Kayaks, cancer and my life this week.

Last night, my husband and I went out for our second kayak lesson.  This one focused on practicing what we learned in the last class as well as rescue skills. The important part - how to get back into your kayak when you've fallen out of it.

I am so so so bruised from trying to claw my way back in on the self rescue portion. The good news is, I can get myself back into the kayak so long as someone is there with me.  So we're all set.  If I'm ever off kayaking alone, I'll just stay close to shore.  That way if I capsize, I can swim ashore and climb back in on land.

Last night I also realized that today marks a year since I discovered I had cancer.  I celebrated by starting the morning picking saskatoons with a friend.  

Well, actually I started with a book and a giant dog snuggled up in bed. Because, lazy.

Speaking of giant dogs, our new addition has a name.  We finally decided on Hank.  Hank is an excellent running partner, wonderful walking buddy and generally just awesome.  I walked him down to the vet yesterday.  He has his first appointment later this week and I wanted to make sure that we didn't have an unpleasant surprise.

Kind of like when we attempted to give him his first bath. We learned a couple of things that day - Hank (purportedly a Lab cross) hates water. No, he more than hates water. There is no word to describe our new buddy's feelings for water.  We also learned that he is big and strong enough to push open a reasonably heavy unlatched door. To get away from water.

Back to the vet, no unpleasant surprises there so I had him step on the scale.  He's 96 lbs and they feel he might be a little light.  

Good news, no one should bother me on my runs with him around!

The past year has brought many changes to my life, most of them unpleasant. I'm never quite sure how far to go when I talk about my experience with cancer. Last year, my husband and I were sitting in a parking lot in south Calgary, trying to absorb the diagnosis and I was trying to stop crying. 

It's been a long year and now that it's over, finding ways to move on and forward and live my life is interesting. I feel an urgency to do the things I've always wanted to do, but put off because there was always more time.

I guess that's the big lesson I've learned - there isn't always time.