Well, hello strangers… It’s been a while.

Thought I’d make my summer blogging debut with my write-up/review on the 2011 Ford Explorer, which I was offered to experience driving last month.

I must note, I’m not compensated in any way for this review, other than the fun of driving a new vehicle around for a week.

My first impression

Wow… This is a beautiful SUV. And my next impression, after getting out of my own Audi TT convertible… Wow. This is a big vehicle. And, after spending a few minutes sitting in the driver’s seat being shown all the cool features of the vehicle… Wow, this is one very comfortable automobile!

Driving the Ford Explorer

I have to preface my experience with driving this 3.5-liter 290-horsepower V6 vehicle with, remember what kind of car I’ve been driving for a couple of years now, other than the few times I’ve borrowed Barry’s small SUV – My Chicklette is a two seater turbo quattro, with almost no trunk, due to the folding roof compartment. The Ford Explorer Crossover SUV is obviously going to be pretty massive to me. That said, I felt extremely safe – one of my biggest issues with my current car in the winter is that I literally feel like a speed bump, and in the gorgeous Explorer, I was not even a little concerned with some of the rotten drivers I’ve encountered on the speedy Deerfoot. Oh, and it’s won awards for the safety enhancements, so there’s another good reason to feel good about how solid it felt. This is a great vehicle for someone with kids – there’s tons of room, with 3 rows of seating.

The technology in this SUV was very nifty! They’ve thought of just about everything! I LOVED the adaptive cruise control which slows the Explorer down when you are travelling with cruise control enabled, and it’ll slow down and speed up to your set speed as traffic dictates. The rain-sensing wipers would be an awesome addition in Vancouver – I didn’t get to try them here in mostly-sunny Calgary.

The drive was superior – I noticed a huge improvement between Barry’s Kia mid-size SUV, and the Ford Explorer in the ride, and the performance. I much prefer the new Ford design for comfort and drive-ability.

Safety is important

The Explorer comes standard with stability and traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, and trailer sway control. MyKey is a very cool system on the new Fords, which allows parents to specify limits for vehicle speed and stereo volume.

The new stability control system includes Ford’s Curve Control, which can reduce the vehicle’s speed if it senses that it’s travelling too fast for a particular corner – that’s pretty neat!

An optional package on the XLT and Limited edition is a blind-spot warning system which includes cross-traffic alerting.

Things I loved about the 2011 Explorer

• the cool adaptive cruise control
• a rearview camera
• the features of MyFord Touch (on the most part)
• the fit and finish inside felt luxury to me
• the sturdy feel of the vehicle
• the updated turn signals (after I got used to them… they’re odd at first)
• the blind spot alerts in my side mirrors
• air-conditioned seats! (which also had warmers for the winter)
• six-way power driver seat (SO comfy!)
• responsive steering
• auto-dimming rearview mirror

Things I didn’t love about the Explorer

• extremely hard to park in spots that had vehicles on either side (most because I’m not used to a vehicle that size)
• the navigation system (I never could figure out how to get verbal turn-by-turn directions – I’m like a guy when it comes to reading directions about technology)
• the fact that the MyFord Touch system didn’t seemlessly work with my iPhone 4 (accidentally dialing a long distance number because it didn’t understand my voice commands to call a friend). It took me over a minute to find the hang up button because I couldn’t find a voice command that would end my call
• towing capability is 5,000 lbs – which is fine for some, but if you want to tow a large trailer, you might be pushing the Explorer beyond it’s capabilities

Finally…

The 2011 Ford Explorer is a fabulous, beautiful, tech-savvy, sturdy Crossover SUV – Ford has come a long way from the Ford Explorers of the past. If a vehicle can erase history, this new and much improved model can. It’s luxury through-and-through. It may be a little big for my needs, but I can see a family of four absolutely loving this vehicle for years to come. Go try one out!

As many of you know, I’ve now begun my hCG weight loss journey. I don’t like to call it a diet, because after the 35 days of VLCD (very low calorie diet) I’ll be changing my eating habits forever.

I’m super excited to report my first week weigh in results… down a total of 9.2 lbs in 7 days! I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results! Wahoo!

I’m starting to feel the difference in my clothes now, and Barry has noticed a difference already, too!

