Hi Team
Just thought I'd post a wonderful shot that was taken by our Drummer Girl, Lori. I think the shot says it all!

Racing Eve

Great practice last night team! Way to make a short one count and not get hit by lightning!

See you tomorrow morning, bright and early. Don't forget - staging area by 8:00 a.m. for our 8:30 race. Get there early and drop your stuff off at the tent that Joanne, our fearless Captain, is setting up as we speak and will inform us later as to where it is.

Also - tanks tomorrow morning, so if you didn't give Joanna your cheques last night, please have them ready for tomorrow morning.

Rest up, carb up and see you tomorrow!!

We may have missed the first practice, but we were still thinking of our Boatylicious teammates... especially when we came upon this "Dragon Boat Races" painting in Winnipeg!

Practice Dates and Times: (please arrive 15 minutes before)
June 6th at 6pm
June 9th at 10:10am
June 16th at 10:10am
June 21st at 6pm

Practice FAQs:
- Length of practice: 55 minutes.
- Location: Rideau Canoe Club (RCC). Address is 804 Hogs Back Rd close to Prince of Wales Drive. It is right beside the Hogs Back locks. You can see a white building as you are driving down Hogs Back Drive.
- Dress: You will get wet during these practices so try to choose clothes which are quick to dry. T-shirts and shorts typically work best.
- Parking: There is limited parking available at the RCC. Please pay attention to all markings on the field when parking and do not block exits for parked cars. Some lines will be drawn on the field to indicate where cars should be parked. Due to the number of people the RCC will not be able to handle all vehicles. Other options for parking include: Hogs Back Park, Mooneys Bay and surrounding side roads.
- Paddles and life jackets are provided
- Bring something to drink during the practice
- Practices are not cancelled if there is rain. The only situation where a practice may be cancelled is in the case of lightning. Typically these decisions are made on site.

Counting Down ...

11 days to go until our first practice! Yahoo!!

Boatylicious Logo Reveal!

Thanks so much to Lori 1 for her creativity!

Thoughts? Comments? Please leave them below!

Girls Night Out

A group of us met at the Earl of Sussex last Saturday for a few drinks. The Earl of Sussex was hosting a dragon boat fundraising event, so it was the likely starting point for our evening. We stayed for a while and then switched over to the Brig. Team members present were: Lo, Lina, Lorina, Jo (not pictured), Monique, K-dub and myself (3rd from left).

Some conversation topics from the evening:
- Planning the abduction of Britney Spears - to save her from herself
- Publicizing the Boatylicious name
- Creation of the full line of Boatylicious active wear, right down to the knee socks, and,
- Training for the half marathon at the end of May – (the weekend before our first practice!)

Personally, I had a great time and am already looking forward to the next time.

Practice Dates are Booked!

Our practices have been booked. The dates and times are:

June 6th at 6 pm
June 9th at 10:05 am
June 16th at 10:05 am, and,
June 21st at 6pm.

Race day is June 23rd (and possibly, although not likely, June 24th).

Training will be held at the Rideau Canoe Club. For more info on the club, please see the link on the right.

We’ll be sending around more information regarding training once Spring arrives. It’s coming soon isn’t it?

Profile: Joeann

DJ: Admin Assistant, Department of Justice
AMB: To get a permanent job, (unlike captain Joanne)
PD: Like I said a job, any job as long as it is permanent
NN: Josie (without the pussycats)
PP: Watching my bus drive by
HT: Sewing
W: Cheesecake
CP: My children, family and friends
FS/Q: Sakes alive

Profile: Linda

DJ: Program Manager/Policy Officer, Support Enforcement Policy and Implementation Unit, Family, Children and Youth Section, Department of Justice Canada.
AMB: To travel the world when I retire!
PD: Still working on that one!
NN: PU (Parental Unit) from my kids. My close friends and my brother call me Lu
PP: People that don't laugh enough!
HT: Having a napkin for every occasion, and the ability to scent out a tea room in any location.
W: Strawberries and really good dark chocolate! Any English pub or tea room.
CM: Sharing my childhood haunts in the UK with my children and grandson.
CP: My daughter Samantha, son, Michael and his wife Cherie and Grandson Cameron. My extended family and close friends.
FQ: Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.
LW: Always remember that you are never alone.

