Okay, it’s not really, but the bruises covering my body would suggest this is the case.

This vacation is more active than usual for me. The first week back from California I managed to get in a hike or bike ride every day combined with some solid sunning time. We did Lynn Canyon, Lighthouse Park and Sasamat Lake that week as well as bike rides around Stanley Park. It was a good start.

The long weekend involved a lot of drinking and eating so this week was a bit less stellar. After dive bar dancing Friday night, sangria and burger night Saturday and then joining in with the lesbian dances for Pride as the token straight girl, I was pooped! I did manage to find a lovely life coach to help me keep up my physical exploits when I return to work and do a lot of errands, but mostly laid around listening to my body when it said sleep. So, I didn’t get a hell of a lot of exercise in this week. Except…

On Thursday Ry and I went over to Bowen Island to do something we have talked about for years - sea kayaking lessons and spent the entire day in a kayak with another 4 people (a very nice family).

It was a fun day, even though my limited swimming skills (and decreased upper body strength since I left boot camp) made me fail the rescues. That was fine with me though - never been much of a rescuer considering my klutziness puts me more in the rescuee category. Push comes to shove; I learned the techniques and would get my ass in that boat if I really was in danger. Even so, I am going to look at some swim lessons so I can kayak more and also do Surf Sister as planned. I’ll also get back on that strength routine I started at boot camp. So much to do!

So, yes, back to being a klutz. I did pretty damn well on all the stroking (was dead to the world after) and techniques considering I haven’t done anything like that since canoeing at camp over 20 years ago (ouch, old). I also managed to capsize my kayak trying to dock for lunch (free entertainment for all) and pull off the rocky shore kayak exit without falling - only to trip and fall in afterwards soaking myself. But I had fun. Having been a klutz for 33 years, I was far more used to it than the poor, serious instructor was. I am finding a new bruise on my body every hour or so depending on how I move or what angle I am looking at. Very pretty.

Monday is my inline skating lessons. We went out and got me some very sexy knee and elbow pads with wrist guards. I have my bike helmet, but somehow I still feel like I need more body padding. We’ll see how it goes - I have five lessons to use up over the next few months.