Install new kitchen in our house

Hi all!

Well, I have finished building all cabinets for our house. We are still waiting for the doors to arrive though. Also have to build a few roll outs for our pantry cabinets. It is looking good!

I am working a lot now so it is difficult to find time to work on our own house. Only weekends of course.

I hope you are all working hard to improve you body strength! Whole body! Legs, stomach back, and legs. All are vital to perform at your personal best.

Bye for now.

Doug

Apartment kitchen installing

Hi !

The kitchen company I work for in Kelowna put me on a big project in Penticton. It is an apartment building. So far I must do all the work by myself. Chrissy has been helping me though and has been very helpful.

We are still working on our house on weekends. We are getting closer to finishing. I have most of the new cabinetry installed. We are waiting the the cabinet doors to come in. I ordered those.

Bye for now.

Doug

Making cabinets!

Hi!

I am on to the stage of making the kitchen cabinetry. I am using Chrissy's dad's shop. It has been fun to make on my own, but lots of work. I have so busy between work and working on this project with the house. not much time for any thing else. Well, I have made time to play with Makaiya after dinner. We have been playing catch with a tennis ball. Of course reading to her in her bed before she sleeps. Here are some pictures from today at the shop, and my truck and trailer.

Bye for now.

Doug

Preparation takes time and patience

Hi !

We are doing well with our house renewal. It is amazing how similar preparation is with our house renewal and ski racing. The better the preparation the better the finished product and better the finish in racing. I spent a lot of time leveling the floor, preparing the ceiling for the finish spray and so on. The preparation needed time, patience, planning, timing, and plan old hard work.

Now ski racing needs the same preparation! Endurance, Strength and power from our body's. That takes time, and effort. I have still been working out at home. Lifting weights. Full body work outs. legs , core (stomach and back), and upper body. My vision is that more of you do the same! If you can do that the better chance for even better results. As well as a better chance for a longer, healthier life! My work outs take 45 to 30 minutes. As I said I do them all at home. I did have to buy dumb bell weights.

http://www.bowflexselecttech.ca/bst_microsite_ca/products.jsp

This site has very compact system. They may be found on auctions and I did see them at Costco in Kelowna. They may have them at the Costco in Japan?

http://www.beachbody.com/category/video.do?bclid=6614435001

http://www.beachbody.com/category/video.do?bclid=6615759001

These sites are DVD sets that are very good. I use the Chalean Extreme DVD set.

Bye for now. Please check them out! And do your best to prepare!

Doug

Ceiling repair

Hi every one,

Another step toward our house renewal was achieved today. We had to put new dry wall up on the ceiling where we took the old parts out. The old ceiling had a textured spray on it. The Challenge was to add to the new one , but at the same time match to the old! That was a concern for me since the original ceiling was done 30 years ago. Today we did our best and matched it!!!!! I am thrilled! Chrissy will will paint the walls next. I will start building the kitchen cabinets.

The last time I played golf I shot 77. The time before that 80. I feel like I have a better understanding of how to play and swing. My handy cap is 8 now. My goal is to be 0 though.

House renewal update

Hi!

It has been very busy here in Kelowna. I have been leveling our floor in the Kitchen, dinning , and living room. It was very out of level. We are putting hard wood flooring in so the sub floor must be very level.

The weather is finally warming up. We have officially temperatures in the 20's. I have not golfed much. I am playing tomorrow though. And maybe Ssaturday. I will let you know how I shoot.

I am still working out in the mornings. Hard to do while I am working. I get up early and do it before Chrissy or Makaiya wake up. I do feel strong and my lower back is also pain free. Anyway, Do your best to improve your body strength.

Bye for now.

Doug

Back Yard

Hi all!

We have been busy working on our house inside and out. Here are some pictures of the back yard. We have been pulling weeds and working on greening up the lawn. Nice blossoms on one of the trees.

I played golf on Saturday. Shot 90. Not very good but I did enjoy myself. PLayed with some of my dad's friends.

Bye for now.

Doug

Last wall tear down!

Well we packed away all of our things in the last walls cabinets. As well as teared it down. Also took another load of wood to the city dump. For the same cost as yesterday. $6! We have My trailer filled again with the dry wall from the old walls. We will have to dump that tomorrow.

I am helping Chriss'y dad with a kitchen he is working on in Oyama. Oyama is a town name North of Kelowna. 30 minutes from my house.

Another update is that I have continued weight training around 5 times per week. I am feeling very good. I am working out before I start work. Around 6 to 7 am is when I start. It is hard to do sometimes, but I feel good after I finish. My back is still feeling good. The weight training has helped it a lot.

Bye for now.

Doug

Wall tear down!

Hi,

We did more tear down work today. The wall closest to our dinning room. The dinning , kitchen area is looking so big now. We plan to do the last wall tomorrow. We have to pack many things from the old cabinets.

