Alright, so my photos are meant to tell the stories, but they don't tell everything.

First of all, let me tell you I am done! Done what, you should rightfully ask! My part of the book! My rough draft is done!!! I have covered 12 weeks of the cross Canada canoe trip in 56 pages and am done! Martha is working away too! I think we'll get finished something that can go into the hands of publishers this spring.

Secondly, the house. Wow! It is coming along in leaps and bounds! The basement looks fantastic, the hair shop is soon to be laundryroom and almost all rooms are dejunked. Again, wow!

Thirdly, skiing! How wonderful. I wouldn't like winter if it wasn't for skiing. I get out at least 4 times a week. It's beautiful, and quiet, and refreshing and fun!

Fourthy, health. I had my first ever mammogram (ouch) because of a lump. I'm awaiting the official read, but unofficially it's a normal lump (meaning not suspicious like cancer). This health scare has felt like another rite of passage into adulthood.

Fiftly, speaking of rites of passage - how does learning to drive a tractor rate? How about getting it stuck, and unstuck, three times and getting much better at staying away from the soft edges!?! I'd say it's pretty good!

Sixth, is having this beautiful gift of time and space. I feel restored. I'm loving setting and keeping a routine. It's quiet and restful at the house, and that external peace is permeating and becoming internal peace too.

Seventh, badminton. That's right, badminton. I play twice a week and it is a riot. Good exercise, good socializing, good fun!

That's life right now. Fun, exercise, writing, cleaning, skiing, playing, resting. I'm also working on 2 theology courses (Pentateuch and Current Issues in Biblical Interpretation). I expect to hear about PhD studies in a month or so. On Feb. 28, I head to BC to teach Recreation Leadership at Kaleo, and then to SK to take the Current Issues course and recert my WFR. I fly back to ON on the 17th in time to be at Amanda and Mark's wedding later that day.

Tonite is one of those badminton nites, so I best get going! Love and smiles, Carrie