So, total weight this morning was 180.2 – My initial weight before I began my weight loss journey in December was 200.2. So, exactly 20 lbs down, and almost 10 of that was this past week. You simply can’t argue with those results.

I’m currently using hcg pellets, which I ordered from the states, because although my doctor does agree with the protocol I’m on, she can’t prescribe the hcg in prescription strength off-label (although some doctors in Canada do). No worries, because the homeopathic pellets are working perfectly! I take 5 pellets, 3 times a day sublingually, and I’m not hungry at all (well, at least not physically… I’m still mourning my chocolate and wine ban).

I can’t believe I got through the Fondue Extravaganza at my place this weekend without even TOUCHING any of the treats, or the accompanying wine. I’m really proud of my success.

Oh… If you want to follow along with me on my vlog about my hcg journey, you can hit my channel at this link. Subscribe if you like and you’ll get a notification when I post new vlogs!

So – YOUR TURN! How’re things with you?

A few weeks ago, Barry, Toni, Sean and I took ourselves down to the Calgary Autoshow at BMO Centre. It was very fortuitous that I got an invite via the Ford PR company to get media credentials there, as I’m fairly desperate to upgrade the Chicklette to a winter-friendly vehicle this summer.

Don’t get me wrong… I love my convertible TT Roadster, however, it’s simply not a great vehicle for year round here in snowy Calgary. I feel like a speed bump on the road!

So, off we went.

To be honest, most of the vehicles at the show were pretty… ho hum. But, when I got to the Ford (and better yet… the Lincoln) vehicles, my eyes lit up! I never, ever thought I’d say this, but I adore the technology that Ford/Lincoln have put in their vehicles!

MyFord Touch / MyLincoln Touch ROCKS MY WORLD! It’s what I dreamed of, years ago, with my early adoption of portable entertainment (think back 18 years ago, and I had one of the first portable 8mm players with a screen). Everything, well, just works. There’s no fighting with cords, no fighting with dials and knobs. It’s all voice controlled if you want it to be.

The technology consists of an 8″ touchscreen display in the center console, two 4.2″ LCD screens on the left and right of the speedometer and two steering wheel-mounted five-way button controls – MyFord Touch allows a driver to control in-car technology through either voice, touch or the wheel-mounted controllers.

I WANT.

I’m pretty sure I’ve decided to buy a Ford or Lincoln vehicle next. I’d prefer the Lincoln models over the Ford equivalent (not really equivalent, but you know what I mean) but I think the sales job for Barry might be a bit too steep – We’ll see what the rebates are in the coming couple of months, and maybe I can convince Barry of the benefits of the higher-end model

I’ll be reviewing several Ford and Lincoln vehicles over the next couple of months (YAY!) but, not to worry, my reviews will be unbiased… I’m not getting paid to review these vehicles – I’m just getting the opportunity to test drive several models over a week (or so) at a time to offer an honest review.

First up? The all-new Ford Explorer! I can’t wait!

CHILI COOK-OFFS

THE INEXPERIENCED CHILI TASTER
Notes From An Inexperienced Chili Tester Named FRANK, who was visiting Texas from the East Coast: “Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cook-off. The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing there at the judge’s table asking directions to the beer wagon, when the call came. I was assured by the other two judges (Native Texans) that the chili wouldn’t be all that spicy, and besides, they told me I could have free beer during the tasting. So I accepted.”

