Notes from Helen

later

2007-06-24T15:30:00.000-04:00

I meant to get back at this the next day or so but other things got in the way.

Last fall the oven door fell off. It couldn't be welded but has served us well. It was given to us when we built the cottage and was at least 30 years old then and we have had it for 25 years or so. They don't build them like they used to. Lifetime then meant probably 30 years or so and todays model may last 10 tears if you are lucky and don't use it too often. We mentioned that we were in the market for a good used stove and lo and behold our son-in-law found one . It is not more then 5 years old, has a working clock on it plus a self cleaning oven and is beautiful and the price was right. Never thought I'd be so anamoured with the likes of a stove but am smitten.

Last fall when Don made his annual batch of fruit cakes and when time came to put them in the oven it took the 2 of us. Don would put his knee to the door and open it easy and not too far and me to slip the tray of cakes in the oven. The door only came part off once and it was a hot thing to put back in place. This fall when cake baking time rolls around he should not need my help.

I usually read any letters I send but by the time I got the last blog done just forgot and when reading it over since, the mistakes in spelling and such must not do that again.

On our trip to Digby we arrived in rain and most of the weekend it rained, misted then would clear but no sun till Monday afternoon when we were leaving.

We arrived in Digby on thursday afternoon. We went to the arena on Friday to register and Don had forgotten to register, he thought he had earlier in the year. He then registered and we gathered at the meet and greet room. There sure are a lot fewer who attend but we had one couple from Vancouver and one couple from Victoria so had a good time with them. All are in their 80;s and so it is understandable that those who used to attend are no longer able. In the room we had at the inn was a microwave. We went shoping and bought some popcorn so we popped pop corn and as the executive meeting was in our room I had popped corn for the 7 members who attended. No one believed we had such a goodie but they sure devoured it. It was not raining when we went to the arena that evening for the banquet , rained hard while we were in but had quit when we came out after. Good timing. On Sunday was to have been a parade which had to be cancelled due to a possible rain. Many gathered at the cenotaph to watch the laying of the wreaths. As Don had a wreath to lay we attended that and no rain but very overcast and the rain waited till we were back at the arena. The committee put on a very entertaining afternoon entertainment. In the evening we had several back to our room for drinks and popcorn. On monday afternoon we took the ferry to St John and on our way to Woodstock. As I was to watch for the turn off, and missed it we were going south instead of west. Three quarters of an hour later, after realizing we were not on where we should be , we got on the road going west. Wouldn't you know the sun was low and so bright and we driving right in to it Don could hardly see but the traffic was near nil so it was easier. We found a motel and next morning we left for another motel. Don has a wonderful sense of direction but each day, coming and going we managed to get on a wrong road. We arrived in Montreal on the next day and to visit Don's navy friend with a report for him and as we had been there the sunday before and found their home we got lost again and had to stop and ask, and that is not a man's way , to ask directions but we did. We arrived home later that daay, happy to have gone but tired so home felt good.

Last year I had a ringing in the ears and at times I thought everyone could hear the ring and it is a wonder that someone didn't say, Answer that phone. By Christmas time the left side of my head was so sore along with a major headache. To the Dr and was prescribed therapy as my neck was so sore , that didn't work. Then on antibiotics for an inner ear and sinus infection and thay didn't help so off to a heart and stroke Dr as I had had a dizzy spell. I had the appoinment the next week and he diagnosed it as temporal arteritis . Never heard of it so on the interenet and read all about it. I sure had all the symptons as well as the blood test said so. I was on and am on prednesone and am much better. Not crazy about the side effects. They don't know what causes it but it is an inflamation of the arteries of the head. The biopsy showed negative. It is not as rare as I thought as I have read of many reports of others suffering from the same thing on the interent. This is what happens when medical science is bound to keep us all alive till past 100 or so and the old bod is trying to adapt.

June 1st was my 84th birthday and when did it show up so fast? I am now working on my 85th and plan on making it as we have plans for next spring as well as a bus trip to Myrtle Beach this October. The day before my birthday we were going out for a celebration as we had been invited out to dinner at friend the 1st and when we arrived at the restaurant, there were our 2 grandaughters waiting for us . What a welcome surprise. They knew where we were going and at what time. They spent the night with us then had to go back the next morning as work got in the way.

Have been to a few Red Hat affairs and fun there. We have done some volunteer work and visiting so seniors can do a lot to keep busy and happy.

We were to have gone with the steam boat crowd this June but there were too many other things we had said we would do so had to miss that this year.

This past thursday evening it started to rain then came the hail. It hailed and rained heavy for at least 5 minutes and I thought , my plants, but they survived. The porch was covered in white as were the pots of flowers. It was the size of marbles, never have seen that before. It has been cooler since as we have had some very humid weather. What a relief for a lot of people with breathing problems. We are on our way to dinner, Have a good one all.

