Sometimes...

Things that make you go hmmmmm....

To whom it may concern

I would like to let you know that I am very grateful for Gyslain Danis and the help he gave me when I was looking to purchase and install laminate flooring.  He was very helpful and we arranged for Proinstallers to come and give an estimate for installation. I paid the $40 fee for Proinstallers to come to measure, provide a detailed list of materials needed based on these measurements. Gyslain was also informative when I expressed that I would like to save as much as I could.  Based on his recommendations I picked up all the flooring and supplies needed. 

The estimate I received was a lot higher then I had expected even with the installation special of 50% off.

In the end, we installed the flooring ourselves but imagine my surprise at how much flooring I had leftover.  13 boxes plus 100 square feet of underlay and the order called for 24 quarter round (we did it with 10). Yes it was an estimate but to mis-measure or over-estimate 13 boxes and an entire roll of underlay and 14 extra quarter round...????

I really feel that I was taken advantage and this over-estimation would not have been left for me to return if I had Proinstallers (contracted by Lowe’s) to install it. In addition, the labour costs that I was charged based on this extra material. This over estimation inflated the overall cost.

The over payment of the instillation charge also would not have been returned to me. 

This experience was very disappointing and as a company that has a good reputation, I feel should be aware of situations like this.

As a single woman, experiences like this make me think twice about doing any more business with Lowe’s and will not have me recommending Lowe’s to anyone. I believe it is important that you know who you are contracting to and that it is causing you to lose customers.

******************************

We will see where this goes....

Date Nite

Paul and I are dating.

We have been dating for four years.

Once a week we have a date nite.

Our dates range from cooking together then watching some TV to these:

Dinners @ T&T, Ikea (one of my favourite date nites), Costco (turkey pesto sandwich yum!), being one of the youngest couples at the Rideau Carleton Race Way buffet

Cooking class @ loblaws

Partner Yoga

canoeing Biking & Running usually not all in one date night...separate date nites 

3 Guys brewery- very early dating date

Thai Flame - anniversary dinners

Skating on the Canal and sandwiches from http://www.dirienzodeli.ca/

Greek from http://cozmossouvlaki.com/ we take it to Chapman Mills Conservation and ate by the water

We also took our Frank’s sandwiches toBluesfest, had planned to sit outside the festival and listen to Elle King but after we finished the sandwiches we found out she canceled. It was a nice walk though from Tunney’s Pasture to the War Museum

Frank’s sandwiches:https://www.franksfoods.ca

Movie night - last movie we saw was the Queen one- we rocked out

During the Snow Season our date nights consist of  Skiing @ https://campfortune.com/en/

Paul’s best date night: Queen concert, at the Lac Leamy casino... cover band of course but sooooo good!! Only complaint: everyone just sat there:( grab the last back row and rock out next time) Lots of variety in shows at Lac Leamy

https://www.secureboxoffice.com/V/v-11173?mkwid=s%7Cpcrid%7C330630666622%7Cpkw%7Ccasino%20du%20lac%20leamy%20gatineau%7Cpmt%7Cb%7Cpdv%7Cm%7C&st-t=google&vt-k=casino%20du%20lac%20leamy%20gatineau&gclid=CjwKCAjwo9rtBRAdEiwA_WXcFlrZ0Ux2LS9RDOLcGNseyrRaJLy6jrOOJQgpKlSLkUydC8nqXmxc_xoCHUQQAvD_BwE

I think it is uber important to make time for your special someone. 

Me & Breast Cancer

I am participating in the CIBC Run For A Cure again this year.   I have done the Run for over 18 years.  Please sponsor me.  Funds go towards research to find a cure.

Breast cancer did not only take my Mom but also

❤️ devastated my family’s  world for a second time but with the research from the funds raised at CIBC Run For A Cure the outcome is much different ❤️

-it was always the elephant in the room for 11 years.  I was in Gr 8 when she was diagnosed and when she lost her battle I had been graduated from university for 3 years
-took a Christmas spent together away.  Mom had her first surgery over the holiday.
-took a family trip to Florida away
-I turned a job down because it would have taken me away from home
-it gave me trips to the Dr's so I can go for yearly mammograms which I have been doing since I was 35
-took my children's Baba from them
-gave us years of stress and worry and lots of tears

But this doesn't even compare to the moment a woman hears that she has been diagnosed.  I can only imagine the feeling of devastation and despair.


If you wish to sponsor me please go to www.CIBCrunforthecure.com.  My page is under Robyn Smith.
I thank you for your donation.

 

Fall Fun

I did this art project this week in my Toddler class.

Apple 🍎 Pie if you do the cross over pieces and Apple 🍏 Crisp if you do the other 😋

Why?

