Isabel's Blog

Tag: bikes

Being better

August 8, 2014 / / 0 Comments

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I like that this blog reminds me of things I want to improve about my self and my life.

  1. Last weekend Janice invited us to her friend’s cottage and I ate literally two full bags of Kettle chips over two days (plus regular meals). Yesterday I didn’t eat a single fruit or vegetable. So I started a food journal.
  2. A friend sent me this link yesterday about going seven days without complaining. So I’m trying to complain and shit-talk less (and maybe not at all!). Today is the first day, and so far, NO COMPLAINTS! Will report back on whether or not I last the full week.
  3. I need to get back to exercising. I stopped going to yoga and basically haven’t exercised since. Dave and I went running once, more than two weeks ago, and it was so painful to even do 2k. Then I had a dessert to reward myself. Soooo… back to planks and pushups and cardio. At least five times a week.

(The illustration above is a spot I did for work, for one of our magazine clients. It’s kind of ironic because the dude is so happy and he looks like Dave, but IRL Dave fell off his bike and broke his arm in two places and is currently in a sling and wrist cast)

Summer sky

June 23, 2014 / / 0 Comments

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Not a lot of drawing lately, mostly a lot of biking (it’s actually summer now, and I know I gotta take advantage of every chance I can to enjoy the warmth and sunshine and gorgeous skies). But being the klutz I am, I took a tumble off my bike on Friday biking along the lakeshore to Dave’s baseball game (thank you to the strangers who made sure I was okay). I’ve got a giant bruise across my thigh and I’ve been doing a limpy walk since… but I didn’t want to be scared of biking so I made myself get back on my bike right after the accident and then made myself bike right past where I fell.

On Saturday I was up in Markham to watch the older munchkin do a dance recital thing at the main street festival (so precious!). The smaller munchkin had a balloon tied to her wrist but it undid itself and flew away. She pointed at it with her chubby finger while my sister exclaimed in Cantonese, “Oh, it’s flown away.”

I wish I got a photo of the yellow balloon drifting away. We watched it sail up and up for a long time, til it was a tiny dot in the sky and we lost track of it. When I was a kid balloons gave me so much anxiety because I’d be terrified of losing them, so much so I’d rather not have one at all. Even watching the baby lose her balloon gave me a little twinge in my heart. I wonder if my therapist would suggest something about my fear of loved ones flying away and never coming back (don’t go!).

I like biking because I get a break from dwelling on stuff that upsets or worries me. I’m just in the moment and it feels really good. Besides when I go flying headfirst into the pavement. Glad I was wearing a helmet.

 

Toronto Islands

June 9, 2014 / / 0 Comments

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OK, so if we move away, one thing that I will miss about home is Toronto summers. I’m basically living for the weekend these days, because I can do things like bike to the ferry and spend the entire day lazing around in the sun on the Toronto Islands with my friends. Dave marinated a flank steak and grilled it on Danbo’s portable cast iron grill. We ate it with a chimichurri sauce that was tasty. Picnics are pretty awesome.

When the sun started to set we made our way to a little hill just past the clothing optional beach (and boy did we see a lot of dong!) and built a fire. Biking was also fun! We formed a little bike gang, befriending other cyclists and forming an impromptu bike bell symphony while waiting for the ferry. It was a lovely and memorable day on Dong Island.

PS: the loving portrait of Danbo above was taken by Dave

Exploring bike trails

May 26, 2014 / / 0 Comments

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I’ve been so excited to ride our bikes in the good weather! We went biking a few times even though we haven’t got locks and lights and helmets and bells yet.

Yesterday was a beaautiful Sunday spent in the sun at the Jays game. Afterwards, Dave and I made a short trip up the bike trail on the Lower Don before we did groceries at T&T and then caught the new X-Men movie with some friends. We didn’t get very far but it was so fun. I can’t wait to go back!

Bikes! Bikes! Bikes!

May 25, 2014 / / 0 Comments

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On Victoria Day earlier this week, Dave, a bunch of my friends and I went to the Toronto Islands to laze around in the (intermittent) sun. BDR and his girlfriend brought bikes, and as soon as I laid eyes on them rolling into the ferry terminal I was overcome with jealousy. The rest of the day was spent repeating “I WISH I WAS RIDING A BIKE” until BDR’s girlfriend—probably tired of me whining about not having a bike—took us on a bike ride, me on BDR’s hybrid and it was loooovely. It was sunny and beautiful and to me, there’s no other feeling in the world like riding a bike on a beautiful day.

I probably missed out on a lot of childhood because I only learned how to ride a bike six years ago, at the age of 24.  Dave taught me shortly after we started dating. But I’m so grateful that he taught me/I finally learned. I honestly can’t describe how wonderful it feels when I’m riding a bike, it’s just so deeply gratifying. It fills me with a contentment that makes me feel so blessed to be alive.

Anyway, we went and bought bikes today. We found a dude selling a bunch of bikes on Kijiji in Markham (represent).  Downtown hipsters hate going to the suburbs apparently so there were lots to choose from for a decent price. Dave got a brown vintage Raleigh Sprite from the 70s, and mine’s a Raleigh Lenton (maybe?) from the 80s (maybe?). The rear reflector is missing and it rattles a little bit but it’s light and rides alright and was only $130. Now I just need to learn how to make sharp turns without falling off. Oh, and get a helmet.

Nerdy side note: I was so excited about getting a bike today, I told Dave that if I were a Sim, my thought cloud would just be flashing an icon of a blue bike over and over again.