We're back in business again...

Hi Friends,

Hope you all enjoyed your Easter break and got out and enjoyed the sun... oops I meant rain!! What's to enjoy about rain - nothing!! We headed over to Vancouver, and being the eternal optimist, I only packed light bright cheery clothing in anticipation of some lovely spring sunshine. Good Friday was lovely t.g. and at least I got one wear out of my white pants and yellow top. We walked along the beach and down Robson Street ending up in the best fish and chipper in town (we had it planned). It was totally scrummy and the place was packed because being Good Friday, everybody was off meat for the day - or so it would appear. Late Saturday and all of Sunday it was rain, rain and more rain!! We went to see a movie and I fell asleep in the cinema - Julia Roberts in her latest movie (the name of which I have forgotten) it was that exciting!! However the locations were fabulous - Dhubai, Rome and London - that was the best part.

I am deeply ashamed to say I cracked up in Vancouver and broke into an easter egg on Easter Saturday! Unfortunately, it wasn't guilt I felt afterwards, but frustration because the chocolate tasted DEsgusting...It really wasn't worth breaking my 'off-chocolate' promise. However, I must explain why...Every Easter we have a family tradition to go visit 'the olde English Candy Store' and choose our easter eggs. It is such a pretty shop and has been in existence for decades to give pleasure to chocaholic ex-pats. In the summer they sell the naughty sea-side post cards which I love and you can buy 'normal' cheese and onion crisps there at 'abnormal' prices - but it's worth it every now and then!! We make a ritual of visiting the shop every Easter. The girls begged me to "Just for Easter" eat some chocolate. I knew it was important to them. Ali said it would ruin the Easter if I wasn't eating chocolate so that's why I gave in.

I'm a sucker...and in this case I DID put up quite a fight. I think once the sluice gates of deprivation were opened, I went in search of tastier chocolate to discover that the Godiva shop on Robson had closed down!! Closed Down - how could that be? Obviously the universe was consipiring to make me keep my no-chocolate promise!!

We enjoyed our long weekend in Vancouver - dining out and shopping and eating chocolate and really letting it all hang out...In prep. for the 10k coming up on the 26th of April, Kevin and I did a massive walk starting on Sunset Beach and we walked all around the seafront until we reached Coal Harbour. It took us in all two and a half hours and not exaggerating - I'd say we walked ten miles!! Obviously - the girls did not join us!! We were starving afterwards and I was quite exhausted - though not as bad as I felt two Sundays ago when I did my first proper 10k walk. I hadn't been doing any walks so imagine my delight when I did the 10k in 1 hour and 36 mins!! With all that walking my appetite is huge!! Never mind - it's all in a good cause - or is it???

I am SO GLAD to be alive - maybe at the back of my mind was the thought - Heck life is short - you have to enjoy it...Tune in to the next blog to hear about my close brush with death...Yeah! sounds dramatic...and is dramatic!!

Cheers and Remember do at least ONE good thing for yourselves today and TWO good things for others and if they tell you to MYOB - turn the other cheek - the BUTTOCK one!!

In the next blog you will really learn that MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!

Cheery Billy Bye...

Love y'all

Patricia Delisha

P.S. I'm back on track and OFF chocolate forever now and as for YOSA ...I dunno what way the Universe is working these days...