It’s fall and apple picking season but also I wanted to incorporate different textures (the oats) and smell (the cinnamon).

When does an art project incorporate your sense of smell? In our class it may only be if your friend doing the art project has a poopy diaper 😯.  So cinnamon is my favourite scent and it was kind of like baking but not baking.

I used a tray, to keep the mess somewhat contained. We used a paint brush to put the glue on. I showed them how to do circles with the paint brush, to spread the glue, as if stirring the glue on. 

Ripped red paper was used as the apples. Sprinkle sprinkle sprinkle was how we put the oats on after another application of stirring the glue on again.  Then shake shake the cinnamon on.

Best smelling art ever!!!

One of my little friends really loved putting the oats on and shaking the cinnamon.

Within Montessori there is the Sensorial Area (learning through the 5 senses). I felt this art reinforced this aspect of the Montessori Method.

A Comparison of Robyn and the Rock

I am a fan of the Rock. I have to admit I have not seen all his movies nor did I really root for him in his wrestling days (I was a Steve Austin fan) but come on... he ain’t too hard on the eyes;)

But besides both starting with an "R" (Rock/Robyn) we have a few other things in common:

We have both been to Calgary.

And in other ways we differ:
*He is a boy.  I am a girl.
*He wrestled and played football.  I never did either.
*He has been to Hawaii.  I have not but on my Bucketlist.  Dwayne :) actually just got married there...

I have done his workout. He has not done mine.

We are both good in looking GOOD! Well dressed humans.




We both like to travel 

 
We both have children.


He has three girls.  I have 2 originals and 2 I have embraced out of love.

We like motorcycles?

We both wear his clothing. He has a line of clothing...
I do not.

Most special to me:  we have the same birthday!!!

May 2nd!!!! 

I also admire his kindness. He does surprises for fans and he seems to be a very hard working man. He could surprise me anytime!!!!

BALANCE

When you sit on the toilet in my upstairs bathroom this is what you will see.

It is a reminder to myself to make sure I am balancing aspects of my life.  Everything from the types of food I am eating, sleeping, time to myself to being active and exercising to time spent with the people I love.  I recognize for myself that when something is imbalanced in my life I suffer mentally and physically. 

So you have been reminded

Or come sit on my toilet and ponder...

Love you ❤️😘

Truck Tavels

Check out my Facebook for our latest podcast of our road trip in the truck.

Things I have changed...

Routine deodorant - natural deodorant

https://www.routinecream.com/ 

They all have unique names, very yummy scents & although they are much more pricey then your drugstore deodorant they are better for you and you can use it for approximately 6 mths.
It is based in Calgary and created by two science-y ladies. Watch the videos on their site. If I lived in Calgary I’d want to go work @Routine!
Coconut oil  or jojoba oil mixed with tea tree oil - to moisturize
Nellie's - laundry soap

This was my latest purchase of Nellie’s! On sale @Costco

It will last for ever! It’s HUGE!

Cleaning:

Baking Soda

Vinegar 

Dish soap

And recently added hydrogen peroxide 

Robbino has been racing!!

 

Spring LumberJack Race @ MARKED Paintball & OCR Ranch. 

There were 9 of us total in the race! 

Foam Fest 2019 with Emma

 again @Marked

My first foam race.

And my latest SPARTAN!!! 

I was part of Team Tatooed Titans

This time I really enjoyed it... as oppose to my first time.  The final pic click here says it all!

Geez Robyn! Push it! Don't give up!!!!

So I did my third Try A Tri in Smiths Falls on June 22, there 40th Anniversary put on by Somersault Events.  Yes I did the Try A Tri again.  I hadn't done it since 2015.  I wanted to see how I improved.  Really I wanted to come first.  I came first in my first Try A Tri, in my age group in 2014 because I was the only one in my age group!  Click here for a blow by blow of that!

Have to write your age, not the only one in my age group this time...

Breton took this pic after they walked me to the start of the swim 2Km

Best part about this race is walking across the bridge in Smiths Falls in my bathing suit.  I asked Breton & Daphne to walk with me this time.  The first part of the swim is with the current and then the last portion is against it.  I am glad I know this about this race because it certainly was a surprise the first time.  The swim was definitely my weakest event of the whole Triathlon.  I can't imagine going a longer distance...

I was prepared, with my shoes waiting at the shore so I could run to my bike.  My bike portion 21Km was the best!!!  I really enjoyed it.  Felt great about it.  The last time, in 2015, my bike portion was awful.  They were cleaning up the bike entry/exit before I even got back.  My sister heard the officials say all the cyclists had come in...yet I had not.