Here are the scorecards from the event:
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CHILI # 1 MIKE’S MANIAC MOBSTER MONSTER CHILI
JUDGE ONE: A little too heavy on tomato. Amusing kick.
JUDGE TWO: Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.
FRANK: Holy shit, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put the flames out. I hope that’s the worst one. These Texans are crazy.
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CHILI # 2 ARTHUR’S AFTERBURNER CHILI
JUDGE ONE: Smokey, with a hint of pork. Slight Jalapeno tang.
JUDGE TWO: Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously.
FRANK: Keep this out of the reach of children I’m not sure what I am supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver.
They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look on my face.
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CHILI # 3 FRED’S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN CHILI
JUDGE ONE: Excellent firehouse chili! Great kick. Needs more beans.
JUDGE TWO: A beanless chili, a bit salty, good use of peppers.
FRANK: Call the EPA, I’ve located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now get me more beer before I ignite. Barmaid pounded me on the back; now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I’m getting shit-faced from all the beer.
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CHILI # 4 BUBBA’S BLACK MAGIC
JUDGE ONE: Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.
JUDGE TWO: Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods, not much of a chili.
FRANK: I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it, is it possible to burnout taste buds? Sally, the barmaid, was standing behind me with fresh refills; that 300 lb. Bitch is starting to look HOT, just like this nuclear waste I’m eating. Is chili an aphrodisiac?
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CHILI # 5 LINDA’S LEGAL LIP REMOVER
JUDGE ONE: Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very Impressive.
JUDGE TWO: Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.
FRANK: My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I can no longer focus my eyes. I farted and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage, Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly on it from a pitcher. I wonder if I’m burning my lips off? It really pisses me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Screw those rednecks!
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CHILI # 6 VERA’S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY
JUDGE ONE: Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spice and peppers.
JUDGE TWO: The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, and garlic.Superb.
FRANK: My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric flames. I shit myself when I farted and I’ m worried it will eat through the chair. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that slut Sally.She must be kinkier than I thought. Can’t feel my lips anymore. I need to wipe my ass with a snow cone!
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CHILI # 7 SUSAN’S SCREEMING SENSATION CHILI
JUDGE ONE: A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.
JUDGE TWO: Ho Hum, tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. I should take note that I am worried about Judge Number 3, He appears to be in a bit of distress as he is cursing uncontrollably.
FRANK: You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn’t feel a damn thing. I’ve lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava-like shit to match my damn shirt. At least during the autopsy they’ll know what killed me. I’ve decided to stop breathing; it’s too painful. Screw it. I’m not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I’ll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.
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CHILI # 8 LESTER’S LAST OF THE RED-HOT LOVER’S CHILI
JUDGE ONE: A perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili, safe for all, not too bold but spicy enough to declare it’s existence.
JUDGE TWO: This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither mild nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge Number 3 passed out, fell over and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. Not sure if he’s going to make it. Poor Yank, wonder how he’d have reacted to a really good one!
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Hi kids! How are you? I’m… doing pretty okay.

I’m just completing my first full month of working in my new job, and that’s going great – I work with some really friendly, helpful people which has made my transition in my career much easier than I was hoping. The job itself is pretty challenging still, as there never seems to be enough time in my day to do everything. Anything with “flames” shooting out of it (as one of my colleagues puts it) absolutely gets completed on time, but there’s so many things I want to improve the workflow on, which is going to take time.

And, we all know, I’m instant gratification girl.

But, I’m getting there. Every day I notice that my constant stream of questions to my workmates decreases, which makes me feel less like a n00b. In fact, I’m actually confident with answering questions others pose on things now, which is awesome.

In other news, I still can’t believe it’s been a full year since we moved into our new home in Calgary. This time last year, the weather was warm, there hadn’t been any snow on the ground in weeks, and we were about to enjoy time on our new balcony. A YEAR AGO! Holy… where did the time go? It’s like Calgary just HAD to show me what a real winter was like here. This year, we still have a ton of snow on the ground, and I haven’t yet seen my lawn since November.

Well, there you go – A quick catch up on the basics. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely be blogging about my auto show adventure, which I experienced a couple of weeks ago. I had wanted to talk about that sooner, however, this has been an incredibly crazy time for me with work, an industry exam (which I’m freaking out about… no result to report yet), and trying to adjust to this very large shift in my sleeping schedule.

So – YOUR TURN: What’s been keeping you busy lately? I’ve missed hearing from you in the comments, guys!

Wow… this getting up at 5:15am stuff is really hard! It’s definitely an adjustment, but I know I’ll get accustomed to it, eventually!

I love my new job – I’m getting exactly the experience I need right now, and I’m working with four really great brokers. The learning curve in my new career path, combined with the working-hours adjustment is taking it’s toll on my internal clock, though.

As in the past, I won’t be commenting too much here about my working life – I don’t think it’s an appropriate venue. That said, I wanted to let everyone know that life is good, and my career is on track, as I hoped it would by by this time.

