Back from Toronto!

Tuesday, Jan 2
The drive to Toronto was very happily uneventful. I always see it as a good thing not falling asleep at the wheel or even better, not colliding into a tractor-trailer! Glad I delayed the trip one day just to get some much needed rest after being sick for so long.

Just one thing though ...

Dear Mr. Jeep Driver,

Kindly refrain from sticking the nose of your vehicle up the arse of my vehicle. Neither Greta, my little Chevy Aveo, nor I appreciate your rudeness. And though you may want to pass the vehicle to our right much faster than I, your magnificent tailgating manouver is highly dangerous and will not make my little car accelerate any faster than she already is. As well, it is quite evident that you are behind me long before you get that close.

Your impolite and stupid tactic only shows what an arse you truly are and how little you respect someone's safety. Your action may serve to instantly gratify your macho impatience, but I personally believe that gratification means absolutely nothing in the face of death.

So please do try to be more of a decent human being and respect those around you. Be a smart driver.

Kind regards,
Silly Sally

Arrived at my mother's house in Toronto and gave her a BIG LONG HUG. By the end of it, we were both teary-eyed and emotional, both of us so happy to see each other after all these months, both of us realising that my mother was still alive for me to be able for me to hug her so tightly. I had not been able to get out to Toronto since she had her liver transplant, partly due to a busy schedule, partly due to my fear of driving the long distance.

Met my friend MC later that evening for supper. He's a 5-time Ironman and member of Team Diabetes Canada as well. Makes me wonder how many IM's I'll end up doing in my lifetime. Heck, my trainer and good friend Dirk is already up to 22! At my present rate of training though, I wonder if I'll even get to do Ironman #2 ... Sigh.

Wednesday, Jan 3

My mother and I went out for dim sum today. This was a huge milestone for her since it was the first time she'd gone out in public except to the hospital. A little craintive at first and wearing a surgical mask because of her immunosuppressed state, she quickly warmed up to the hustle and bustle of the restaurant as she enjoyed the delicious food, feeling a little safer that our table was tucked away in a corner.

Afterwards, onto Chinese grocery shopping. My mother strolled along the aisles, slowly making her choices. She hasn't been able [physically] to buy her own goceries since early July before the transplant.

Off to visit relatives afterwards. My cousin's kids are 6" and 5'10", tall for Chinese. What happened to me? Just kidding ... I am actually above average height for an Asian female.

Eating out, grocery shopping, and visiting relatives ... things we take for granted, things that my mother savoured today. I am so happy that with my encouragement, she felt brave enough to step out of the house and do more "regular" things. Yes, a huge milestone in her return to normal life.

Did some catching up with DM later that evening. D, the beard has GOT TO GO!!

Thursday, Jan 4

Quieter day. Went for a 5k run finally. My visiting aunt looked at me in my running gear and said I looked like a young student. Ahhh, the benefit of anti-wrinkle Asian genes.

Took my mother out for some more grocery shopping. This time, she felt more courageous and skipped wearing the surgical mask. I could tell my mother was happy to be out and about again, doing things for herself. She always enjoyed her independence.

Checked out some West Coast Swing dancing late that evening - pics to come, I promise!

Then off to see my long-time best friend, Sainte. I met him running in the hallways in my Scarborough high school when I was only 13. Seven times around the quadrant-shaped school equalled a mile. He was another kook like me that ran just to run and didn't belong to the track team. Boy was he FAST! He's done a marathon too, a long while back. "Never again," he told me ... He ended up losing his toenails. OUCH!

Years back, when I told him that I was planning to run my first marathon, he wanted to buy me my very own ChampionChip. I told him it wasn't necessary, I'd only be doing one race. He responded flatly, "Yeah."

Guess the man knows me too well ... Thanks Sainte for one of the most meaningful and thoughtful gifts I have ever received. I wear my ChampionChip proudly and know that you are there with me at every race.

Friday, Jan 5

Woke up with slightly sore quads. Argh ... I remember not too long ago being able to run 20k and barely feeling a thing the day after! Oh, I am OUT OF SHAPE!

Sigh ... Always sad to leave my mother ... I worry about her every day. She does the mother thing and tells me she worries about me too.

I stopped by for a little visit with JM before heading back home. She makes incredibly good chicken soup and matzah balls. Yum, yum. Thanks JM and DL for the generous donation to the Canadian Diabetes Association. My fund-raising goal of $7,500 has now been reached. YAY!Their nephew has Juvenile Diabetes and is insulin-dependent so they know first-hand how difficult this disease is.

Here is JM doing her favourite pastime. JM is so funny ... She always makes me laugh, she's such a character! DL, sorry you had to work and even sorrier that I couldn't visit you too!

It's such a small world. Ran into Zute, a cycling buddy, not only at a gas station but also at another rest stop, on the way back to Montreal. We decided to hang out together as we sat out the storm. Chevy Aveo's are way too light. Nothing like torrential rain, high winds and dense fog to quicken the heartbeat and get the blood flowing. Nothing worse than being passed by huge speeding trucks and fearing death from hydroplaning off the highway. Thanks Zute for keeping me company!