May Wrap-Up

Hello June and goodbye May! May was a good busy month with lots of enjoyable activities. I'm relying on my calendar to keep track of what's coming or going.

For readers who are new to my blog, this is my 5th monthly wrap-up in 2019. My previous wrap-ups in 2019 are here: January, February, March, and April. I plan to write a wrap-up for each month so I can look back and see how well the year has turned out.

MAY 2019

ARTS

For visual arts, I chose to see the Sputnik photo exhibit and two architectural tours that examine the architecture and history of the big banks in the Financial District, and Osgoode Hall, home of the Law Society of Upper Canada. All three events were very interesting and well organized. I may write up a separate post on the last two architectural tours at a later time.

BLOGGING - Quite a few blogging-related events in May.

• I was pleased to finish five posts, especially the three posts about my Croatia adventures along the delightful Dalmatian Coast, the stunning Plitvice Lakes and Istria Peninsula, and Zagreb highlights. It took me a while to decide on which photos to include in the blog posts to hopefully give a sense of the places without overwhelming the readers with photos.
• I had my first blogger meeting with Ann from The Unretired.life blog. Ann was in Toronto for a few days and would like to meet a local blogger. We enjoyed a Thai buffet lunch at Bangkok Garden while talking about blogging, travels, adventures at home and abroad, etc. It was quite fun.
• I played with a free blog template in WordPress to eventually move my blog from Blogger to WordPress. I'm thinking to have a couple more posts on Blogger to wrap up June, and starting from July, I'll be writing my regular posts on WordPress. I'll announce again closer to the date and will keep my Blogger blog open for a while.
• A friendly reminder that the next Wellness Wednesday link-up is on June 12. Optional prompt is Mid-Year Review. Please feel free to join in on the fun. I'll be travelling at that time so I plan to schedule my post in advance.

BOOKS

I read seven very good books written by authors from Australia, Canada, England, Japan, and the USA:

• Boy Swallows Universe, by Trent Dalton, 452 pages.
• What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, by Nathan Englander, 207 pages.
• Ru, by Kim Thúy, translated from French by Sheila Fischman, 143 pages.
• Book Love, a graphic book by Debbie Tung, 140 pages.
• When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi, 228 pages. 
• The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro, 299 pages. 
• Norwegian Wood, by Haruki Murakami, translated from Japanese by Jay Rubin, 296 pages. 

Books read in May 2019

CONCERTS

I attended four classical concerts with a friend. The musicians are all winners at various musical competitions both in Canada and abroad. Each concert ended with standing ovation from the audience.

• Kimberley Jeong, cello and Tristan Savella, piano
• Brian Hsu, piano
• Vlad Solovie, piano
• Dr. Su Jeon Higuera and Jessie J. Lee (piano duo)

From June to September, I plan to attend outdoor concerts to take advantage of the nice weather and warmer temperatures.

FAMILY

We took time out for a nice family getaway on the Victoria Day long weekend. Around mid-May, we celebrated when one nephew bought his first home, and one niece graduated with a Bachelor's degree. We have a few birthdays coming up and relatives visiting us this summer so I'm looking forward to our big family gatherings.

FRIENDS

I met up with my friends seven times for coffee or tea. On one occasion, we tried a new Japanese restaurant named Sushi Inn. The food and service were good so we'll be back.

Sushi lunch

HEALTH

I was at home most of May and was able to complete daily meditation, twenty-nine outdoor walks, thirteen strength workouts in the gym, nine yoga classes, and five swimming sessions.

Walking outdoors in the spring is a joy as I can see flowers everywhere. I hope to add a few bike rides in the next four months while the nice weather is here.

Pretty spring flowers

LEARNING

I continued with my online French and Spanish lessons every day in May. I also started learning more about WordPress (see Blogging above) and about my upcoming travel destinations (see Travel below).

MOVIES

I watched four movies with my neighbours. Coincidentally, Nicole Kidman starred in two of them. We agreed that Aquaman had great visual effects and Matthew McConaughey's character in Serenity was weird! The comedies were just OK.

• Second Act, starring Jennifer Lopez and Vanessa Nudgens.
• Serenity, starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway.
• Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, and Willem Dafoe.
• The Upside, starring Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, and Nicole Kidman.

Movies watched in May 2019

TRAVEL

May felt like t'is the season for trip planning. Where to? I'm going to Malta and Germany in June. I've also booked flights or train tickets, and accommodations for trips to three different Canadian cities (Regina in July, Kingston in August, and Victoria in September). New adventures await!

Overall, May was a splendid month for me. I felt I got a lot done. I look forward to enjoying new adventures in June. It will be quiet on this blog for the next three weeks until I return at the end of June.