June 10

2007-06-10T14:33:00.000-04:00

Finally after 2 months it is time to blog again. March was the last time I was so inspired and time to again. Daughter #1 suggested that she found it dunnu about a citation we recieved on the dash of our car one day when we were in our local city. We had parked on a side street, not knowing how long we would be and parking fees rather on the silvery side, we went to a clinic. When we returned there was a paper in a plastic bag, a miserable day it was, under the wiper blade. On it was a violation for parking too close to a driveway. No closer than .05 m is tolerated. And it wasn't a driveway, it was a piece of lawn the owner of the place had carved out for a parking lots for apparently more than one car that they possessed. We were at the edge of the spot. At the bottom of the list of violations was a happy face. As we have a veterans license plate on the car plus a NAVY sticker on the back window and the officer felt sorry for the old boy who was driving there was no charge. Good for the officer. It was during the day and no cars parked in the driveway. There is hope yet for we seniors.

During the winter Don walked to the sseniors each morning to hear any gossip, swap stories and have coffee whle I went to the pool for exercise. We manaaged to play 6 handed euchre with 2 couples once a week or whenever convenient and generally enjoyed letting the days open like a rose. We attend the Legion most Sunday nights for a delicious dinner and a visit with whoever we meet there.

We visited the cottage near the end of April and a few mice had founf their way inside so a cleaning job to do. Also the well pump had quit so we had to have a new pump put in probably due to the fact that we hadn't used it all winter. As there has been a loy of country building most of the men who do pumps were busy but through a neighnour we found a fellow who came one night and installed a new pump so we were once more in business.

A good navy friend of Don's who lived here in town died 4 days after we had a good visit with him the end of April. As there was an annual navy reunion

May`18th weekend in Digby, Nova Scotia the friend and wife were planning on attending and possibly driving with us.We were fearful for this plan as he wasn't good then but things do have a way of looking after themselves. We often played bridge with he and his wife but his heart was so bad we all wondered that it had beat for as long as it did without giving out before.

For several years we have had a lazy boy chair at the condo, very comfy but was glad that we spent 6 months or so at the cotage and away so I din't have to look at it. I didn't like the colour, didn't match anything. We had it before we moved to Picton, which was 15 years ago and this spring it got to me. The local furniture store was going out of business so a SALE. I visited and liked what I thought would do altho the colour had to be changed . I mentioned it to Don so another day when we were uptown I persuaded him to have a look. He decided that a new chair was in order. The one we had went to a granddaughter who had just bought a condo with a finished rec room and a chesterfield but nothing else so she has the chair plus a new pretty blanket I won, to cover whatever, It was delivered after we moved to our summer place so have yet to have a nap in it. We moved to the cottage thursday May 3rd and it has been lovely here. As we have lots of wood and a neat wood stove we are warmer than in town with too high priced electric heating. Our young retired lady police officer who lives next door helped us mopve the few things we bring back and forth each time we move.

On May 4th our son-in-law from the city came down to buy some lumber , cheaper than the city, and to deliver a new stove . We all have a million stories to tell and the stove episode is one of them. We had to hussle to get things ready as our son Tom came that night from Vancouver to help his dear old parents do whatever had to be done. We had it done. He was with us till the next the next thursday and we took him to Kingston for a flight to Toronto where he met his wife and they flew to England that night. They were there and in Ireland for 3 weeks. Christine had a neice getting married and they wanted to go to the wedding.We had a good time with him and lots of visiting as well as work. You don't have the younger ones around and not have them do a few jobs.On the friday we volunteered at the dialysis clinic, packed and on Sunday left for the Nova Scotia. It was Mothers Day and shortly after 7 a.m. the phone rang and it was Tom phoning from England to wish me a Happy Mothers Day.What a wonderful surprise. He left a suuny week here to a rainy England.

We stopped in Montreal to visit Don's treasurer, Don has been President of the combined operations section of the navy since 1983, no one else wanted it, to find him ill with cancer. We left there and started for Drummondville, a place in Quebec. Don has a good sense of direction but it rathere left him but as I was the navigator I should have had a better finger on the map as we each day got on a wrong road but managed to fix that before we got completely lost.

The next day we drove to a place called Pugwash in N. S. to visit the Andersons. Our daughter Sandy and their daughter Pat , when they heard that we were going to Digby decided the parents should meet. They set up the whole affair much earlier. We met Pats parents over the phone and arrived at their place in the early afternoon. The girls flew in to Moncton that evening and arrived after 7. In the meantime we had a good visit with her parents. her fathere has been in the process of building a house for some time. If I had been Pats mother I would probably have said , You can't ask people here when we aren't built yet but that didn't bother them, and we had a delightful time with them. Don was showm all the wonderful things that have been put n the heat saving and energy conserving house and was very impressed. It rained off and on whil;e there plus on Wed night it SNOWED. On Wednight we had a lobster dinner. Pat's dad went out about 4 and came back with 6 2 pound lobsters. I never saw any like that before but then we don't have any lobsterd inland except in the restaurants. I had my first lesson in unsheelling the critter. It was so good. As we left the next morning with snow and rain coming down I threw a soggy snow ball at the house. Down the road from them was more snow thewn as we got closer to Halifax it just rained.

It is rest time so will continue another day.

Have a happy one.

procrastinating????

2007-03-05T15:00:00.000-05:00

Altho I keep a daily diary faithfully how come that I haven't blogged for some time? Wonder why! The last time was mid December. That was a busy month as we went out a lot and by the end of the month I had gained 10 pounds. The first week of January saw 5 of them gone and 2 weeks later the other 5 left. By this time we were back to smaller meals and more sensible ones. I usually serve our plates from the kitchen so as the experts say used portion control. Right now we are finishing up the chocolates, we each have 1, one that is, for noon dessert. I keep the box in the refrigerator and so take out 2 and put the box back. Out of sight out of mind.

