Leading a Legendary Life

Posted on March 12, 2011 by flamidwyfe

I’ve embarked on a new direction in life. I am taking an amazing class online called Leading a Legendary Life. It is hosted by the Cosmic Cowgirl University http://www.cosmiccowgirlsuniversity.com/ and it’s simply going to be AMAZING! Shiloh Sophia McCloud is an artist who’s work I’ve purchased and have proudly hanging at my friend Tammy’s house (didn’t want to ship them here to Abu Dhabi). I met her back in 2005 when I flew to California to spend a few days with Charity before flying to Hong Kong for a private delivery. She was in a very cool studio in Mendocino then. Now, here we are 6 years later, reconnected via the internet and I am in the Middle East, but feeling very connected to the States.

So… I will pick up a paint brush for the first time in my life and express myself through color. This program will also improve my writing skills and perhaps I’ll write that book that everyone tells me I should write… LOL

I am so excited about this new direction in my life. This afternoon I am going to the paint store to gather the supplies I will need to begin and will upload pictures then and will blog at least weekly about my progress… I welcome you to walk with me on this journey!

WordPress on iPhone!

Posted on January 14, 2011 by flamidwyfe

Wow! It’s been a while since I blogged! Going thru the iPhone book and found out that WordPress has an app to blog from your iPhone! How convenient that would have been while walking the Camino.
I’ve moved this week from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain. A smaller, quieter town in the UAE. I’ve got a lively 3 bedroom villa with a garden. My mom is here visiting and has been a HUGE help with packing and unpacking.
I’m going to work at a brand new hospital as the head of maternity services. I’m very excited about the new adventure.
Well, that’s my quickie update! I hope the New Year will prove to be amazing for everyone!
Many Blessings,
Sandi

Travel – To Amsterdam we went…

Posted on March 11, 2010 by flamidwyfe

So Lucy and I went to Amsterdam to buy the stuff for our walk. For those of you who have been living under a mushroom and haven’t heard me say or mention (ad nauseum) the “walk” is the Camino de Santiago, aka The Walk of St James aka the Santiago Compostela. Here’s a link for some info on it: http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/el-camino-frances/

We leave April 21, 2010 from Abu Dhabi and hope to finish it by May 27th. We will walk approx. 25 km per day, that’s 15.53 miles per day.

Lucy and I flew to Amsterdam on Wednesday, March 3rd and returned on Sunday, March 7th… not long enough! Here’s some pics from the trip:

The top pic is me at the airport in Abu Dhabi as we get ready to leave… good practice, only took my hiking back pack, weight: 4.5 kg, that’s just under 10 pounds.

The 2nd pic is Lucy and me having lunch at a lovely restaurant across the canal from the Anne Frank house, which we didn’t get to visit because the cue was more than 45 minutes and it was raining and it was 2 degrees C!

The 3rd pic is Sacha and me. I met Sacha at this store last August when Nick and I were in Amsterdam before our Italy holiday. Sacha remembered that I said I’d be back! We bought everything we need for “the walk” at this store, the Bever Women’s Swerfsport store and their parent store down the street.

We had a great time in Amsterdam and also had dinner with my friends Peter & Sylvia who were in Vanuatu with me in 2005.

I can’t imagine needing anything else for my trip… here’s a pic of my pack with all the stuff I bought:

From the top and clockwise: My vest, clear document keep dry pouch, little black pouch is my clothesline and the yellow thing is a solar light source, my purple cap, light blue thing is my wind/rain breaker, the red thing in the black net looking bag is my silk sleep sack, below that one of 3 pair of hiking, zip pants and the belt to keep them up with, next to that, one of 3 pair of wool socks, the red thing next to that is the rain pancho that goes over me AND the pack, above that is the tan zip pants, my toothbrush/paste in one thingy and next to that another pair of wool socks, next to the pancho are my sexy black long johns (LOL), my teal short sleeved hiking shirt, above that my black long sleeved hiking shirt, above that my light weight water bottle, to the right of that my map from village to village and it tells you where the refugios are, and to the left of the water bottle my light weight carry all bag, for carrying personal effects, passport and money to the shower, and last but not least, my green short sleeved hiking shirt.

The long johns and shirts and purple skull cap and my buff (in the pack so not in pic) are made by Icebreaker, a company that make clothing from pure NZ merino wool.

Here’s their web site: http://www.icebreaker.com/site/index.html

I will blog about packing and preparing up to the trip. Then, hopefully, I’ll be able to blog about the trip at least once per week… keeping my fingers crossed! 🙂 If not, you’ll hear all about it when I get back!

Hope everyone is having a fabulous week… I AM 🙂

Peace!

Dentistry and other stuff

Posted on February 9, 2010 by flamidwyfe

Well, I had my 2nd visit at the dentist today. I can’t get my crown done until the ROOT CANAL that was supposedly done in Florida is redone. After having another xray done today, the dentist here found that there was “something” in my tooth canal, but it wasn’t what it was suppose to be.

So, she prodded and found COTTON PACKING! And a pocket of decay due to an infection that I’ve had at some point since the unfinished root canal, presumably from the cotton packing.

She has now referred me to the endodontist for completion of the root canal that wasn’t done properly in Port Salerno, then I’ll go back to her for my crown. I am not, needless to say, a happy camper. Thank GOD I have dental insurance here in the 3rd world, middle eastern country that I live in, that will pay 80% of the tab.

On a happier note… my 1300 calorie a day diet is going well. Health Factory is delivering 3 meals and 2 snacks each evening at around 7 pm. The food is gluten free (per my request) and organic! A bit pricey, but I don’t have to think, and that works well for me! Today’s menu:

Breakfast:
Gluten free Bagel w/ Cream cheese, raw veggies and jasmine green tea.

Morning Snack:
Strawberries and Pineapple chunks

Lunch:
Coleslaw Salad and Seafood Pasta (gluten free)… it had shrimp, calamari and fish in it… YUM

Afternoon Snack:
Fresh Fruit Melody

Dinner:
Soba noodle salad dinner w/ peanut sauce

I am satisfied and not hungry. I also went on a 6.5 km walk this morning and did some weight training.

Countdown to Camino de Santiago… 10 weeks and 1 day!

I hope everyone is having a FABULOUS week!

Interesting placenta and update

Posted on February 6, 2010 by flamidwyfe

This morning, just before the end of my shift I had a lady come up from urgent care, really cracking on. Regular contractions started at 6 a.m., SROM at 630 a.m., arrived on delivery unit at 700 a.m., delivery at 720 a.m. Things generally happen that fast for a reason, and this is why I think this one did:

A velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord into the membranes, instead of the placenta. Sent chills up my spine. I asked and got permission from the mom to take these pictures and explained the significance. I love how birth always keeps me on my toes!

Update on the diet and exercise plan… I am down 21 pounds. I am still either bike riding 13 km or walking 6.5 km 3x a week and loving it. Walking and biking on the Corniche (the waterfront) is wonderful right now, the weather is decent and not so hot and the view is beautiful. Here’s a pic of my friend Karen and I biking a couple of weeks ago:

On hot days or days when the sand is a blowin’ I walk the mall. Gets a little boring after a while though. I also started a new diet program. Although Atkins was working for me, I was getting bored to tears with it. There are a few companies here that prepare and deliver food to order daily. I chose one that not only is providing me with a low calorie, low fat option, but is also providing me gluten free food AND it’s organic! They deliver all 3 meals and 2 snacks each evening… that’s the food for the next day.. There is LOTS of food and the variety is excellent. I had Lebanese for breakfast and Indian for lunch today, for example. Dinner is a chicken Cesar salad with gluten free croutons… yum!