also learned how to make preserves and pickled things; jam, beans, beets...all the good stuff! Which is what a lot of people are going to be receiving for Christmas presents, those and some handmade jewellery and crafts. No offense but I cannot be bothered to stand in line at a store and pay for something impersonal that will only fill up a garbage can.

I feel pretty good about all these choices and I am shouting it from my soapbox! By doing these things, I am creating less waste, living healthier and being sustainable. I am reducing my carbon footprint and learning some really neat things along to way...making jam and jellies are fun, really!!! :)

The Good Life here in Huntsville!

Well, it has been awhile since I've posted anything and I figured I should get back to blogging seeing life has been interesting!

I'm working for a great painting and wood finishing company called Room By Room, Nathan and I are starting a new business venture, and we have both be fixing up the house.

The business venture is called Muskoka Fire Bowls (www.muskokafirebowls.com). Curious are you? Well, these are 42 inch steel bowls that we are custom cutting designs into. We are able to do a variety of designs and anything the customer desires. We are also looking into working with some landscape designers and store owners, so...if you know anyone or want one yourself, let us know! I'll be sure to post pictures but a visit to the website is a great idea!

The house is coming along really well! We have a great little place at the end of a quiet road with ten acres behind us to roam (those acres also attach to about another hundred, which is great for us!). Nathan has hooked up the solar panel, fixed up the basement and various plumbing issues, adding some cosmetic touches while I have painted and decorated. We are living a very happy, quiet life up here and I'm very happy that I made this move.

I may start looking for a job in the medical field but haven't committed to that totally yet. The company I'm working for has been great with some issues I've had with my Crohn's and most recently another kidney stone, so it's a hard thing to walk away from. Plus, the pay is pretty good! :)

I am on Remicade, and infusion medication, for my Crohn's that really seems to be helping (thank goodness!). My health has stabilized so well that Nathan and I are taking a vacation for our 1 year anniversary in October! We're going Kiteboarding in North Carolina for a week...did I mention that Nathan's awesome at Kiteboarding!? Me...not so much, but I'm trying! lol

So that should cover the past few months, I'll be sure to update on the Fire Bowls and the Kiteboarding adventure very soon!

Glad you've checked in and haven't given up on me! :)

Me and Running...again!

So here I go, starting up my love/hate relationship with running again. I go through phases with running; sometimes I love it, sometimes I just run and get it over with, and other times...well, I'd rather stay in bed and be lazy. I started getting back into running last summer but thanks to winter (that what I'll blame it on anyhow) my cardio has taken a little slide.

I've usually had to dig deep and force myself into my runner's, until now! Thankfully, my new job is giving my some motivation. I'm working at Muskoka Outfitter's in Bracebridge and thanks to my Crohn's and a related issue (I've mentioned the issue in previous posts) I am probably not able to lead the mountain biking courses that I was initially going to. Instead, I'm taking on the trail running and road running courses! This means I have no excuse anymore to choose being lazy over getting out there and running! I was really upset when I had to resign from the biking aspect of things but thanks to my boss, he's giving me a chance to still be involved and active in the clinics!

I'm excited to see where this is going to take me...not that I'm planning on running any marathons any time soon, but it'll be nice to take advantage of my new home in the Muskoka's!

Keep in touch to see my progress and any mishaps I may go through. :)

The Results Are In!

I'm a little behind on writing this one, but better late than never!

A couple weeks ago I had my follow-up appointment with my GI to find out the results of my CT and MRI. So, here goes....

The medications that he's put me on seem to be working...I'm almost off of the Prednisone (thankfully). In another month and a bit I will only be on the Imuran.

The CT showed that the narrowing in my ileum, where the scope couldn't get by during the colonoscopy, is affecting a couple inches into my small intestine...good news! Not awesome news is that the other part of my large intestine that's affected hasn't gotten any worse since I've been on the medications, but it was very close to creating a new opening in the wall of my large intestine because the Crohn's was affecting that area so badly. Thank goodness the medications are working because if that got any worse, I may have had to have surgery.