I have been going to the pool each morning and the water has been lovely and warm so a pleasure to swim. A few exercises after tires me so it is good to get back home and look at the paper before breaky.

We went to Toronto for 8 days at Christmas time , had lunch with daughter # 1 then onto Brampton for the rest of the holiday with daughter # 2. Daughter #3 was travelling in Croatia for Christmas and to Vienna for New Years . We have enjoyed looking at the pictures she sent by e-mail. She said New Years eve in Vienna was fantabulous with celebrations all over the place. Many she thought spent all night partying. She was gone a month.

While in the city we took our 2 grand daughters to see "Wicked" a stage show. The music, staging and costumes were amazing. We did enjoy the performance. This was the Christmas present they asked for.

We had a delayed Winter season as far as winter went. Winter weather didn't start here till mid January. As our house faces the bay , we watched fishermen going out each morning till January 18th.

Our son-in-law Doug went with a church group to Nicaragua for 11 days in January to help with different projects and use their expertise in teaching how to build and so forth. He sure had his eyes opened as to how the other half live.

The Red Hatters have been busy going out to eat, gab, and generally have fun. St Patrick day is coming so we all wear green except for red hats.They are a must.

Have been visiting a chiropractor for a sore neck and back and that has been fixed. A sore back sure puts dancing on the back burner for awhile.

Our one grand daughter has just bought a town house and is loving this living by herself. She said if anyone comes for a meal they had better bring the food and cook it as she has yet to master cooking a meal for visitors or family. I can see what is going to happen if she decides to have Easter dinner at her place, as has been mentioned. I have sent her some recipe booklets that she might look over.

Since near the end of January we have had winter weather with a vengeance. Ice storms, snow up to near our clavicles, and cold winds. The winds haven't affected us here but other parts of the province have had power outages. No doubt now will be flooding when the warmer weather comes. O well, if we didn't have the weather to complain about we'd probably complain about our neighbour or something else.

A few of the dialysis volunteers have been to Florida or some warmer place so we have had extra volunteering to do there. Two of the patients have each received a kidney in January and doing well. So happy for them. Another one is having a transplant in August when her son has his 18th birthday . He is giving one of his to his mother , bless him.

My sister and husband came back on the weekend from the Dominican Republic and had a humid but sunny good time. We decided this year to stay home as we hadn't minded the winter so far and will be going to Nova Scotia in May. This packing, standing in line at the airport at each end, lining up to come back , wait for luggage and navigating through the crowds did not appeal to us this year. Must be we are showing our age. So far we have been too busy to take time to travel as yet. So far We have enjoyed staying home, attending meetings, going out for dinner 2 or 3 times a week and getting into our own bed at night.

Daughter #1 has a 9 year old Jack Russel dog. Last September he was lethargic and not up to his usual perky self so to the Vet. He had a thyroid condition. Medication fixed that until a week ago and then to the vet again. He has lymphoma, cancer of the glands. As she regularly massages the dog she felt the swelling in his neck so off to the vet. Her vet sent her to a specialist, didn't know there were specialists for animals, learn something new every day, and the dog is now on chemo plus plus plus . So far he is tolerating the drugs well. Hopefully the meds will extend his life for 6 months to a year or maybe a bit longer. Apparently thyroid conditions are often followed by cancer. Makes one wonder about all this so called fancy animal food that dogs when I was a kid never had. What are they putting in it? Our farm dogs ate left overs and whatever else they could scrounge. They lived for years without any serious ailments. Maybe the same thing is happening to people.

Must go as it is rest time. Must get at this sooner next time. Yeah!!!

At last

2006-12-17T13:56:00.000-05:00

I manage to do my daily diary but the blogging letters seem to take 2nd place as it has been some time before I have taken time to blog. We finally moved from the cottage to town the end of November . It was time to move even tho the weather has been so nice since. Today it is 50F and the sun is shining. A far cry from wet October and early November. A neighbour helped us move in. You would think that with both places equipped with everything that moving wouldn't be but a change of beds but not so. The computer has to be moved as well as the TV plus food in the freezer and clean out the refrigerato. It took the neighbour and us two trips each to get things moved. We have had our cotttage broken in before so don't leave any think of value for them.Good thing we moved in on the 30th as the next day poured with rain all day.

I have started back swimming which has improved my knee. It seems to have taken a long time for my knee to heal from surgery but I may be a dab impatient.

I can climb the stairs and walk but during the night the pain sometimes wakens me. As long as that is the least of my aches and pains.

On December 9th weekend we drove to daughter #2 to celebrate 3 birthdays. My Don, Tamara our granddaughter, and Daughter #1 all had birthdays within the month.. We stayed till Sunday morning and wanted to be home by 12.30 for a reception and meeting of our new minister. We made it in time . That evening we attended the annual Christmas dinner and get together of our lodge. We were invited out to dinner on the wednesday night and to the Red Hat and TOPS annual Christmas dinner on Thursday. We met with Dons 2 cousins and one spouse on Friday for a large luncheon and are going to dinner again tonight so have had a holiday from cooking this past week. No decisions to make, no dishes to do and how great that is. I do weary of that chore every now and then. My Don does like 3 meals a day. I have him trained now to get his own breakfast. I'm still at the pool when he gets up so if he wants to eat he has to get it ready.