By the way, if you'd like to take a quick preview at my blog on WordPress, it's here. Same blog name, slightly different URL. If you see something that doesn't work right, please let me know. I'd love to have you follow my blog on WordPress so I have real data to work with while I'm getting used to WordPress.

How was May for you? What good things happened? I look forward to hearing your comments.

April Wrap-Up

Greetings! April seemed to pass by at the speed of a bullet train. It was a month full of simple yet new experiences that stretched me. I'm sharing what was new to me below.

For readers who are first-time visitors to my blog, this is my 4th monthly wrap-up in 2019. My previous wrap-ups in 2019 are here: January, February, and March. I plan to write a wrap-up for each month so I can look back and see how well the year has turned out.

APRIL 2019

ARTS - I went to view three new exhibits and revisited the Same Dream exhibit by Omar Ba that I had seen in February to see it in more details. Each exhibit is blog-worthy, except that it would take me forever to write so I'm enclosing a sampling photo collage below. From top left and clockwise:

• Elephant in an Indian wedding (The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India exhibit). 
• Zuul's real body, the remarkably well-preserved ankylosaur discovered in Montana, USA (Zuul Dinosaur exhibit). Zuul was recently identified by paleontologists as a new species.
• Assorted vases and tea pots by Leopold L. Foulem (The View From Here art exhibit).
• Close-up of one of the paintings by Omar Ba (Same Dream exhibit).

Arts seen in April

BLOGS - I added the Subscription gadget on the right side bar on my blog, in case any reader would like to subscribe to my posts or comments.

In April, I wrote five blog posts to wrap up March, and share my art discovery in Ljubljana, how I keep my mind healthy, my day trip to Mostar, and the three walks to take in Slovenia. My sincere thanks to all commenters. Your comments encourage me to keep improving my writing and photography skills.

A friendly reminder that the next Wellness Wednesday link-up is on May 8. Optional prompt the B.E.S.T. Care (for Breasts, Eyes, Skin, and Teeth). Please feel free to join in on the fun.

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

BOOKS - I read five thought-provoking books by authors from Canada, the USA, and the UK. The first three are mystery fiction novels that kept me wondering about what was going to happen next to the characters. The last two books are inspirational and empowering.

• The Bishop's Man by Linden MacIntyre, 399 pages (2009 Giller Prize winner). This novel is about a priest's struggles with his past and his job to clean up delicate situations involving scandals, sexual abuse allegations, and wayward priests.
• Before The Fall by Noah Hawley, 390 pages. This novel is about how a down-on-his-luck painter's life is changed after he survived a plane crash with a four year-old boy who is the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family.
• Panic Room by Robert Goddard, 371 pages. This novel is about how a housekeeper's life becomes invaded after the discovery of a panic room in the house and people come looking for the house owner, a missing rogue pharma entrepreneur.
• In Pursuit of Excellence by Terry Orlick, PhD, 373 pages. Orlick, a professor and sport psychologist, shares how we can adapt the most effective strategies that high performance athletes or top performers use in pursuit of excellence and apply them in our lives.
• The Choice: Embrace the Possible, a memoir by Dr. Edith Eva Eger, 288 pages. Dr. Eger, a Holocaust survivor, tells her unforgettable story in this moving testament to the resilience of human spirit and the power of choice in our lives.

Books read in April

CONCERTS - I attended three classical piano concerts performed by Asher Armstrong, Lisa Tahara, and The Bedford Trio, plus one performance by the Toronto Mass Choir. The pianists' performances were superb and the vocals by 35-40 choir singers were powerful. They all have my complete admiration.

FAMILY - We took time out around Easter long weekend and travelled by train to Kingston, a city about 2.5 hours east of Toronto. The train ride was relaxing with free Wi-Fi on board. We had a lovely time in Kingston focusing on family activities.

VIA train

FRIENDS - April felt like a socially active month. I had nine fun meet-ups with my friends, a record for 2019 so far. I think after the winter season, everyone is more eager to go out. I love that we have many coffee shops for friends to get together casually and catch up without breaking the bank. I wrote about my favourite coffee shops here.

HEALTH - In April, I got a perfect score for my fitness routine which includes daily meditation, walk 6x/ week, gym 3x/ week, yoga 2x/ week, swim 1x/ week, and one rest day/ week.

• 30 meditation sessions - Nothing new other than a consistent practice.
• 26 walks - My outdoor walks are so much fun in the spring as I have been spotting various birds in the gardens. They move too quick for me to take good photos. The signs of spring flowers are refreshing. We typically have pansies, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, and tulips at this time of the year.
• 13 strength workouts in the gym - I changed a couple of exercises and increased the number of repetitions on some existing exercises.
• 9 yoga classes - My yoga class instructor always makes each class unique so we are not on auto-pilot.
• 4 swimming sessions - I kept the same duration and mixed the strokes. I love that I'm free to create a unique swimming session every time.