Can you believe it’s been exactly a year since we moved to Calgary? So much has happened in the past year… And so much change. Barry and I have been through our ups and downs, and made it out the other side doing pretty awesome, I must say. We’re both in jobs we love, and making friends on a daily basis now. I finally feel like I have a home here, with friends who mean a lot to me.

Having family close by is great, too. I’ve seen Dennis, Heather, Toni and Sean a fair amount lately (and the girls are heading out tonight for some fun!) and hope that we can get on some camping trips together this summer.

The weather is still kicking my ass… We’re expecting as much as a foot of snow tonight and tomorrow in the Southern part of Calgary – I don’t know what I was expecting for my first Canadian winter (WINTER! BRR!!!) but, these extended -20°C weeks weren’t it. This time last year, there wasn’t any snow on the ground, and it was about 10°C during the day. That said, we’ve just come out of a week of plus degree temps, so hopefully this snow blip will be very temporary.

The only thing I know will take some getting used to, is the damned commute on the CTrain every day to downtown Calgary. DAMN. I hate the transit here. There’s definitely NOT enough capacity for the amount of people who take the LRT in to work downtown every day (which is completely necessary, because parking downtown is $600 a month… one of the most expensive cities in North America to park in!) Combine that with the fact that transit in our neck of the woods is just plain stupid (Auburn Bay isn’t really serviced properly) which sees most driving into the CTrain park and ride lots. If you aren’t at most lots by 6:30am, there’s not a spot to be had. Something has got to change with the transit system here. A South East LRT line would certainly lighten the load on the West side… And, it’s eventually scheduled to come just a few blocks from our home, if we are to believe the city’s plan for this neighbourhood. We’ll see.

So, there you go… Coming up… I’ve got a blog queued up about the Calgary Auto Show, which I attended with Barry, Toni and Sean last Sunday. The Chicklette is going to be traded in soon, (I feel like a speed bump on the road in my TT, especially on snowy days) so I’m on the hunt for the vs. 2.0 of my ride! Stay tuned.

YOUR TURN! What have you been up to, lately?

Well, as you can see, I’m down 17.2 lbs since I started this journey back in late December, and I’m pretty happy with the results so far! I had to take two and a half weeks off of training, and that’s slowed my progress somewhat, but I’ve decided to try something a little different for 40 days…

I caught the tail-end of Dr. Oz the other day, while quickly eating a late lunch, and I was very curious about what he had dedicated his show to talking about: hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) and weight loss. I’d never heard of this hormone before, but apparently, it’s the hormone found in a woman during pregnancy (the pregnancy test actually detects this hormone).

This hormone was experimented with first in 1954 when Dr. A.T.W. Simeons published a study, where he had experimented with administering small doses of hCG with a low calorie diet, and found some excellent results. Today, hCG is used by weight loss clinics for its abilities to help patients lose dramatic amounts of weight – the hormone mobilizes the extra fat stored in the body and utilizes it to produce energy, and the low calorie diet (a shocking 500 calories a day with vitamin supplements) combined with the hCG helps the body to burn the extra fat, and not muscle.

Want to learn more about the history of hCG? Check out this site.

There are a great number of doctors in the States who not only support their patients with this protocol, they actually use it themselves. Unfortunately, there are not many physicians in Canada who understand, or even know anything about the regime. I, of course, will talk to my doctor before starting the program. I’ve seen plenty of anecdotal evidence through reading I did yesterday to suggest that following this diet for 40 days could be very effective. As soon as I get my hands on some hCG, and after talking to my doctor, I’m going to give it a try.

Have you heard of hCG?

Please note: I’m not opening this blog post up for discussion on the dangers of a low-calorie diet with hCG for a short period of time – I’ll discuss this with my doctor before starting any program like this.

Hey guys! Just a quick note to say that I’m busy most of this week and next, so the usual editorial calendar will be back after that.

But in the meantime, I am totally loving life! [squee!!] I’m incredibly busy (awesome), eight of my most favourite girlfriends are coming over tomorrow night for dinner, drinks and a movie, and my husband is THE sweetest guy. What more could a girl want?

YOUR TURN: What are you loving about your life, right now?