Articles

Oct 09 2014

I wouldn’t ride that thing if you paid me!

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: No Comments

A New Kind of Ride

A recumbent bike what’s that.” I asked. My best friend was on the phone telling me of her latest bright idea. “Just think,” she said, “I will be able to get exercise and it won’t hurt my back”. (A point well-taken since she had struggled with back problems for years.) Well if you say so, I reluctantly encouraged. Dee researches everything so she must know her bikes.

What is a recumbent bike? I had never heard of it (probably because I don’t ride bikes, I fall off, I can’t coordinate my hands, feet, brain and mouth at the same time.)

However, after our conversation, I rushed to the computer to look at this biking wonder. Looking at this contraption, I was not sure how a person would ride it. It looked like a “lazy Boy” recliner at full tilt with two wheels, handlebars, and peddles. I was sitting there trying to imagine my friend on that bike, lying down with her feet in the air, leisurely peddling along on two wheels. (I am not sure I would ride that bike even if it had six wheels!) Secretly I was hoping she would not get her bike, it looked dangerous!

At Christmas she received her ‘Electric Blue’ recumbent bike, a fancy “high speed” cycling outfit, complete with matching gloves, shoes and a racing helmet (with arrear view mirror no less). You go Girlfriend. My theory in life is if you are dressed for the occasion, and look the part, you can do the job. She sure looked the part of a speed racer, why she could have been on the cover of Biking digest!

For a week she practice and I thought she did well she only crashed a few times in an effort to get out of the drive way. While she tried to find her perfect balance on that two wheeled “lazy Boy” recliner. As her friend, I could cheer her on, but I would not have tried to ride that bike if you paid me.

After a week of wobbling around the neighborhood, she finally mastered the technique. Dee was full of confidence, had found her balance, and felt she was ready to let the world see her new ‘Electric Blue” recumbent bike, complete with a matching outfit. What a sight.

However, she was having a few problems with the fancy helmet. She could not get the mirror to set right, and the chinstrap was a little

Oct 01 2014

Cowgirl Up!

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

Cowgirl Up!

When this California beach bunny met my Canadian Cowboy, it was like “John Wayne meets California Bling queen” two different worlds collided. My idea of a rancher’s wife was somewhere between “Dolly Parton” and the television show “Dallas.” In my world if you were dressed for the occasion you could do any the job.

My new husband sent me out to get some cowboy boots and jeans. I guess he didn’t think the go-go boots and hot pants would work! Lol

I was excited to go shopping, after all I liked the boots “Dolly” wore with beautiful design’s, colors and sparkles. Now to find the perfect boot, which in my mind I thought should be both fashionable and practical. I couldn’t wait to see Lyle’s face when I brought them home.

Modeling my new 3-inch-heeled cowgirl boots and seeing the look on Lyle’s face, I knew he wasn’t as appreciative of the boots as I was. I think it was somewhere between bursting out into gales of laughter and I can’t believe it!

Sep 10 2014

Through The Looking Glass

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: No Comments

Through the Looking Glass

Early one fall I took a day trip to Calgary, Alberta, to buy spring and summer fashions for my retail business. I brought my teenage daughters along and planned to do some afternoon shopping after my appointment. I wore my navy business suit to make a good impression and for added flair, I wore my three-inch heels. It was important to me to look pulled together so the sales representatives would assume I knew what I was doing.

My teenagers dressed for comfort in jeans and tennis shoes. However, I decided to keep the suit and heels on for shopping, because I did not want to bring an extra set of clothes. The day had been fun but exhausting, and by 5 pm I had burned-out. I had a headache, my feet hurt, and I was hobbling. I was ready to go home, take a hot bath, and go to bed.

I made one last stop at the drugstore on the way out of the mall, and my daughters decided to wait outside for me. I paid for my purchases, and hurried out to meet them. Suddenly and abruptly, I crashed into a sparkling clean glass wall with such force it caused people to stop in their tracks and check out all the commotion near the eighth aisle.

After my perfect face-plant into the glass, I slid to the floor in an ungraceful heap. My shopping bags were in complete disarray, one three-inch heel came off, a button flew off to the great unknown, and my skirt was a little higher than I felt comfortable with.