Profile: JoAnna

DJ: Teacher
AMB: 8 hours sleep (small baby at home)
PD: Currently without direction beyond ambition above
NN: Jo

PP: The entire bus lane from Aylmer to Ottawa
W: Chocolate covered anything
CM: Canoe gunneling (yes, I'll be tipping the boat if I can)
CP/P: My dog
FQ: Dwell in possibility (E. Dickinson)

More profiles to come...

We have a lot of profiles up so far, and still to come are:

• Karen B
• Karen D
• Sarah

Our heroic alternates:

• Anne
• Monique
• Yvonne
• Mel

We look forward to receiving and posting the outstanding profiles!! Send them to loribrooks@gmail.com!

Profile: Sharon

DJ: Senior HR Resourcing Consultant - PSHRMAC
AMB: Freedom 55 ( just like Barbara!)
PD: Calabogie - right on the lake
PP: Not having enough vacation time, Junk mail on my blackberry
HT: Making sure my friends remain alive and in one piece
W: Good food, good wine, good martinis, good shooters ( get the picture?)
CM: Vacations with family and friends
CP: Family and dog Barney, and friends
FS: Shall we open up another bottle of wine?

Profile: Lina

DJ: Travel Consultant
AMB: To have a place somewhere warm near the ocean
PP: computer gremlins, insomnia, commercials - the stupid/bad variety
HT: spitting like a legless serpent (actual name withheld to respect the sensibilities of certain Boatylicious members)
W: Cinnamon, back rubs, animals, accents (highly dangerous when in combination with kilts, dress uniforms)
CM: my travels, particularly the ones to NOLA
CP&P: family, friends, and my dog Teddi who I still miss
FS: Even Impossible says I am possible
LW: Looking forward to first practice!

Profile: Lisa

DJ: Program Evaluation Manager
AMB: Queen of the World (what can I say…I dream big!)
PD: Lady in Waiting
NN: Lee lee, Bubbie
PP: Slow poke drivers, magazine pages without numbers...drives me crazy =)
HT: Being able to simultaneously steer with my knees, talk on the phone, play with the stereo and car dance all while driving super fast
W: Unfortunately, not having any noticeable “weapons of mass distraction” as can be seen in photo!! Obviously it’s not my shirt!!
CM: Crossing the finish line for my first marathon last year
FS/Q: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” - Dr. Suess
LW: “Let them eat cake”!

** Also, Lisa is the brains behind our fabulous team name, Boatylicious! **

Profile: Lael

DJ: Environmental Consultant
AMB: Professional snowboarder
PD: Whistler of course! :)
NN: Laelomatic
PP: Skiers
HT: Ability to eat endless amounts of cheeseburgers at McDonalds
W: Not being able to stay away from McDonalds
FS/Q: "Dude"
LW: "Make it happen people!"

Profile: Danielle

DJ: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (FISH) Resource Manager
AMB: To retire
PD: On a zip line, in a rain forest somewhere...or maybe a beach.....
NN: Danny
PP: Cheaters at broom ball
HT: I don't think I have any (well maybe cheating at broom ball)
W: M&Ms
CM: A hammock, on an island, somewhere in Algonquin Park
CP/P: Cherished pet is Buddy my dog. Cherished people: The girls: Michelle & Stéphanie Kaleta, Tania Vogel, Kelly & Jen Lapointe, Tracy and Jen Paterson, Jen. Webber and of course their moms (Shane Vogel and Kyle Webber too but I am making this list a girls only one).
FS/Q: the F word as it means "I love you" to those in the know.
LW: "whatever"

Profile: Lori B... 2

Name: Lori Brooks
DJ: Evaluation, Department of Justice
AMB: Make movies; retire (I'm so close to 2033!!!)
PD: Victim of a “you are required to work until you are 95 due to labour shortages” labour policy… DAMMIT!
NN: R2D3; “bark!”; Lo; (fresh) fish
PP: Pedestrian unfriendly drivers; anything that requires patience
HT: I can suck both nostrils in at the same time! Also, making a jackass out of myself (see photo to the left).
W: Mr. Felix and Mr. Norton cookies, poutine, peanut butter M&Ms, Le Nordik, celebrity gossip (not just my paddling is shallow!)
CM: The travels, the dance at my wedding… oh yeah, and the wedding.
CP & P: Husband (by the way, that’s his name too), Willy the very badly behaved Pomeranian
FQ: "God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh." (Voltaire)
LW: Estimated amount of glucose used by an adult human brain each day, expressed in M&Ms: 250

See more at mon blog: http://loribrooks.wordpress.com/

Profile: Amy

Name: Amy Brown
DJ: Slave to an evil computer known to all as “The Freeze”
AMB: Crusader – the caped kind
PD: Buckled in two in the back yard after failed attempt to fly with said cape
NN: Ams, Brown Muffin and Bella

PP: Socks on backwards (eeew)!

