Ate Well, Worked Hard ……BUT Feeling the Stress

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. and it shows on the scale

Now it’s not all bad news. The weight that I’ve lost is still lost but I seem to have plateaued again. In the last 2 days alone I’ve walked at least 12 km and I’ve put in about 4 hours of gardening (mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, trimming trees and clipping the hedge … no power gardening tools at our house).

I’ve been eating a lot of salads with a protein or stir fried vegetables and fish. I can’t remember the last time I had a cookie or ice cream and I think in the last 8 weeks I’ve had bread once (one slice) and pizza twice (2 slices) and that was weeks ago. I know that I need to hang in there and that eventually the weight will come off again.

June is always a very stressful time at school. The biggest stress for me is the writing of report cards. Once I finish those I know that I can breathe a little easier and get on with the 101 other things that need to be finished….but none of these other things stress me out as much as report cards. It didn’t help that for period of time this weekend our internet didn’t work. We had to actually go out and but a new router. It amazes me how much we depend on technology even for writing report cards.

I better finish here so that I can go back and do some more work on you know what and I need to prepare some lessons for a supply teacher tomorrow. No, I’m not calling in sick. I’m actually taking the girls’ soccer team to a semi final game and if they win they will play again to see if they move on to the city finals. Wish us luck!

P.S. If the scale moves down tomorrow morning I will post a very brief update.

Cheers

DIY – Making Your Own Rubber Stamps

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Mama Cormier

Today my daughter G and her friend S hosted their first DIY class at Articulation in the Junction. Eight of us were treated to a well thought out and fun two hours, learning how to make our own personalized stamps. We were each presented with a small hand sewn bag filled with all the supplies we would need for the afternoon and then they were ours to take away. Everyone had their own personal station, which included a cutting mat, pencils, paper, templates of designs that we could copy if we weren’t feeling particularly creative and a thank-you card from the instructor.

Hosted by Uschi & Kay and ‘have & hold Design’.

I thought I would share with you the easy steps involved in making your own stamp.

Step 1. This is probably the most difficult step or the easiest. Draw a design that you would like or copy it from a template.

Draw your design freehand or transfer it from the drawing on the paper.

Step 2: After drawing your design on the rubber block decide whether you are going to cut away the positive or the negative image. I cut away the negative image so that the positive image would print. Using a lino cutting tool with a #2 or #4 blade carefully cut away the rubber around the image.

Step 3: Make sure that the background is cut down enough so that the ink doesn’t attach itself to the negative image. A few raised edges give it a more rustic and homemade look. If you don’t like it you can always cut away more later.

Step 4: Choose the colour printing ink you want to use and roll a small amount onto a piece of glass or plexiglass with a brayer. When you have a nice smooth, even coating on the glass your brayer is ready to lightly ‘dust’ your stamp. Apply the ink in a number of different directions.

Step 5: When the stamp is well covered turn it onto a piece of testing paper. If you are happy with the result apply more ink and print onto cards, envelopes, invitations, stationery, etc..You can also use stamp pads and experiment with many or multiple colours. Have fun! I did.

After the Rain by the Lake

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Mama Cormier

Late for My Appointment, Lost My Glasses

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. not sure I feel any smarter

I was so looking forward to going to the Genius Bar and learning the nuances of my new laptop. The problem was I started to mark projects after school and I totally lost track of the time. When I looked at the clock it was already 5:45 and my appointment was at 5:00.

I decided to go to the store anyway, apologize for missing my appointment and book another time. However, as I was packing up to leave I couldn’t find my glasses. I remember taking them off to read and mark the projects but I could not find them. I ran between my 2 classrooms looking for them but no luck. Luckily I had my prescription sunglasses in my purse so I was able to drive.

I got to the mall shortly after 6:00 and waited to be served. Normally when you walk into the Apple store you are accosted by an employee within seconds. Today the store was busier than ever and after waiting about 10 minutes I finally found someone to help me. I apologized for missing my appointment and moaned about some of the problems I was having with my new computer. The receptionist quickly booked another appointment for 7:00 that same evening.

I went back into the mall and grabbed a package of sushi and an iced coffee (no sugar) and found a table to sit and eat my ‘dinner’. I find sushi works well in a pinch when you need to eat something on the run and sitting down at a table is key for me. I actually feel like I’m having a proper meal. I know it’s all psychological but it helps because I am focused on what I’m eating.

My new laptop in all its glory at the Genius Bar.