Also took the old carpet to the city dump. It did cost only $6. I hope to take a few pictures there next time.

More later.

Doug

Picture

Upper floor renewal

Hi all!

I arrived home from the coaching seminar and Chrissy gave me a surprise. Her dad and her took the first wall down of 3. We are in a house that as built in 1980. The design then was to have the kitchen closed off from the rest of the house. We are taking the 3 walls down to open the kitchen completely up to the living room and dinning room. They call that a "Great room" concept. I bought new hard wood flooring 2 years ago and this year Chrissy's dad will build our kitchen cabinets.

Today we took the old carpet out. It was so disgusting! We looked at the back of the carpet after we removed it and saw many , many old stains, mold, and dirt! Vacuuming did not pick up the deep down dirt. We removed the old staples , nails and cleaned the plywood thoroughly!

I loaded my truck and trailer with all of the all carpet and underlay. When I take it to Kelowna's city dump it will only cost me $6 to dump it. I wonder how much it would be in Japan?

Bye for now.

More later.

Doug

More Pictures

Last Day of the Coaching Summit

Hello Everyone,

I am back in Kelowna now. My trip to Nakiska was a good one. On the Last Day I was in the GS group. The things the National team coaches were teaching us was the same as we have been working on. The Basics! A solid and quick balance change, separation between the upper and lower body, and moving towards the next turn with our energy. They did not really talk about looking ahead, but that is a must to be able to see the line ahead of us.

We also talked about knee injuries. ACL tears. The worst case about the ACL tears is that they are missed sometimes. It is very important to fix the Ligament before cartilage damage is done. The injury happens usually while trying to recover from sitting back, or from a very, quick twisting movement inside. Both are recovery moves. The twisting move inside is from a late hit of pressure after the fall line. The best injury prevention seems to be if we can stay balanced in the middle and to stay on line. Look ahead. If you tear the ACL you usually hear or feel a pop. There is little swelling, and difficult to straighten the leg. The outside back of the knee is the sore point.

Mark Sharpe , and other Coaches from the World DVD's were there. They are in some of the pictures.

They stressed that all should work of course on ski technique and body power, but also on being simply athletic. Able to move and adapt on demand and to any condition.

I am very passionate about mental training as well. I have been working on a Mental imagery audio session. I hope to share it with more of you next season.

Bye for now.

Doug

Nakiska coaching Summit

Hello!

I am at Nakiska now. Most of the Head coaches from all of Canada are here, along with the National Head coaches. From Both Men and Women sides.

This is the first year we have had it on snow. It has been great to see many of my old friends from when I ski raced. Yes, Many are coaches now.

Every day we go to a different Discipline. My first day was SL and today we Super G and DH. The main topic has been stick to the basics. When training the different events, break the training runs up into specific focus areas. For example in SL combination's( Hair pins and Flushes only ) Corridors with different off sets and distances. The way we are training now. Same for DH. Jumping station, open turns, gilding on a flat ski, starts and so on.

We also have afternoon meetings talking about safety and injury prevention. Today I am not sure.

We have had great sunny hot days and great spring skiing.

I will update again soon.

Bye for now.

Doug

Coaching Summit at Nakiska Ski Resort

Hello!

Life here is back to the norm. It has finally started to warm up. We finally hit 20 degrees C last week.

I did do some skiing with My family before it warmed up. The local ski hill closed last weekend.

I will leave tomorrow for the annual coaching Summit put on by the CSCF. I will go with some friends from Kelowna. Both are coaches for the Kelowna Ski Club. It will be a fun trip. It lasts for 3 days. We will make groups. Each group will have one day in SL, GS, and Speed. The Canadian National ski team coaches will lead it, along with the CSCF. This is the first time on snow. We usually just have meetings inside. I will update my Blog during the Summit.

Enjoy your spring season! Relax and have some refresh time after your ski season. BUT I really hope more of you will push your selves to increase your Body strength and power over the off season. In all areas Legs, core and upper body. Why? Lets go it more detail when I return from Nakiska.

Have a great weekend!

Doug

Nato?

Hello everyone!

I have settled back here in Canada.

It is still cool here. Fresh snow today in the hills. In fact Makaiya and I are going skiing on Saturday. Still too cold for golf. I have been practicing. Feels good!

I was in a Oriental store the other day and found my favorite breakfast food. Nato! It tasted good! It is frozen but the taste was fine. Yeah! Nato all year. Chrissy Thinks I'm crazy.

Bye for now.

Doug

The Family Picture

Hi again,

The picture in the last blog is a picture from a few years ago. The men of the Ito Family. My Dad, brother Rick, Rick's son Takoda, and me!