A lovely spring day

LANGUAGES - I took online French and Spanish lessons every day in April. Duolingo added new updates so there are plenty of new lessons for me to learn.

MOVIES - I watched three movies with my neighbours. Coincidentally they were all about well-known or powerful Americans.

• Stan & Ollie - a movie about the Laurel and Hardy comedy duo.
  
• Vice - a movie about former US vice-president Dick Cheney.
• On The Basis of Sex - a movie based on a true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Movies seen in April

TRAVEL - While my family and I were in Kingston at Easter, we enjoyed visiting Kingston's waterfront, Shoal Tower National Historic Site, Kingston City Hall, and the former Market Battery.

Shoal Tower, a circular stone defensive tower, was built by the British government from 1846 to 1847 as one of four Martello towers and the Market Battery, in order to reinforce Kingston’s existing defence system in response to the anticipated American threat during the Oregon Crisis.

The historic sites in Kingston are open to visitors starting mid-May. I hope to return in the summer to further explore Kingston Fortifications.

Shoal Tower, Kingston, ON Canada

Overall, April was full of ordinary activities that made up a very good month for me. I look forward to enjoying May and planning for summer travels. New adventures await!

How was April for you? What good things happened? I'd love to hear your comments.

March Wrap-Up

Greetings! Welcome to April 1st and what a gorgeous, sunny spring day we have where I live today. March was a unique month since I spent part of it at home and part of it in Europe with my sister. We had an amazing trip visiting Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia. I just returned home on the weekend and am now catching up with my blogging.

For readers who are new to my blog, this is my third monthly wrap-up in 2019. My January wrap-up is here, and my February wrap-up is here. I plan to write a wrap-up for each month so I can look back and see how well the year has turned out.

MARCH 2019

ARTS

In March I viewed three colourful outdoor and indoor art exhibits in my home city, one indoor art exhibit in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, and one outdoor art exhibit in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. There were also lots of beautiful art and architecture in Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia. Sample photos of the indoor art exhibits that I visited are below.

Pratneker art exhibit in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Paintings and Blown Glass Arts in Toronto

BLOGS

I wrote three posts in March before my trip to wrap up February, and to share my outdoor walks to Canoe Landing Park and Ice Breakers 2019. I didn't blog while I was traveling in Europe :-).

My thanks to everyone who have left comments on my blog and those who linked up with the Wellness Wednesday on March 13. A friendly reminder that our next Wellness link up is on Wednesday April 10. Optional prompt is Healthy Mind.

BOOKS

I read eight terrific books written by authors from Canada, Croatia, France, Sweden, and the USA. Most of the books are literary award winners or international bestsellers and are good reads.

Books I read in March

• Love Dishonor Marry Cherish Perish by David Rakoff, 113 pages. This is a novel in verse with witty words that weave the stories together.
• The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani, translated from the French Chanson Douce by Sam Taylor, 228 pages. Leila Slimani is the first Moroccan woman to win France's most prestigious literary prize, the Goncourt, which she won in 2016 for The Perfect Nanny. A journalist, she was born in Rabat, Morocco, in 1981. She lives in Paris with her French husband and their two young children. I enjoyed this book and picked up a second book, Adèle, by the same author from the Best Bets section in my local library.
• Adèle by Leila Slimani, translated from the French Dans le Jardin de L'ogre by Sam Taylor, 216 pages. Leila Slimani won the La Mamounia Prize in 2014 for Adèle. The book tells the story of a woman afflicted by sexual addiction that loses control of her life due to her addiction. In this book cover, it states that the author is a frequent commentator for women's and human rights, and she is French president Emmanuel Macron's personal representative for the promotion of the French language and culture.
• A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, translated from Swedish by Henning Koch, 295 pages. I've always meant to read this book and enjoyed reading it so much I couldn't put it down. I finished it in a day.
• Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill, 262 pages. This book won the 2017 Giller Prize in Canada. The book is set in Toronto with locations familiar to me. The story is about a woman's doppelganger and mental health.
• Binti by Nnedi Okorafor, 90 pages. This science fiction novella won the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Novella and the 2015 Nebula Award for the same category.
• 419 by Will Ferguson, 399 pages. This book won the 2012 Giller Prize in Canada. It's about the insidious Internet scam from Nigeria, and how the characters' lives intersect.
• The Rough Guide to Croatia, 479 pages, written and researched by Jonathan Bousfield who lives in Zagreb, Croatia.