As long as the medications keep working, I'm hoping that the affected areas will soon start to heal more. The erythema nodosum hasn't been an issue since being on the meds. The bowel sinus tract fistulas have caused me some troubles but I'm on antibiotics for that and it seems to be getting better.

Things are on the up and up. I may have a new job lined up, I graduate in April, I'm with a great guy and we're looking at houses. This is all stuff most people have accomplished at least 5 years ago, but...better late than never! :) I'm looking forward to being happy and having that "grown-up" life!

New Hobby!

Being between jobs right now and it's kinda annoying! The painting has slowed right done and I haven't heard back from the resumes that I put out in the fall. I have spent a lot of time fixing my resume and filling out job applications...for any job!

One good thing that has come from all this spare time is a new hobby; crocheting! I know, I know...it sounds a little bit old ladyish, make fun of my all you want, I'm loving it! I've almost completed my first scarf, a very long skinny one; my typical fashion! I am just starting to learn news stitches and am able to understand the patterns. I even joined a site that shares patterns and tips, thanks to a friend of mine having the same interest (of course, she's a little more talented than I am).

I was hoping to get really good at this because I like the idea of making people gifts and making baby clothes for my friends children. And of course making my own kick-ass clothes and accessories! So, here's to my unemployment hobby...maybe I'll make enough stuff to supplement and income! lol

(I hope I get a job soon though, yarn costs money!) :)

So are the days of my life!

I have had a very interesting couple of weeks! After going through the dismal experience of yet another colonoscopy last week, and trying to recover from the flare-up it caused, I had the the joy of having a CT scan yesterday.

Of course, this couldn't go as planned...like most things in my life, lol. I had the confirmation phone call on Monday saying to be at the hospital for 9:15, a few minutes early for paperwork. I thought "awesome, I can sleep in a bit", oh how silly I am! I wasn't told that I had to drink 2 litres of contrast in 2 hours and then get hooked up to an IV contrast for the scan. Oh wait, did I mention I was suppose to write a make-up test at noon from Monday? That's right, because old man winter decided to seize an emergency brake cable in my truck (if I could drive backwards legally, I would have!). Side note: Kind of explains why my truck got stuck last week and why the brakes were sticking, hmmm....hindsight! So...in my small amount of panic, I called my dear mom for some damage control. She emailed my teacher saying that I was essentially at the mercy of the hospital and might not make it to my test. Thankfully, and quite surprisingly, my teacher said not worry, I can make it up Wednesday morning. She also said that I was quite the awesome girl and a trooper...this from the woman that I thought despised me! Hopefully she likes me enough to pass me!

Here I am now; my tests written, only my MRI to go next week, and my truck fixed! Thank goodness! Now what??? I was getting used to the chaos! Things are going to be boring now! I don't even have any gifts left to wrap, geez...maybe I'll go make a snowman! :)

Jell-O Sucks Today!

So here I am, on a liquid diet because I have a colonoscopy scheduled tomorrow morning. As I was reading over the directions on what I can and cannot eat, I got hungry...I mean starved! (I am really hungry right now actually, and have you ever noticed how many television commercials revolve around food!!) I am allowed to drink Powerade, clear juice, soup broth, ginger ale, jell-o, and that`s it! I just shoveled the driveway and I`m exhausted...probably going to have a nap soon! :)

I understand the importance of doing this prep for the procedure, which is why I haven`t cheated and ate bread or anything yummy! I`m just hoping I don`t keel over from lack of food! I`ve been trying to think of what meal I want for after my procedure tomorrow...could be anything from pizza to seafood! I`m used to eating 6 to 7 times a day because of the diet that I follow and my Crohn`s disease, so this is just torture!

I still have the second stage of this hell tonight. Should be an interesting night, thank goodness we have 2 washrooms in the house.

I have a CT scan and MRI coming up, at least there`s no crazy prep for those, just no liquids or food for 2 hours before...that I can handle. This, I may perish! lol