Amazing Adventures of an Ordinary Life

When I first started this blog, the plan was to write good news cancer stories. Somewhere along the way I just started writing about my everyday life. I guess my own story really is the best good news cancer story I know. A year after being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and having surgery to remove a tumor from my lung, I’m cancer free and living my best life. I’m often too busy just living to write about it; too busy doing things like….

… skiing at Nakkertok and staying overnight in a cabin.

A few weeks ago, Peg took a group of us to one of her cross-country ski club’s cabins in the Gatineaus. We skied, snowshoe'd, cooked our dinner on a wood stove, ate by candle light, and slept in sleeping bags on the floor. Maybe the fact that we are all cancer survivors makes us appreciate our adventures even more fully. Yet another wonderful winter weekend spent with wonderful friends!

Africa Night at BCA

Africa Night at Breast Cancer Action

Tuesday, February 26, 7:30

Pictures and Stories from Kilimanjaro, Safari and Cape Town.
Presented by Chris Lynds, Peggy & Megan Cumming

739 Ridgewood Avenue A
Ottawa, ON K1V 6M8
(613) 736-5921

Skating on the Ottawa canal

This was the perfect weekend to be on the Ottawa canal. The sun was out, the ice surface was good and, while there were lots of people on the canal, there was still lots of room to navigate.

After nordic poling for about 12 km in the morning, Jennifer & I probably did about 10 km on skates today. That's in addition to the 14 km I skated yesterday.

We asked a stranger to take a picture of us with the Chateau Laurier in the background, but I guess she didn't know where the Chateau Laurier is ...

Happy Valentines Day to Me

There have been years when I really hated February 14th. I’d see roses delivered to the desks of my co-workers and wish that I had a sweetie to celebrate the day with (despite the fact that I also thought the whole thing was a rather commercial and artificial).

I’ve had my share of roses in my time. But somewhere along the way (and several flawed relationships later) I’ve come to realize that my life as a single person is good the way it is. I feel very loved this Valentine’s Day, maybe even more so than when I’ve had a partner to send me roses. My family makes me feel nurtured and connected. My friends demonstrate their love on a constant basis. The true love of my life is my son Adam.

Maybe it’s not the hormone-fueled romantic love of my youth, but I feel more love in my life now than I ever had before. I’m blessed to be so loved and to have so many wonderful people to love in return.

Happy Valentines Day to all of you!

Love Chris

Snow Shoeing

Despite the blister, I still managed to get out and snowshoe on Sunday morning and even made it to my “Help with hills” x-cntry ski lesson in the afternoon.

The duct tape did the trick!

My lovely snow shoe companions were Dianne, Jennifer & Anne.
As you can see, it was a beautiful day for winter activities!
This picture was taken from the park just east of the Hog's Back Bridge.

And now for something completely different...

In case you are wondering, this is a picture is of the back of my right foot.

I'm totally peeved with myself because I wore the wrong boots nordic walking and now have a huge blister on my heel. The other heel is only slightly better. I've been itching to go skating on the canal and couldn't go yesterday for obvious reasons.

Today I am planning to use duct tape to secure the blister so I can go snow shoeing this morning and for a x-cntry ski lesson in the afternoon. Not sure how I'll get the mess of duct tape off afterwards, but I'll deal with that when I have to.

OK, maybe some of my blog postings are self-indulgent. But I'm happy to have 'normal' every-day problems to write about! They say not to sweat the small stuff, but sometimes the small stuff is a pain in the ... heel :-)