2009 in Review

I do this almost every year, and despite not really being able to take the time to do it well, I'm gonna procrastinate long enough to get something up here anyways.

My principle highlight has to be my family. I really enjoy all of my girls, watching Maya take first steps out on her own (drop-off parties, reading her own books), to watching Chloe just taking first steps. In fact, the way she runs around the house now it's hard to believe that in August she wasn't walking at all. Late, perhaps, but catching up fast I think. There's certainly nothing late about her head - 3 and 4 word sentences are already showing up. Gabi had a certain adjustment period, first in going back to work, then in being off in the summer, then back to work again, but I think we've all gotten used to everything. Cora's been doing well too, although some more bumps like we had removed in the spring have shown up. I haven't taken her back to the vet - they don't seem to be causing her any pain or discomfort, her appetite is fine and she's as happy to go for walks as ever, or at least chase Chloe around when she's carrying food. If any of that changes, I'll move on it.

Our New York trip is clearly the highlight of the year - our trip down was smooth sailing all the way, Maya was awesome in the Big Apple, having an amazing time with Mommy at American Girl, and I absolutely loved my trip to Yankee Stadium for the ball game. Really, I think it almost made me a Yankee fan. I actually didn't mind this year when they won the Series. It'll be a while before the Jays do anything for me again, especially with Doc gone now. So go Yanks go! The Jays will always be first in my heart, however. The trip back was less than smooth, but still fun to travel with my family.

Lots of stuff broke around here, which we replaced with newer better stuff, but the gadget of the year hands down was my iPhone. I can't imagine how I functioned without it, although I did. I forgot it at home the other day, and felt positively naked without it in my pocket. Funny how quick a want can become a perceived need, isn't it?

A downside to 2009 was friends. Not that anything really went wrong, but I've found that I hardly saw anyone all year, and virtually no one since September. So, if you're reading this and I haven't seen you in a while, please don't take it personally. I still like you, and hope to have some time to see you in the near future!

Another small one for me was injuries. In March I popped a hamstring, and that pretty much ended my fledgling jogging career. In trying to play squash thru the injury, I just kept making it worse until I had to shut everything down for a few weeks. I came back, and was playing very carefully, when I managed to pop the other hamstring. ^*^&^^. It was mid-summer before I really got going again, and just before the NYC trip I pulled an oblique. Between Gabi's wipeout in NYC and the fact that I couldn't bend over to tie my shoes, NY was a health adventure for sure. Luckily Maya was fine and could pick up stuff for us whenever we needed it. I am, finally, completely healthy now, and have been playing squash three times a week for the last month or so - I've even shed my tennis elbow brace, so with the loss of my ankle brace, am brace free for the first time in years!

Of course, all those injuries plus extra Chloe demands (she's at the stage where you have to watch her every single second - I lost her for 20 seconds the other day and she scooped a butcher knife off the counter during that time) meant...dum dum dum....weight gain.

Yes...most of the good work I did at Weight Watchers over two years has been wiped out. Not all of it - I can still fit into my favourite skinny jeans, but I imagine they've looked better. Not happy about it, but with all we've got going forward into 2010 I imagine it'll be summer and near the new trails before I can really try to do anything about it.

Work was fine this year - my last class was awesome, my current class is shaping up to be not bad, at least a lot better than they were in September where I'd leave banging my head against the wall every day. I've been hearing good things about the next crop of grade sevens, so maybe one more year. Besides, moving houses AND schools in the same year? Doesn't sound like a good idea to me, maybe a bit too much all at once.

So - in conclusion - I'm happy, love my life and wife, love my kids and dog, looking forward to the new house (if not the new mortgage) and poker games in my new man-cave, enjoying my work and playing good squash. What more could a guy ask for?

Packing it in

We'd been discussing it for quite some time, we had a two year
framework in place to accomplish it, and were ready to slowly start
moving on things.

Of course, if you know Gabi and I, you know we rarely move slowly on
anything.

With Maya at birthday parties near her school all the time, and nt
many friends her age nearby (except Daniel, who we've rarely seen this
fall), a move was starting to look like a good idea. Of course, there
was a lot to do to the house first, and saving up some money first
would likely be a good idea.

Then we came across our dream house.

Private sale, six month close. We put an offer in, and after four
days of insanity laced negotiations, we got it on Christmas Eve.

The home inspection is today, and I'm looking forward to getting in
and taking some pictures. There are some things I just can't remember
about the house.

So the cleaning, packing and renovating madness has begun!

Setting Goals

Last night, I saw a photo of myself taken at Maya's 5th birthday party.

Damn. I looked good.

I don't currently, at least I don't feel I do. The hamstring and oblique injuries I battled most of the year are my pathetic excuse, but really, how much I've been eating is the major culprit.

So I've set a new goal. Last October, I ran the 5k in the Toronto Marathon. This October, I could only walk it.

Next October, not only am I going to be running, but I'm going to be running in the half-marathon. I've got just over 10 months to train for it, but no excuses.

I started this morning, not running, but I'm not going to make the mistake I made this spring, which was jumpstarting everything at a rapid rate and getting hurt. I'm going to build things up slowly to the point where everything is easy. The 3 games a week of squash are really helping as well, I have to say. For the first time all fall, I feel strong, I feel healthy, and I'm winning games again, with a little bit of jump in my legs getting to some balls that surprise even me, never mind my opponents.

And if along the way I can break out the garbage bag of "skinnier" clothes that I was forced to depressingly hide away recently, so much the better. I also wouldn't mind looking like I did in that picture again.