This time, I passed many and pushed hard to complete my cycle.

This is my finish.

I am in first place.

At this event, there are many races going on.  There are duathlons (no swim portion), Sprint Triathlons, Super Sprint Triathlons etc.  And we all finish at the same finish line...

So the lady at the end who passes me...at that point I was done, so I thought she was from one of the other races.  In my head, I thought "Go ahead good for you...you are done your race too"

I did not realise she was doing the Try A Tri too

And she passed me for first place!!!!

Sooooooo

lesson learned put on the jets at the end and do not let anyone pass you!

Very happy to have my usual crowd there cheering me on. Breton, Daphne and my sister Aimee have been at all 3 of my tris and thank you Layla for coming this year.  Seeing people you know gives you that extra boost.

How religion turned me off of religion

For myself I do not feel a religion is necessary.

Let me explain:  I went to a Catholic school my entire school career (excluding university).  Why? because it was the one school that would pick us up by bus in our area.  I stayed during high school because I had my group of friends.

This experience taught me a lot.

Elementary school was the catalyst for turning me off religion. When you are told by your teacher (she was a peach wrote her a letter read it here) that you will never go to Heaven therefore in a child's mind, I would be going to HELL.  Sequestered for the big religious events (I understand as a non-Catholic I could not make First Communion or Confirmation but I just feel it should have been handled in a more positive way, rather than not saying anything.  Really felt looked down upon)and spoken to like you are dumb by your friend's mom because you might not understand the play Joesph and Technicolour Dream Coat -- uh hello I do go to a Catholic school and actually listen.

Yet I did get peer pressured to go to Confession in grade 4 for the first time with my classmates...and I lied in Confession?!?!?  Also in Grade 4 my teacher (more about him here) let me try the Eucharist out of the bag of them in his desk...it was ok they weren't blessed.  Not sure about the Eucharist my friend gave me...after she'd gone up at Mass??? For that perhaps I should not be going to Heaven.

High school was not so negative and self esteem crushing.  I had two amazing friends who attended Church every Sunday but were the least judgmental.  They were very open to discussing every aspect of the Catholic religion including its "faults".  They walked the walk yet embraced me as their forever friend (xoxxox) 

But

....in high school I had another experience with a different religion.  Not a positive one at all.  It was with one of my fellow non-Catholic friends.  She invited me to a weekend camp with her Pentacostal church.  Mass was very different than what I had already experienced through my schooling.  People talking in tongues, yelling out and in the end I really felt like I was brought there to be recruited.

As an adult, one of my children is baptised and the other is not.  I have met other religious friends and we are respectful of each other.  I pray, I try to treat others as I would like to be treated, there is Karma, and I feel closest to God when I am in nature.

Then I get this:
Stuck to the handle of my car in the winter time.  I thought it was a ticket at first for parking early in an area that started free parking at 5...I parked at 4:30

I Have not googled this yet?!?!

I just laughed.

La Ronde Review

Bonjour from La Ronde July 12th 2019

I hadn't been to La Ronde since I was a kid.  We had passes, the Gold Pass (they were a deal early in the spring) and that is why we went to La Ronde.  The Gold Pass included admission, free parking (normally $28 to park?!) , a free friend pass (Breton is our free friend), a water bottle! and a few other coupons.

Well I do not think they have updated La Ronde since the last time I was there :(  There were a few rides that weren't even running... but those that were... were memorable:)

This ride was my speed and although we did it twice there were others.

There was the TITAN Click here

I thought "I use to do these rides" and "I have skydived here" 

I screamed the whole time with my eyes closed.  

Same with the Monster. A lovely wooden roller coaster.  I left this ride with a sore neck and I nearly lost my sunglasses!  

ok maybe I shouldn't have worn the sunglasses on the ride especially when they have padding on either side of the coaster because you get ripped around so fast.

I thought I would do better on one of my childhood favourites: the swings.

But when my niece Stella suggested we do it again, I suggested that she go with her sister Molly.  And they did about five times more!

I did enjoy the splash ride, even when we got soaked!

Do you see me?

Despite being a little dated we had fun.  We were a group of 9 so we all manage to find rides to go on either together or someone in the group to go with.

Be warned the food is expensive.  Two footlong subs from SUBWAY was $40+

Breton, Daphne and I went the day before and stayed over in Montreal (see below).

Ahoy Pirate Atticus and crew!

Drop in Molly & Stella

We stayed at Hotel Le Dauphin in Longueuil.  It was very modern and when I asked if they could recommend a good Italian restaurant, (so craving a good pasta dish)they gave me a gift card for $20 to La Messina .  My craving was met but do not say you want the extra cheese, it will cost you an extra $4