Our weather has been spectacular. We just hope that it cools down soon or things will sprout and when frost does come they will freeze. The skiers may not be too happy in this area but we oldies are. We have a son who lives in Vancouver and their weather has been terrible Snow, heavy winds and RAIN. The ferries aren't running too regularly and they keep losing power. There are a lot of things we can choose but we have no choice over what weather we get. We wade through whatever is thrown at us, complain , and how we complain but there is nothing we can do.

We have our Christmas shopping done. We did it at the table. Our family doesn't need nor want anything this year, lucky aren't they?. Instead they are getting gifts for others who are without. We were introduced to World Vision, sooo they are giving turkeys, goats, chiskens with roosters to needy families in needy countrys. Sure was easier than elbowing through crowded stores, making decisions and wondering if we bought the right gift after all. Our contribution to Christmas dinner will be a turkey.

WE are taking our 2 granddaughters to see "Wicked" , their choice and that will be our present to ourselves as well. We don't have space for anything else and after all what do a pair of over 80 year olds need. We've had it all before.

I do wish all a Merry Christmas and Happy Greetings of the Season . May you all survive the festivities and start the New Year with a great attitude and zest for life.

rain, rain,rain

2006-11-17T10:38:00.000-05:00

Two weeks have flown by since my last blog, how could they have gone so fast? We are still at our summer place but will be moving soon to town, altho with no snow it is quite nice to stay here.

We have lots of wood for our wonderful stove and it keeps us very comfortable. We have had the smoke stack cleaned out so all is OK there.

We sure have had a cloudy and very rainy November, so far, the wettest on record but then so have a lot of other places. I made jalapeno jelly the other day and as I'm still in the imperial mindset the instructions said to use 4 ounces of Certo but the Certo package said 85ml. Now I had no idea how much that was so called the 1-800 number on the package. Isn't that what we are supposed to do or they wouldn't have given that nunmber. The lady who answered the phone didn't know but after 10 minutes, I can be patient at times, she had the answer for the 2 packages in the box. She said as they package that material for the Canadian market it had to be in our current table so I suggested that they also include, in brackets, the amount in the imperial. She said she would do that immediately. I asked her where she was and she said Texas. I asked about the weather and they sure would like some of our rain. Wish I could send an inch of it as our water meter showed 2 inches as of this morning. As soon as it dries , if it does before winter, Don has a grading job as our hill took a beating.

Last week we drove to Belleville for me to see the surgeon about my knee and to buy the fruit for the fruit cakes that Don makes every year. The Dr said he wanted to see me when the pain went away, like Jaunuary. There is not much pain now but when I get out of a low chair it sounds like a velcro strip coming apart. Hopefully that goes away in time or else I get used to it.

Don had a birthday a week ago and our 4 children and called him which pleased him very much. I was going to take him out to dinner that night but friends called and wanted us for dinner to celebrate so now we have to pick another time.

Don has the fruit cakes made. 3 different kinds. He bakes them in small pans, 3 inch by 5 inch. He has 28 pans of fruit cake. They make good Christmas gifts. The last one he made was a recipe he thinks he made once but that is doubtful. I never go near the kitchen when this operation is in progress, but had to help this time. There was far too much fruit and batter to stir so I put on the rubber gloves and with the big pan sitting in the sink, the table was too high for me to reach, mixed the concotion and put it in the pans. From there on he was incharge. All that is except the oven door. The door decided to fall off its hinges. It has worked fine all along. The poor stove is over 50 years old. They made them to last then. A lady that Don bowled with years ago was getting a new stove and asked if he wantes it as she knew we were building a cottage. She had had it for 25 years or more and wanted a newer up todate one. Later she said she would have liked to have had her old one back. To put the cakes in the oven required the two of us. Don to hold the door against the stove as he opened it and I to slide the tray of cakes in and out when done.

Tonight we are having a roast and it is going to cook on the wood stove. No way do I want to wrestle with that oven door.

On November 11th was Memorial Day so we went for the morning service and to the cenotaph and many marched to the Legion. It had rained hard during the night and eartly morning and while we were in church but not a drop while those who marched to the Legion , marched. Someone was watching . After we left the Legion it was pouring with rain again but it was dry in here and warm. A great service. AS Don was in the Navy during the war he was decked out in his uniform and looked very sharp.

Our 2 granddaughters couldn't think of a thing they needed or wanted for Christmas , what a lucky pair. The oldest one did say she would like to go to the stage show playing "Wicked". I phoned and we have 4 tickets for that, That is their Christmas present to them,and us also. At our age what do we need. Now my wants are different but my needs?? Won't need much paper to wrap them. The others are a surprise. If I don't end this soon as it will be a surprise if Don is ready to go to town and I'm not.

Did you know that an oldtimer is anyone who learned to ride a bicycle before it became a fitness machine.

finally

2006-11-03T19:29:00.000-05:00

Here it is several weeks since I last blogged. Pain, loss of energy and too tired to bother. Things are going along much better now.Less pain and I can move the knee,altho it has a clicking sound when I bend it back. Will see the Dr next week so will ask him why . Don figures I need a grease fitting but doubt that would help.