CONCERTS

I attended three wonderful concerts at home before my trip:
    •    A Taste of Mardi Gras concert by Jordan Klapman, Gary Scriven, and Patrick Tevlin.
    •    Peace and Turmoil piano concert by Jialang Zhu.
    •    A classical piano concert by David Potvin.

FAMILY, FOOD & FRIENDS

In the first half of March, I met with one of my friends for a gym workout, and attended a fun social event that one of the yoga class participants organized to celebrate International Women's Day.

I spent the second half of March travelling with my sister. We had a wonderful time together in Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia. Our tour package covered all breakfasts, and we were on our own for lunch and dinner so we tried different eateries in various towns and cities that we visited. There were plenty of food and drink choices to choose from, plus delicious desserts.

HEALTH

In March, I meditated fifteen minutes daily, walked forty-five minutes or more every day. While at home, I completed ten strength workouts in the gym, five yoga classes, and three swimming sessions. On our trip, my sister and I walked on average three hours a day for sightseeing. I love my outdoor walks and when I get to see colourful art displays on sunshiny days, I'm a happy person :)

Outdoor arts for my fit and fun walks

LEARNING

I continued with my daily French and Spanish lessons on Duolingo, and learned about Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia before and during my trip. The tour leader and local tour guides gave us a lot of information about the three countries that we visited.

MOVIES

I watched two movies with my neighbours in early March (Instant Family, Ralph Breaks the Internet), and two in-flight movies (Venom, A Simple Favor). They were entertaining.

TRAVEL

My sister and I visited Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia on a guided tour. The trip was wonderful with several stops along the Adriatic Coast and two capital cities (Ljubljana in Slovenia and Zagreb in Croatia). We also made one stop in Mostar, in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

We lucked out with the group size (only twelve people), and the weather (mostly sunny days and only one cloudy day). Our itinerary was similar to the snapshot below. We had a good mix of guided time and free time to explore on our own. I plan to share my travel highlights and photos on my blog once I get my travel materials sorted out.

Adriatic Tour

Overall, March was a month full of new and fun experiences for me, both at home and abroad. I welcome April and look forward to enjoying the Spring season :)

How was your March? What good things happened? I'd love to hear your comments.

February Wrap-Up

Greetings! This is my second monthly wrap-up in 2019. My January wrap-up was posted here. I plan to write a wrap-up for each month so I can look back and see how well the year has turned out.

FEBRUARY 2019

ARTS

In February I viewed two visually interesting outdoor art events titled Icefest 2019 and Ice Breakers 2019, and two wonderful indoor art exhibits titled Same Dream by Omar Ba, and Mapping Worlds by Shuvinai Ashoona.

I wrote about my visit to the Icefest 2019 event here. The Ice Breakers blog draft is in progress. Each of the two indoor art exhibits had about thirty or more beautiful paintings. Taking photos without flash was allowed so I took several photos and might share some of them in another blog post. In the interim, I included two photos below.

Omar Ba is an artist born in Dakar, Senegal. He lives and works between Dakar and Geneva. His works have been shown in Belgium, Switzerland, the UK, and Senegal.

Art by Omar Ba

Shuvinai Ashoona lives in Kinngait (formerly known as Cape Dorset) on the southern tip of Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada. Her work has been shown in various galleries and museums in Canadian cities.

Art by Shuvinai Ashoona

BLOGS

In February I blogged about my travels to explore some of the main attractions in Guatemala, my fit and fun walk to see Icefest Hollywood North ice sculptures and ice carving demonstrations, one monthly wrap-up for January, and one final update for my Winter Fun List.

• Day Trip to Chichicastenango 
• January Wrap-Up
• Boat Trip on Lake Atitlan & Santiago Village
• Wellness Post: Icefest 2019
• Winter Fun List Final Update
• Postcard from Guatemala City

BOOKS

I read seven books written by authors from Australia, Canada, the UK, and the USA. I was kind of surprised that I could finish this many books in a short month like February.

• Scrublands by Chris Hammer, 368 pages.
• Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini, 48 pages - This book was inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis and the death of Alan Kurdi. The Afghan-American author, Khaled Hosseini, will donate author proceeds from this book to the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees and The Khaled Hosseini Foundation to help fund lifesaving relief efforts to help refugees around the globe.
  
• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, 432 pages - This book was made into a movie starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck in 2014. The movie and the actress were nominated for several awards. It must be quite a thriller to watch.
  
• Washington Black by Esi Edugyan, 419 pages - I was so pleased to pick up and read this book which won the 2018 Giller Prize in Canada. Last time I checked, there were 1685 holds for 399 copies in the Toronto Public Library system. If you're looking for an award-winning Canadian author, add this book to your reading list.
• Defending Jacob by William Landay, 421 pages.
• The Widow by Fiona Barton, 336 pages. 
• Family & Other Catastrophes by Alexandra Borowitz, 302 pages.