Back at the Genius Bar a very nice woman helped me with some of the ins and outs of my laptop. It’s amazing how much has changed in less than four years. In one hour I was able to transfer all my photos from my old computer and copy all my songs, videos, and films from iTunes. We also set up iCloud on my phone and I learned how to stream my photos from my phone to the computer. She also showed me how to transfer my contact list from the computer right to my phone. I couldn’t believe how fast it was. I had actually started to add each contact individually. It was going to take me forever.

When my hour was up I still had to transfer my music from iTunes into my new iTunes and I was under the impression that it was as simple as dragging the folder into the new folder. Well apparently not! Another technician came over to help me and my ‘copied’ music was downloading again but this time it took over an hour. The store literally closed down, the cleaners had arrived and the staff was leaving before I could leave.

When I got outside it was actually dark and because I had lost my glasses earlier I had to drive home with my sunglasses on. A very strange feeling indeed. Needless to say I arrived home safe and sound.

I’ve Got My New Computer

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Mama Cormier

… but now I have to figure out how to use it!

I thought I knew how to navigate around Apple computers but this new MacPro is giving me some challenges. I have an appointment on Friday at the Genius Bar. I was hoping to have my photos ready to go but I can’t transfer my data from my external hard drive into this new laptop. So unfortunately today’s post will be sans pictures.

This time of year all my non teacher friends and the parents at school ask if I’m ‘winding down’. I know that there are only 3 weeks of school left but I can’t even allow myself to think about that. I have report cards to write, report cards to proofread, correct and print, costumes to cut and sew for the year end production, Girls on the Run to train for, soccer practices, soccer tournament, grade 5 visit to next year’s middle school, biography and social studies projects to finish and mark and the year end activities to organize. I’m tired just thinking about it.

On a personal note I’m continuing to have success on the scale. I’m down 15 1/2 pounds and I’m finding that making good food choices is becoming second nature to me. I’ve had a few challenges, such as attending a retirement party, preparing snack day for the staff and buying $50. worth of chocolate for 20 gift bags that I made up as thank-you gifts for the staff. I can honestly say that I don’t feel deprived. My reward is the large number of compliments that I’ve been getting on my ‘noticeable’ weight loss.

The weather has not been great and I haven’t been as successful with getting out for my walks/runs. I’ve been wearing a pedometer and I’m only tracking 4000 to 5000 steps a day. My goal is at least 10 000.

Anyway I have to ‘run’ and proofread about 25 more report cards.

Cheers

Sorry for Not Responding

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…. looks like I’m going to have to bite the bullet and buy a new computer

The thing I miss most about not having a fully functioning computer is replying to emails and thanking people when they ‘like’ one of my posts. I am able to read everyone’s comments (with some difficulty) but I can’t even push the like button or make comments when I see things I like.

At the moment I’m working on my husband’s computer. I can’t always depend on using it though because he needs his for his business. Today is not a good day for him. The side effects of his last chemo session are hitting him hard this time around. Thank goodness it’s the last time (for now) that he has to endure this dreadful nausea.

I also miss posting pictures on my blog. I don’t feel I can download my photos on other people’s computers so at the moment all my pictures are sitting in my camera waiting for that new computer.

On the weight loss front, the scale had been up and down or static this week …. except today, it finally showed a significant loss. I am now down 14 1/2 pounds. Hooray!!! I’m almost hesitant to share this with you because of the fluctuations on the scale but on the other hand it keeps me motivated to keep going.

I’m going to try to keep my activity level up for the next two weeks because the Girls on the Run 5 km is two weeks today. It won’t be easy because it’s also report card time. Enough said.

For those of you who are following my blog, don’t give up on me. I read yours everyday and hopefully I can be up to full speed again in the next few days.

Cheers

Rain, Rain and More Rain

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Mama Cormier

…… and my computer is really sick.

Double whammy!

Never in my life have I ever seen so much rain and for so long. It’s been raining for over 15 hours and at times it looked liked a typhoon out there. I think it’s the wind that makes this day seem unbearable. Trees are down, a subway station flooded, power outages and umbrellas are useless.

It was a PA day today. The kids had the day off and I can only imagine how restless they must have been not being able to go outside. When I finally got to school I completed a lot of tasks that I can’t do when the students are around. The day was intended to get a head start on report cards but I didn’t even get close to a computer.

That brings me back to my computer. Right now I’m using my husband’s laptop but it’s just not the same. At Apple this morning I was told that it would cost a minimum of $600.00 to fix my computer. That’s not going to happen. I’ve pretty much decided that I’m buying a new one. The question is when? If I win the lottery tonight I’ll be back at the Apple store tomorrow. Wish me luck!

What lesson did I learn from this experience? …….don’t drink your morning coffee while checking your blog stats on the computer!!!!