We had a great Thanksgiving (October weekend of the 9th). Most of the family were here to helped put things away for the winter. On Sunday we had 14 for a turkeydinner and many thanks to my bevy of girls I didn't have to do much. The girls also went to an apple orchard and picked apples as well loaded up with all kinds of squash. The weekend weather was nigh perfect, warm and sunny. We had rain earlier in the week and rain after but were blessed with good weather.It seems as if it has rained off and on ever since. We have had a few snow flurries but nothing so far that has stayed on the ground. We expect to move to town to our condo by the end of the month providing we don't get a big snow storm. As we heat by wood and have lots of it we are plenty warm. I will probably freeze when we move in as electric heat is not the same but will get used to it.

Tomorrow 2 younger people are coming to clean out the smoke stack. Don doesn't like climbing up on the roof and I'm glad about that. Each year sure makes a difference in us physically but then we are a year older. Thr 9th is his birthday and I had planned on taking him out to dinner but had a call today from friends inviting us to dinner to celebrate his day on the 9th at their home. Will have to find another day. We seem to have a busy week so it may be next week.

Janet, next door pet sits. She has had 2 different dogs this week so brings them over for us to see. One is a toy black poodle, so cute and very energetic. The one she has for this weekend is a Jack Russel eager to go anywhere, anytime as long as it is now. Our neighbour on the other side has a minature Australian Sheepdog. It has long hair which is supposed to have a blue tinge when grown. It is about 10 or 11 weeks old. It has no tail and from behind looks like a wee bear waddling along. She named him Matilda, naturally. The have another small dog she found wandering the streets a few years ago , was so dirty and hungry and apparently no one who wanted her so Ann took her in and they have had her ever since. She is still a bit skitterish but comes daily for a hand out. I have been feeding her the odd tidbit from our dinner plus a dog biscuit or two. We have a large box of those.

Dinner is over, dishes done and time for knee exercises. Take care all.

done at last

2006-09-16T20:27:00.000-04:00

Had knee surgery Sept 1. It is 2 weeks and 2 days and the pain has receded greatly and I'm walking around without the cane while in the house. At the teaching session the leader said that after the operation there would be no pain. Now anyone with a grain of sense knows there is pain when you cut your finger so there is going to be pain when your knee has been overhauled. The morphine pump sure eases that. I had a spinal for my procedure and that is the way to go. A very nice anaethetist sat by me and we had a grand visit. A drape was in front of us so we couldn't see what was going on and there was no feeeling . If you aren't fussy about the effects of anaethetic the spinal is the way to go. When the freezing comes out ,the operated area is going to hurt as much as with an anaethetic. No doubt about it the first week was very painful. Unfortunately the tylenol #3 that I was taking near ruined my stomach so I put up with the pain but have been doctoring with a miserable stomach ever since. In fact it has been more annoying then the knee. The nurse has been to see me twice and the 2nd time she took the 22 staples out. The therapist has been and said that I'm doing very well with the exercises. The idea is to get the new knee to bend back to at least 90* or more and as soon as possible. The new knee does not hurt just the incision is a dab sore . Anyway I walk around outside , and do a bit to help Don. He has been learning how to cook a few things so we aren't starving.

Pat's father, if your knee is giving you a lot of grief do visit your bone man and have a talk about the methods that are now being used. I had the job done on Friday and came home Tuesday do they don't keep you long. I had to cancel the end of July date due to another problem but was scheduled for Sept 1 so not a long wait.

The trees are getting their fall colours, all too soon it seems and the birds are flocking off to their winter places. Lots of Monarch butterflies from our place have gone and 2 days ago we saw the last of the hummingbirds. Can't believe that summer is nigh over. May have to leave the flower garden till the spring or find someone else to dig it.

Have had time to read a lot but won't run out of reading material as the neighbour next door brought a load of books.

Not much else for now

knee surgery coming up

2006-08-26T21:31:00.000-04:00

Time sure flies and it has been some time since I last wrote. Since then my neighbour and I have been to two Red Hat meetings. I wore my beauty hat that my son bought me in Vancouver. What an array of red hats, decorated with all kinds of funny and artistic regalia. We do have a fun time.

We have picked several boxes of high bush blueberries so have more fruit for winter in the freezer. Right now is tomato season so am busy doing those for the freezer. Also have been doing peaches as well. It is easy doing tomatoes, just take out the stem end and into a plastic bag and freeze. During the winter take out 1, 2 or however many , put under hot water to slip the skin off then cook. Real good with onions. We happen to like stewed tomatoes and onions.

We attended a 60th anniverssay party for friends one day and attended an 80th birthday party for another friend. She was so surprised to reach the wonderful age of 80 she decided to have a party for all to celebrate the event. 80 comes then the rest follow all too quickly then we wonder do we have enough time left to finish the projects we put aside till we retired? Speaking of projects, if you can call it that , I am having a knee replacement on the 1st of September. At times I have wondered if I should then when it hurts badly I think, What the heck, may as well as everyone who has had a new knee say the pain is gone and that is what I want. I have been riding the stationary bike to get in shape but expect that will do more good after than now.