CONCERTS

I attended two piano concerts performed by Rudin Lengo and Jean-Luc Therrien, one guitar concert by Louis Lawlor, and one choir and organ concert by Bach Children's Chorus at Roy Thomson Hall. The live singing and music were simply incredible.

Organ at Roy Thomson Hall

FAMILY and FRIENDS

Sharing delicious food with my family and friends was the theme in February. Each week we had a food event: A potluck dinner with my family clan, followed by a potluck lunch with my yoga class, and a Mexican fiesta dinner on Family Day. There were desserts at each event, too. I also met up with my friends for three coffee and one lunch catch-ups. One of my friends is taking early retirement in March so it's an exciting time for her.

Potluck lunch

HEALTH

Being at home the entire February means I can be consistent with my fitness routine. I got in all my daily meditation time, and walked outdoors for forty-five minutes or more every day, except three Sundays which were my rest days. I also completed thirteen strength workouts in the gym, eight yoga classes, and four swimming sessions.

LEARNING

I continued my French an Spanish lessons on Duolingo, fifteen minutes for each language daily. I also learned about the new artists when I went to see their art exhibits or attend their concerts, and new authors when I read books that are new-to-me. I usually end up researching more about the artist or the author and their works.

MOVIES

I watched four movies in February. As we know by now Bohemian Rhapsody won four Oscars for Best Actor, Film Editing, Sound Mixing, and Sound Editing, and Shallow from A Star Is Born won an Oscar in the Original Song category.

• Johnny English Strikes Again starring Rowan Atkinson
• Bohemian Rhapsody starring Rami Malek
• The Front Runner starring Hugh Jackman
• A Star Is Born starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

TRAVEL PLANNING

My sister and I booked a guided tour to Croatia, Bosnia, and Slovenia in March.  We're both looking forward to the trip. The weather forecast at our destinations definitely looks more spring-like than what we have at home at the moment.

Overall, February was a fun-filled month for me. I enjoyed time with my family and friends, and the continuity of my health and leisure activities. March is off to a great start with plenty of new things for me to explore and learn.

How was your February? What good things happened? I'd love to hear your comments.

January Wrap-Up

Greetings! This post kicks off my first monthly wrap-up in 2019. I plan to write a wrap-up for each month so I can look back and see how well the year has turned out.

January was a wonderful month for me, with a mix of fun activities and events at home and in Guatemala. We had a beautiful New Year's Day. The weather was mostly mild and sunny for the first two weeks of the year. My adventure in Guatemala took me to Antigua, Chichicastenango market, Lake Atitlán, Santiago village, and Guatemala City. The trip went very well from beginning to end. When I returned home, we had two major snow storms in a week but Mother Nature has since returned normal temperatures to us. Without further ado, here's my January with the topics in alpha order :)

JANUARY 2019

ARTS

In January I saw a lot of beautiful and interesting art work at the Nordic Glass exhibit in Toronto, an art gallery in my hotel in Antigua, and another art gallery in Santiago village in Guatemala. Antigua Guatemala is a UNESCO World Heritage site so the whole city is living art, mostly in colonial and baroque styles, as I posted here.

Nordic Glass exhibit in Toronto

Ironwork in Antigua Guatemala

Painting seen in Antigua Guatemala

BLOGS

I blogged about my goals for 2019 here,  a progress update on my Winter Fun List here, what made me smile here, a fit and fun post for the first Wellness link up of 2019 here, and my sightseeing in Antigua Guatemala here. The next Wellness link up is on Wednesday, February 13, with Healthy Heart as the optional prompt. Please feel free to join in on the fun.

A fit and fun walk in Allan Gardens

BOOKS

I enjoyed reading the following three books in January:

• On Writing: Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King, 288 pages
• The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland, 400 pages
• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, 316 pages - This story was made into a movie with the same title, starring Emily Blunt. Have you seen the movie yet?

CONCERTS

I listened to three unique concerts and watched a dance under the Discover Dance program. Each of the performers listed below has very impressive biography. If you look up their names on the Internet, you'll see what I mean. I'm so grateful that I can experience these amazing cultural events for free.

• Aiyun Huang, percussion and Mark Fewer, violin
• Payadora Tango Ensemble: Rebekah Wolkstein, violin/ voice, Drew Jurecka, bandoneón, Robert Horvath, piano, and Joseph Phillips, double bass
• Judy Loman, harp and Nora Shulman, flute
• Louis Laberge-Côté, dancer, choreographer, and professor of dance

FAMILY

My family had our first long weekend getaway at the end of January. It was quite relaxing as we stayed in a hotel and ate out. No housework to do, just family time! There was an overnight snow storm during our getaway and it was winter wonderland when we woke up in the morning. We enjoyed walking on the fresh snow and checked the foot (or boot) prints we left behind :)

Winter wonderland

FRIENDS

I had three fun meet-ups with my friends in January. Two of them were coffee chats to catch up, and the third meet-up included a gym workout with my friend. A fourth meet-up was cancelled due to a snow storm and to be rescheduled. I also wrote a letter to my longtime pen friend in the UK.