Hi From Canada

Hello Everyone,

I am guessing many of you are surprised to hear I had to leave Japan! Me Too! I had to return home to spend precious time with my father. He died On March 15th with myself my brother and our wives by his side. He had been fighting an aggressive stomach cancer. He surprised many by how long he fought it! I am very proud of him! How he cared for me, taught me valuable lessons of life, played with me, and loved me! He is my hero for many reasons!

Thank you all for your kind understanding! I wish you all finish the season strong! I am very proud of your efforts this season. Always do your own personal best and you will always be a winner!

Bye for now!

Doug

Spring skiing / Making pizza

Hi guys!

It was a good spring skiing day today. Hard snow, and cloudy for most of the morning. Perfect! The group skied great today, which made it even better.

Today we made pizza at dinner. Or I should say Yuu made pizza. it was his first time this year. It was good!

Bye for now

Doug

Happy Girls day!

Happy Girls Day!

Us Men are so lucky that we have beautiful , Kind , Loving Girls all around us! Thanks for being here!

Doug

Good morning March, 3, 2010

Good morning Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well!

For the last week or so it has been spring conditions. Very warm with rain, and hot sunny days. The snow has reduced alot. It is suppose to cool down. I hope so. It feels like the end of March right now.

I hope you have all enjoyed the season so far1 I have!

I have been going to the gym after coaching. Yes, weight training. It was hard to motivate myself to start. I do feel very good now that I have made a routine. More energy and I just feel stronger and more confident. For all of you my hope is that you can all arrange your time to do some strength training. It will help not only your ski racing performance, but your overall life performance. Of course it will be uncomfortable at first. Anything that is worth while takes extra effort! I hope you all can start. I know you will all feel great about yourselves if you do it!

Have a good day!

Doug

Sunny days in Sugadaira

Hello All,

Monday training was great today! Sunny and warm. The snow was still very icy. I was able to take a few runs with the guests today. We worked on being stable through all phases of the turn with our upper body, and looking ahead. It was difficult for some,but saw very positive results for others.

This season is flying bye. I cannot believe it is almost March. Just a hand full of weekends left. I look forward to finishing the season off strong!

Oh, I will keep you informed to when we have next seasons test skis.

Bye for now.

Doug

Test skis!

Hello!

It was a good day today. There was a Rossignol test today at Omatsu Yama. We were able to take 2 pairs of skis to Tsubakuro. Next years skis are very good! Fast edge catch and solid under the foot. Very stable. I am very excited to use them more. They were very fun!

It is cool again here and it snowed a little last night. Conditions look good for the weekend. Looking forward to seeing you all!

Bye for now.

Doug

Hello Powerfull ski racers

Hello All!

It has been warm here in Sugadaira. The snow conditions most likely will turn to ice! That means smaller ruts! That also means your skis need to be sharp. Be prepared! Always warm up and stretch your body, have your boots tight, skis sharp and waxed, and have a positive attitude about yourself. When it comes to looking at your results. Look and compare only with yourself. No need to compare your self with your friends. You can not control what they do, you can only control what you do.

Good luck in your races and focus on skiing at your personal best. I believe in all of you!

See you soon.

Doug

Great Start to the season!

Hello Every One!

It has been very busy! I love it though! It has been nice to see most of you maintaining good basic skills from last year! So far many have been pushing very hard for more improvement. It is very fulfilling for me to see your desire to improve!

Accel racers have not only been improving on their skills but also in Great race results! Congratulations to all that have reached new personal bests in Races! I am very proud of all of you! Lets keep pushing the limits!

See you soon!

Doug

Hello all ski racers

Hi Guys!

Conditions are getting better here all the time. We are getting natural snow and it is cool enough that they have been making too. Looks better than last year now.

Just some tips when you arrive here to start your training. Before we start skiing on the hill, please make sure you warm up and stretch your body out! Have your skis tuned to match the condition of the snow. ( hard, compact snow). Your attitude is positive , and expect to perform at your personal best! Lets take advantage of the time we do have on the snow.

This past week Rossignol had a business meeting and ski test in Sugadaira. They stayed at Zonntaggu. The event went well. Skis and boots have change for next year. The skis feel very good. The boots also look good. Did not get to try them though.

I am looking forward to seeing you!

Doug

O U Maru ski JO?

Hi Everyone,

Our was first weekend of skiing was at a new ski area for me. Around 40 minutes from Sugadaira. The run that was open was short and flat. We were able to do great basic training though.

During the week we skied at the same ski area but we were lucky enough that they opened the top ski lift too. The top has medium terrain. It was nice and compact too.

We are skiing at Omatsu Yama today. I will let you know what it is like.

Bye for now.

Doug

Hello Japan

Hello Everyone,

It is very exciting to be back in Japan. Not a lot of snow yet but we did do some great basic training on a flat slope. The exciting point is that all the racers that came skied very solid! We worked on balance changing initial edging from the ankle and steering with the shin muscle, and pole planting.

I am looking forward to seeing more of you!

Bye for now.

Doug