Daughter #2 and husband were visiting 2 weeks ago and as we have 2 old tractors that needed some repairs , our son in law , who can fix most anything mechanical or otherwise got them both in good working order again. One is an old 1948 diesel and the other is a 1953 Ford Jubilee. They both can do as much work as 10 men so Don puts them to work. They are a dab noisy.

Our summer has been a lovely one altho we have needed rain badly. As we have a pump from the bay I have watered the flowers generously and as yet the bay hasn't gone dry. As Erma Bombeck said the grass is always greener over the septic bed and ours is. We have enjoyed a few dinners of pickerel. A neighbour and Don have been fishing early a lot of mornings and fortunately have caught a few.

We have 4 hospitals who were forced to amalgamate and it has not worked out too well. Do those, who seem to know it all, ever admit that they might have made a mistake? We have had some heated meeting over this but we doubt whether it will ever work out to our satisfaction. I have written 3 letters to out local papers and especially about the phone but to no avail. We can't phone our local hospital, all calls have to go through the larger hospital and the rigamarole you have to listen to before you get a real live person has frustrated may an elderly person who is not used to all the modern technology. I wrote about that but , it is a sign of the times, so they say. We still volunteer at the dialysis clinic and enjoy visiting with the patients. They are cheerful and glad to see us.

Daughter # 1 is moving this next week , 6 doors down from where she lives now. She is moving from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom apartment. Apparently she didn't realize the extra stuff she has collected so a big elimination process has had to take place. We all collect things , shove them to the back every time we get something new and out of sight out of mind. She doesn't wear high heeled shoes now so had a collection of those. Just think, when you do a major clean out of how much you spent on some of those things that you probably didn't use enough times to get your money's worth. I guess that is what keeps the economy going. We decided to clean off some shelves in the basement and took a load of things to the Thrift shop and another to the garbage. We can now see the shelves. I decided that I didn't need all those jars as I don't do much preserving any more. I kept the jars tho, just in case. Well they aren't there any more.

Tomorow, being sunday, is dinner out. I think a cook should have a night out and the only decision she has to make is what to order. I can do that very easily. So off we go. Have a good one. Will write later about the knee turns surgery. Have a good one.

Letter to the editor

2006-08-07T18:41:00.000-04:00

“ If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” How many times have you heard that?

A few years ago our hospital was working fine ,all was well and we operated in the black, yes, here we go again. You may think we are whining and would just go away but I don’t think that is going to happen. We are now in the red and seem to be just blindly drifting along in this amalgamation as well there doesn’t seem to be much harmony among the workers. Does QHC stand for Quinte Health Care or Quinte Health Corporation. A corporation is a legal entity on its own in which the stockholders and the board of Directors are in control. Is that who controls us? Care is what the workers give to those who need it, whether ill being in hospital, or ill at home, whether they live in Belleville, Toronto or Picton.

As I was a patient for 5 days this past week in the Picton hospital and I had excellent care. I had the opportunity to ask a few questions. As of then 2 nurses had already left due to a conflict and another may. One nurse said she was ok with the pay but not the working conditions and plans on doing other health related things. As for the kitchen, I know that they don’t serve gourmet meals but is a healthy meal out of the question? Friday dinner was roast beef. Saturday dinner was dried up roast beef that I could not chew but had to pull pieces off chew awhile then take it out of my mouth. I could not eat it. I heard that the reason for the plastic cutlery on weekends is because they can’t afford to have someone wash the regular cutlery. Surely with the pay raise that the executives get they might be able to spend a bit on real cutlery and forget about the pay raise for once. Are the plastic ones that much cheaper? I was told that when our meals were prepared in the kitchen it was easier and more nutritious . A friend whose husband was in hospital 6 years ago enjoyed very good meals while there. I suppose it is beyond those in charge to start our kitchen up again or would that be too much trouble? The rooms were cleaned and mopped every day which was most assuring .

I asked while in x-ray if it was still going to be and also asked about the mammogram machine. Yes, I was told but there will be changes in September. When I spoke with Mr Burgess and asked if we would have our hospital and he said as long as he was there we would not lose our hospital but with that response I forgot to ask, equipped with what? Would we have a place of empty rooms filled with empty beds, chairs and other things. Of course the building would be there unless someone bought it for something else or a nursing home. No doubt we need nursing homes but we need a hospital that looks after the sick the way a hospital is supposed to do with a happy and harmonius staff.

The big hospitals work differently and have bigger and different problems. We are not a big hospital and should not have the same problems but our goal should be to look after the sick.

As for having a baby, is it not a normal happening? Granted there are cases that need expert care but the majority of women can deliver a baby without all the new technology you may think they need. With the birth rate being 1 or 2 babies per family not the 5 or 6 that used to be , the maternity area is not going to be as busy. Could not 2 or 3 rooms be kept for those mothers who wish to deliver their baby near home in the county? Try and talk a baby about to be born to wait till we get to Belleville whose parents may have driven in from one of our points. Closing the maternity ward? Sorry. Mr Smithermin, Mr Laughton. Mr Churchill, Mr Burgess and others will not have the opportunity to have labour pains so have no idea what goes on.

This amalgamation doesn’t seem to be working out as the higher ups described, but who is going to say “we made a mistake”.

Have you a solution for creating harmony, easing tensions and delivering better food?