As I tried to gather my wits and composure, I noticed my two daughters bent over in laughter and I could tell they were pretending not to know me. When they began to walk away from me, I was sure they did not want anyone to know the dressed-up blonde in a heap on the floor was their mother.

Aug 20 2014

The Great Laundry Caper

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: No Comments

The Great Laundry Caper

Moving is a stressful and time-consuming project, the more mature I get the less I like this task. While I was drowning in boxes, I needed to search for a washer and drier. Our clothes were piling up and I was nearing my last pair of underwear ……… I searched the sale fliers for a laundry set that would fit both our needs and budget. After comparing prices we made our decision. A white set with burgundy lettering, I thought it would match our other furniture. Besides, it had a wrinkle free cycle that appealed to me, sense my ironing board and iron are a Stone Age model.

The salesman was anxious, jumpy, and talked incisively. He assured me I had come to the right place, gotten the best price, deal and warranty of any other customer he had had that day. Plus they were going to deliver it on Saturday morning around 9:00 am. I was the luckiest woman in town. Of course I was thrilled; I had a week’s washing and needed to get some clothes washed.

Saturday morning came and no washer and drier, I was in a panic we needed to wash clothes and be at another appointment across town by 2:00 pm. Finally, I received a call telling me they were running late and would arrive at 1:00 pm. I knew this would be cutting my time short, mentally figuring out how I was going to make my next appointment. I was about to have a meltdown.

Arriving at 1:10 pm I was told they didn’t have time to set everything up. “It was easy, a piece of cake, you could do-it-yourself” Jr. said, giving me the thumbs up as he raced out the door. Now I don’t know about you, but when someone tells me it’s easy, red flags start flying. He said he had confidence in me. Clearly, he hadn’t heard I am both un-coordinated and mechanically challenged.

I remember thinking the washer and drier looked different, but I didn’t have time to spend on that thought as we rushed to our appointment.

After a stressful afternoon, arriving home I began looking at the washer and drier again, I realized the top was the wrong color. Instead of white with burgundy letters across the top, it was baby blue enamel. It had that “blast from the past” 50’s look.

Stressed I was awake most of the night doing research and worked myself into a dizzy-tizzy. I was sure the company had ripped me off and sent me a relic from the back of the warehouse. I finally fell asleep at 4:00 am worn out and upset. And I still had no clothes washed!!!

The next day I decided to go by the store and discuss the situation with the salesman. Praying all the way over there that I would be kind but firm. I walked in and asked for Harold. Explaining to another gentleman the wrong washer and drier had been delivered to my house. He wasn’t sympathetic and told me those things happen all the time! At that moment I wasn’t feeling “That Lov’in Feeling.”

Jul 23 2014

The Big Purse Principle

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

The Big Purse Principle

Years ago I remember how intimated I was stepping into the business world. I would always wear a business suit and three-inch heels, hoping to make a good impression. It was important to me to look pulled together so the people I dealt with would assume I knew what I was doing.

Then I attended a Women’s Conference and heard a speaker talk about how others could tell a lot about our personality our purse size. (Which totally blew my whole dress for success theory). This was a little horrifying to me, because I always carried a purse about the size of Texas. As she proceeded with her talk, I learned women who carried small purses are perceived as decisive, powerful, organized, and goal orientated. All the things I wanted to be, and felt I was not.

In that conference I learned big purse people were thought of as fun, artistic, easy-going and their purses were usually mess. (I knew that, my purse carried papers, wrappers, candy, Swiss army knife and a telephone at the bottom I could never find. In fact once something went into that purse, it could be lost forever. I thought my purse was my secret, I wonder if she had peeked.

At that moment I decided to become small purse woman, so people would think I had all the attributes of a responsible businesswoman.

I laugh when I think back to those days when I put so much emphasis on a purse. Even funnier, I bought that small purse.
When I couldn’t get everything into it, I ended up carrying two Safeway bags around

Karan K. Gleddie

Offering Love and Laughter to Women who need Hope

Articles

I wouldn’t ride that thing if you paid me!

Cowgirl Up!

Through The Looking Glass

The Great Laundry Caper

The Big Purse Principle