HEALTH

I was consistent with my fitness activities in January. When I was in Guatemala, I stayed at three different hotels and one of them had a usable gym. My rooms were all very spacious and comfortable so when I didn't have access to a gym, I did strength workouts or yoga in my room. In total, I did:

• Meditation: daily, fifteen minutes each time.
• Walking outdoors: 6x per week, forty-five minutes each time. Plus walking around to get from A to B or to do sightseeing.
• Strength workouts: 13 sessions done, one hour each.
• Yoga: 10 sessions done, one hour each (seven yoga classes and three do-it-myself sessions when the classes were cancelled).
• Swimming weekly: 4 sessions done, forty-five minutes each.

A hotel gym in Guatemala

LANGUAGES

I continued learning French and Spanish on Duolingo, 15 minutes per day for each language. While I was in Guatemala, I took advantage of my time in a Spanish-speaking country to read all the billboards, street signs, and store signs in Spanish and also to speak basic Spanish to local staff.

I discovered that Antigua has many Spanish schools that offer Spanish lessons, cultural activities, and lodging with a Guatemalan family for a complete immersion experience at reasonable prices. I visited one of the schools and picked up a brochure just in case I decide to pursue this option in the future.

MOVIES

I watched five movies in January, four of them with my neighbours, and one in-flight when I flew home from Guatemala. I enjoyed all of them, except the first one.

• The House with a Clock in its Walls, starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett
• What They Had, starring Hilary Swank and Blythe Danner
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, starring Lily James
• First Man, starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy
• The Wife, starring Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce

TRAVEL

I took a trip to visit Guatemala and had a wonderful time. The weather was perfect with sunny days and cool nights. The scenery and local people were nice. The food was tasty, with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Guatemala produces good coffee and rum. The Mayan culture and their vivid colours are captivating. You might like to see my post on Antigua here, and do virtual shopping at the open air market in Chichicastenango here. More posts on Guatemala to come.

Crafts in Guatemala

UNEXPECTED VIEWS

While in Antigua, Guatemala, I saw Fuego volcano spewing ash every ten minutes or so. I've seen volcanoes in various countries during my travels but this was the first time I saw a volcano that is very active. Can you see the ash coming out of the Fuego volcano on the left in my photo below?

Active Fuego volcano, Guatemala

Next, on my return flight, I got a perfect aerial view of another active volcano near Mexico City. It's Popocatépetl (or Popo) volcano, which is the second highest peak and the most famous in Mexico. I could see the smoke coming out of the volcano. According to Wikipedia, Popo volcano erupted two days later on January 22, 2019 and spewed ash up 4km high.

Active Popocatépetl volcano, Mexico

On the same flight from Mexico City, I got to see the January 20-21, 2019 Super Blood Wolf Moon for several hours, and the total lunar eclipse by the time I arrived home. This is the last total lunar eclipse until May 2021 so I was thrilled to see both the super moon while I was at 40,000 feet altitude and the total lunar eclipse. Amazing and unforgettable sights!

OVERALL

January was a wonderful month with a mix of fun activities and events at home and abroad. I gave it an A+ for sensory experiences. I'm on track with my goals for 2019 at the moment. I look forward to enjoying February.

How was your January? What good things happened? Let me know in the comments!
 

Inlinkz Link Party

December in a nutshell

Greetings! In December I was at home to enjoy the local cultural events and the holiday season with my family and friends. We had mostly cloudy days with temperatures hovering around freezing point. Our first light dusting of snow appeared on the ground on December 30 morning. On New Year's Eve, the light rain washed all the snow away.

Without further ado, here's my December in a nutshell (in alpha order):

ARTS:

In December, I saw many festive holiday displays in the city centre. All the banks, shops, and department stores put on their best holiday decorations. Whether it was a real tree or an artificial tree, they were all spectacular centrepieces.

Christmas tree in Eaton Centre

I viewed three art exhibits at the Power Plant, all with free admission: (1) La Canicula exhibit by Vivian Suter with Elisabeth Wild, (2) Beth Stuart's Length, Breadth, Thickness and Duration exhibit, and (3) Karla Black's solo exhibit. I was interested in Vivian Suter's exhibit and her story since she's from Guatemala, the country that I'll be visiting in January.