HT: The invention of NEW WORDS

W (es): A good bottle of wine and a smooth talkin’ man gets me every time

CP/P: Bob – the cat who thinks he’s a dog! Mufette - the cat that thinks she’s an 18th Century French Bourgeoisie! Washington – the dog that knows he’s a dog but is enjoying his retirement under his tree just the same. And, of course, ALL friends of the two legged variety – I’m a LOVER and that’s all there is to it!

CM: Road trips, holidays and the now infamous New Year’s ski trips…champagne & veggie dogs, first barbecue at the lake, first 1/2 marathon… LIFE!

Profile: Debbie

DJ: Ma Bell
AMB: To Retire
PD : Retirement
PP : Forgetting to pack a corkscrew!
HT : Well Hidden.........
W: White Wine, Chocolate, Golf
CM: My children, Vacations
CP/P: My family, Smokey, My fellow tribe mates
FS/Q: El Vino blanco por favor!

Profile: Captain Joanne

DJ: Program Analyst
AMB: Never to grow up!
PD: Given my ambition, perhaps the un-employment line?
NN: The usual: Jo, JJ, J, however, given that 3 people on the team share the same name, I'm gonna have to create a unique one soon, hmmm...
PP: People who take the joy out of life.
HT: To see the possibilities. OH! I can also braid my hair with my toes … ok, how 'bout I can paint my toes while wearing my hair in braids? I have a lot of hair, so the braiding alone is a talent for sure!
W: Anything chocolate, especially Nella the chocolate lab.
CM: Waking up this morning.
CP/P: Nella, my chocolate bunny bear.
FS/Q: I will not fear. Fear is the mind killer. I will face my fear and it will pass through me. And, when it is gone there will be nothing, only I will remain.
LW: Bring on bikini bootcamp! Florida is just two months away!!

www.nellathechocolatelab.com

Profile: Chantal

DJ: Chef, maid, fashion consultant and 24/7 hour clown/medic to an 11th month old son.
AMB: For him not to fire me!!!
PD: Employed but demoted to VP.
NN: Hey you
PP: Waiting. Snotty people. Spam e-mail.
W: Celebrity magazines. Junk food.
CM: Too many to chose from but the ultimate highlight was the birth of my son.
CP/P: My loveable neurotic doggy Milo

FS/Q: Love you to the ends of the earth and back.
LW: Love is all you need ;-)

Profile: Barbara

DJ - Manager, Program Development, Department of Justice
AMB - Freedom 55!
PD - Too scary to think about
NN - Don't have one
PP - Waiting in lines (and messy bathrooms)
HT - Too far hidden to be found
W - Good food and good wine - but really, potato chips
CM - Too many to list - my life!
CP/P - My fabulous daughters and husband and my forever dog Penny
FS/Q - You don’t stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stopped laughing! (They change often by the way - this is the flavour of the month).
LW - yet to be said!

Profile: Maureen

DJ: City of Ottawa

AMB: to make it through the Dragonboat race!

PD: nearest bar

NN: Moe
HT: none

W: wine

CM: some great parties, cottage visits and trips

CP/P: husband, kids and great friends

FS/Q: I am always cold except for when I am very hot

LW: Hold my hand and lead me - I am a virgin blogger and dragonboater!!

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Chinese Zodiac Sign: Dragon

Profile: Ingrid

NN: Mom

DJ: government scribe
AMB: freedom for all
PD: 6 years cash for life

PP: hackers and sneezers in offices and buses

HT: they all surface @ home

W: Chocolate and red wine
CM: trips/holidays
CP/P: 3 daughters

FS/Q: "work it out"

LW: I'll reserve those for the future