You may have a higher education and lofty ideas but do any have any common sense to them? Or do we have to accept fewer choices?

hot,cold,sunny

2006-07-25T17:39:00.000-04:00

It seems we are never satisfied, first it is too hot and that usually occurs during the week but come the weekend and it is either rainy or cold. It doesn't make much difference to us as we can do whatever during the week as on the weekends. Being retired gives a person that option.

The last blog was nigh 2 weeks ago and during that time I have been in hospital with an attack of diverticulitis. Anyone who has suffered that affliction sure knows the pain. 5 days later and back home and much better. The hospital is air conditioned and I near froze. Great for those who work but with a sweater and 3 blankets I managed to keep the frost off my feet.

This past tuesday when up I noticed a black looking mouse fastened to the screen on our outside door between the window and the screen. Looking closer it was a bat. As we had to go to town we left it there but closed the inside door so it wouldn't be flying around the house. When back it had moved nearer the side of the door to get out of the sun. I had a stick so gently nudged it and it fell out and onto the porch, spread eagled in full sun. It didn't move and I figured it might lay there and fry and make a mess so I tickled it with the broom and it flew off into a tree. Sandy asked if I taken a picture. I had completely forgotten and it would have been a great picture. We do have one of those new fangled cameras that does a number of things, which we haven't figured out yet, same as our DVD, so was sorry about that. Don't know how it got inside. Will have the camera ready another time. How often does opportunity knock? We do have 3 bat houses and one is very nifty as it has a birthing room in the top of it. How can a bat have a more safisticated place than that! If , as I read and who counts, that 1 bat will eat 1000 mosquitoes a night, why we can't sit outside after dark and not get bitten? We have seen the bats at dusk fall out of the houses and have seen them come back and crawl up like a mouse climbing a pole. For my forgetfullness there is no bat picture to put up. Sorry.

We have enjoyed having our 2 granddaughters with us for a few days. They are on holiday, 21 and 24 and 2 very delightful girls. They insisted on preparing meals and cleaning up after. No arguring there. One went swimming in the bay, the other is fearful of something biting her toes. Nothing there but a carp or so who eat the corn Don puts in the water so as to keep the weeds down. Does a good job. No weeds. The girls enjoy playing cards so one evening of euchre and another of O Heck put in the evenings. Not much worth watching on TV. They also showed us how to pick up messages from our phone in town. We can't have an answering service here as we are on a party line. This modern technology does baffle us but Sandy is our helper with that.

The birds are still having snacks at the feeders. The orioles help drink the hummingbird feeders dry and the yellow birds, grosbeeks and sparrows do a good job at the niger seed feeders. We have feeders on 3 sides of the house so can watch the bird activity daily. It being near the start of August many will soon be heading further south. The bigger birds eat at the bigger feeder in the yard. The dog next door comes once or twice a day and we have a box of biscuits for it but this morning I put a biscuits out on the porch and a chipmuck grabbed it and took it under the porch where I heard it chewing on it.

Near lunch time, all have a great day.

another day.

2006-07-11T10:45:00.000-04:00

We have had a heavy thunder and rain storm as of last night and another possible one for tonight. Need the rain but why does it come with such force?

Thank you Sandy for blogging why I hadn't been blogging but as you wrote our computer acted up. We now have it fixed and it is still slow but working.

As I am having knee surgery in 2 weeks I have had to go to the hospital in Belleville twice for all the pre-op things that have to be done before. Nothing is left to chance now. By this time they know all about us, our ailments, as blood work has to be done, heart examined, x-rays to be taken , an hour visit with the pyhsiotherapist with a list of exercises to do and a learning session to tell us what we might and might not expect. We have a choice of anaesthetic , general or a spinal. All get an antiobotic before surgery and all are on blood thinners before, if needed and after. A lot of knee and hip surgeries are done weekly so anyone who has these problems should be sporting new prothesis sooner than later.

While in Belleville we took time to shop. May as well keep the economy buzzing along. Needed more flannelette as I'm making a ragtime blanket and running out of material. I have made 3 and they are so cozy. I gave 2 away and have one for myself . I wrap myself in it when I have an afternoon nap and it is sooo nice and warm and very conducive for a nap.

I have a table littered with material, scissore, thread as well as the sewing machine is there somewhere as well. Lots of cutting tho.Fun to make.

Yesterday, 10th, was our 58th anniversary. Lunch was a bowl of soup, after the hospital visit. We were invited out for a pickerel dinner last night,fish that is, and a rousing game of cards after. So a good anniversary day.

Too wet so far today to do much work outside . As the navy meeting was in May, Don was so busy when we got home that he forgot to get a news letter out. He wakened during the night a few night ago and thought , my gosh I have forgotten about the news letter so he is at that today. Hope he hasn't forgotten what went on. Better late than never.

Lots of sail boat on the bay as well as cruisers. With the price of gas one wonders why some sail boats are motoring rather than sailing. When we see them we say, Well there goes another stick sail . The sailing ones look so pretty sailing by.

Hope all have a memorable day.

back again

2006-07-04T23:29:00.000-04:00

Being without the computer for nigh onto 2 weeks is like the family pet had left. Our bedtime was interrupted as Don would play several games before getting into bed, his nighttime sleeping pill, and I read. During that time I couldn't read as he would say, Are you going to shut that light off? so no reading. Now we are back to normal. The monster has been fixed and so to more reading, blogging and his nightime pill.