Vivian Suter's La Canicula exhibit

Beth Stuart's Dipper Chasuble

Elisabeth Wild's collage

Karla Black's installation

BLOGS:

In December I published nine blog posts, bringing the total this year to 91 posts. My heart and mind was full of gratitude when I wrote my Highlights of 2018. It's been an amazing, enriching, and fulfilling year.

The 2018 Wellness Wednesday blog link up that I started this year concluded on December 12. I'm planning to continue the Wellness series on the second Wednesday of each month in 2019. The link up is open to all wellness-related posts. Feel free to join me on the first Wellness post on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.

BOOKS:

I finished four thriller novels The Dime by Kathleen Kent, The Late Show by Michael Connelly, Before the Poison and When the Music's Over by Perter Robinson. The first two authors were new to me.

I'm currently reading On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King, and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland. When I reviewed the list of Stephen King's books, I realized that some of the movies I enjoyed, such as The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption, were based on his stories.

Books borrowed from the library

CONCERTS:

I chose to attend three concerts in December, just enough to get me into the holiday mode without overdoing it. It was a delight to listen to the following fantastic concerts which were all free to the public:

1. The Piano Festival at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music: Thirteen pianists played their solo pieces with incredible skills and grace. It was two hours long with one short intermission.
2. The 'Tis the Season to Swing concert at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts: Steven Taetz Quartet performed thirteen songs, including six Christmas-themed songs, in one hour.
3. The annual Christmas Concert at Toronto City Hall: Toronto Beaches Children's & Youth Chorus, Toronto Mass Choir, Pan Fantasy Steel band, and Tower Brass played holiday songs in about ninety minutes. The Mayor of Toronto, Mr. John Tory, came to express his holiday greetings as seen in the photo below.

Toronto Christmas Concert 2018

FAMILY AND FRIENDS:

For our family and friends who live far away, we exchanged our season's greetings by email and phone calls. Canada Post had a labour disruption that ended with a big backlog of mail and parcels so I sent out only a couple of greeting cards this year.

Before Christmas, I met two friends for coffee, one friend for a workout at the gym, and had lunch with another two of my girlfriends. After Christmas, my family clan had our holiday dinner on December 26. This year there were twenty-five of us in attendance. It was a lively and heart-warming party with a lot of food, board games, and fun conversations.

FITNESS:

I completed seven yoga classes, thirteen workouts in the gym, five swimming sessions, and ran five times. I also walked 45 minutes or more and meditated 15 minutes daily. We had no snow until December 30 so the grounds were dry and it was easy to get around. On December 28, the high temperature was 10C (50F), which is unusual at this time of the year for us.

An empty beach in December

LEARNING:

I took my French and Spanish online lessons daily using Duolingo. I'm also reading online travel guides to learn more about Guatemala which is my upcoming travel destination.

MOVIES:

I watched two movies with my neighbours Crazy Rich Asians, Fahrenheit 11/9, and two animated shorts Weekends and Bilby. There was a re-run of Mission Impossible Fall Out that I decided not to go as I've seen it twice in November.

NEW YEAR'S PLAN:

We're ringing in the new year at home with comfort and relaxation. We had roasted chicken with wild rice and vegetables for dinner, ice cream and sweets for desserts. Now we're waiting for the fireworks, then greet the new year, and go to bed.

At year end, there's the usual tasks of closing current year's files and opening new year's files. I drafted my new goals for 2019, created a new goal tracking sheet, and a new budget sheet. My 2019 calendar now has a number of known appointments and confirmed events.

OVERALL:

December was a lovely month, with just the right amount of fitness, leisure, and social activities for me. I'm looking forward to having some fun this winter and enjoying 2019.

I want to thank all my blogger friends and readers for your comments, continued support, and connections in 2018. Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year!

An InLinkz Link-up

Wellness Wednesday December 12

Welcome to the 12th and last Wellness Wednesday link up of 2018! The optional prompt is Self-Care Rewards for all the efforts that we've put in this year. In today's post, I have a short recap of my November wellness goals, and share my thoughts on the rewards of self-care.

NOVEMBER WELLNESS UPDATE:

In November, although I was in Morocco for part of the month, I managed to achieve all of my November wellness goals as listed here, and reviewed under Fitness here. Total for November: nine workouts at the gym, seven yoga classes, four swimming sessions, and three 5K runs. I also walked at least 45 minutes and meditated 15 minutes daily. I gained one extra swimming session by switching my swimming day from Saturday to Friday, and the best part is it's quieter at the pool on Friday...so far.

THE REWARDS OF SELF-CARE:

I'm motivated to take care of my well-being because I can feel the results when I do it consistently, such as:

• feeling focused after I meditate
• feeling relaxed with the practice of deep breathing
• feeling warm and energetic after a workout at the gym, a swim, or a run
• feeling calm and balanced after a yoga session
• feeling clarity and a sense of accomplishment after I do my daily walk

The overall feeling healthy is the best reward for me. I believe it's well worth investing a small part of my day for self-care. I look forward to enjoying the various leisure activities and travelling while I can, and hopefully for many more years.

WELLNESS IN 2019:

I plan to continue with my wellness activities this month and in 2019. It would be super to have more bloggers and readers participate in the monthly Wellness link up. I'm thinking on the second Wednesday of each month and leave the topic open for anything wellness-related. Stay tuned for further announcement.

An InLinkz Link-up

November in a nutshell

Greetings! November was a month less ordinary since I spent part of it in Morocco. I had fair weather the entire trip, with high around 20C (68F), low around 15C (59F). All the amazing sights that I've seen and the delicious food that I've tried in Morocco gave me tremendous energy when I returned home.

Without further ado, here's my November in a nutshell, in alpha order :)

ARTS:

I viewed three art exhibits: The Community Film & Arts Festival in Toronto, Hiraeth solo exhibition by Judith McKay, a Toronto artist, and an art exhibit in Morocco.

In addition, I admired beautiful Moroccan architecture in Rabat, Fez, Marrakesh, Casablanca, and ancient ruins in Volubilis. The medinas (old towns) and souks (local bazaars) in Morocco were living visual arts themselves.

Community Film & Arts Festival in Toronto

Just Being There by Judith McKay

Painting on display in Marrakesh, Morocco

BLOGGING:

November was a month with plenty of visual attractions that I captured through my lens. I published seven blog posts with many photos in each. Thank you to everyone who read and commented on my blog.

BOOKS:

I enjoyed reading four thriller novels The Twenty-Three and Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay, Glass Houses by Louise Penny, and Sleeping in The Ground by Peter Robinson. The last two authors are new to me although all three authors have won numerous awards, and several of their books have been bestsellers.

CONCERTS:

I attended six wonderful concerts performed by Christopher Slade (solo piano), Tristan Savella (solo piano), Maithena Girault and Jeannie Chung (violin and piano duo), Jean-Samuel Bez and Jean-Luc Therrien (violin and piano duo), Tomson Highway, Patricia Cano and Marcus Ali (piano, vocals, and saxophone), and Olivier Hebert-Bouchard and David Dias da Silva (piano and clarinet duo).

FITNESS:

According to my November tracking sheet, I completed nine workouts at the gym, seven yoga classes, four swimming sessions, and three 5K runs. I also walked at least 45 minutes and meditated 15 minutes daily.

FOOD:

It's a good thing I completed the above fitness routine because I certainly ate well in Morocco as posted here. The beef tagine in Fez was foreign, authentic, and absolutely delicious.

Beef tagine in Fez, Morocco

LEARNING:

I continued with my daily French and Spanish online lessons on Duolingo. While in Morocco, my knowledge of French helped me understand the signage around me and converse with local people.

I also learned words such as Medinas (old towns), Madrasas (religious schools), Djellaba (traditional Moroccan long, loose, hooded garment with long sleeves) and what they look like in real life.

Below is a photo of a Moroccan man wearing a white djellaba with a traditional Arab red fez hat, and soft yellow babouche slippers.

Man in traditional clothing in Rabat, Morocco

MOVIES:

I watched four movies Shock and Awe, Casablanca, Mission Impossible Fall Out, and Little Italy. Casablanca was a refresher before I visited Casablanca in Morocco. Such a classic movie! I did stop by Rick's Café by the way. Mission Impossible Fall Out helped me pass the time while flying from Frankfurt to Toronto. Little Italy is a cute comedy filmed in Toronto.

SOCIALIZING:

I met with my friends in Toronto for coffee once, dinner once, and lunch four times. While in Morocco, I met other travellers during my walking tours and some of us went out for meals together.

Margherita pizza in Toronto

One of the most beautiful spots to rest while sipping fresh mint tea and admiring my surroundings is in a carpet shop in the Medina of Fez in Morocco.

A magical sitting room

TRAVEL:

My trip to Morocco was fantastic, with so much to explore and experience. To say it was a good kind of sensory stimulation is an understatement. I wrote a post about my visit to Rabat and Volubilis here, and Fez here. My upcoming post will be on Marrakesh, known as a city of gardens in Morocco. Here's a preview:

Marrakesh, Morocco

OVERALL:

November was an excellent month for me. I'm grateful to be in good health, to have the ability to travel, and to have so many good things available to me at home. I'm enjoying the holiday season in Toronto at the moment.

How was your November? What good things happened? I'd love to hear your comments.

An InLinkz Link-up