Since mid June our weather has been ideal. Rain, sun and warm weather and summer hasn't even hit with a vengence. We have had lots of rain so far and so the flowers and garden are in excellent shape. The riding mower and the tractor are now running well with the help of a new battery for each. Funny how a new battery has silenced the anguish one of us endured.

We have a granddaughter who celebrated her 21st birthdday in June, Oh to be 21 again and as smart then as we think we are now. We were going to do wonderful things, conquer the world's troubles, knew more than our parents, and some of the young ones today sure do and have experienced more than I did at 21. As time went on we realized that there was a lot we didn't know and what a downfall that was. We went to Brampton for the celebration. It was also Father's day so that was celebrated as well along with a belated birthday for me, I had forgotten that I had had a birthday 3 weeks before. But daughter Debbie is game for a celebration for anything that comes along. 10 of us sat down to an excellent dinner along with 3 cakes. 1 for the birthday, 1 for Father's day and 1for my birthday. I even helped make mine not knowing what or why 3 cakes. Chocolate cake with chocolate icing, how wonderful. One can't go wrong with a good slice of that. That household had just acquired a new puppy about 8 weeks old. It is a rottie and cute but little then but apparently it is growing like the proverbial weed and will be about 100 pounds when full grown.

They also have a 4 year old mix part lab and a bit of Doberman and who knows what else. She is a very playful dog but her nose has sure been out of joint once she realized that the new puppy was not leaving and that she had better get used to the idea. She sounds like an older sibling when a a new one takes up residence. She would take all the doggie toys, put them on her bed then lie on them.

The Red Hatter had 2 outings in June and a lot of fun especially as I got to wear my new red hat that son Tom bought me when we visited in Vancouver. Must put a picture so all can see it. Strawberries has come so we went to a pick your own field. Not every berry I pick finds the box. Especially the big ones. The big ones take up too much room in the basket so are just right for sampling. I must sample at least a box full before we leave. So good.

Don and a neighbour have been fishing lately. A friend called one day and said she had planted a lot of peas and if I wanted any to come pick. One night we had fresh pickerel, new peas and potatoes and strawberries and vanilla ice cream. A meal fit for the Queen. The first meal of the season of that kind of fare is to be savoured with great reverence. After that it is like old hat. Still very good but not as spectacular as the first one of the season.

Our 58th wedding anniversary is next week. Our kids are at a loss to think of something sometimes but came up with a good one this time. As July 1st is Canada Day, they gave us tickets for a dinner cruise from 6.30 till 10 p.m. from Kingston to Gananoque and through the 1000 islands for that day. As Kingston is about an hour's drive from our home we enjoyed the trip as well as our time in Kingston. The cruise was wonderful as as one daughter said we didn't have to find space to put it on a shelf. I'm always game to go out for dinner. On the way back we were able to enjoy the fireworks display at the Kingston harbour, spectacular but aren't all fireworks It was near 11 p.m when we got to the car and drove home. On our way there was another display of lights as there was a thunder storm in progress and the forks of lightening in a dark sky are great to see.

Friends have just come in for a game of cards. See you next time. Take care, all.

Helen's offline for a bit

2006-06-29T11:57:00.000-04:00

Mom's fine, but her computer is not: the power supply has now blown up twice. She'll be back to blogging and email soon.

thank you

2006-06-11T19:41:00.000-04:00

Many, many thank you's to all who sent birthday greetings. I think that Sandy figured that anyone reaching 83 should be so honoured and I do thank you Sandy. It was most uplifting to read all the wonderful messages and your best wishes. Sure made my heart smile. Don took me out to dinner and a cruise around the county after. A great day.

Thank you Sasha for the Red Hat poem, I am a Red Hatter and love it. While in Vancouver , son Tom, bought me the most gorgeous red hat I have ever seen, except there was a picture of Queen Elizabeth on the TV and she had on a blue one that looked exactly like mine. Red looks better on me than blue. We went to a hat store on Grenville Is and there was this beauty of a red hat. I tried it on but when I looked at the price it immediately went back on the rack. I looked over other red ones but finally went back to the one beauty there. I thought about it and figured about how much money I had in my purse when Tom said "Mother I'm buying you that hat". When I protesed that it was too much he said he thought he could buy his mother that hat for her birthday if he so wanted. We both wanted. The Red Hat Society is a grand group for we older gals to join. If you are interested look it up on the internet, you'll be surprised.

Don has been having trouble with his riding mower as well as his "farm mower" so we have made a few trips to Belleville for parts. One part that was the size of my thumb cost $3.99 plus $6.99 for delivery, what a rip off! Anyway as long as all these machines work all's well. He didn't get too much work done last week as he had 3 of his fishing friends here from Monday to Friday. I went to town to do my own thing. He has been fishoing with one of the fellows for at least 50 years and the other 2 for 30 to 40 years. I did make a pie and a stew for them but they do their own cooking and other things that needed doing. They even vaccum and clean the kitchen floor when they leave. I volunteered at the dialysis clinic on Friday morning with my sister. When I took her home at 10 I asked her to phone Don and ask if there was anything hewanted me to bring and he said " No, I just want her to come home" Now wasn't that sweet.

The weather could have been better when the men were here but it wasn't all that bad and they did get fishing . They caught 2 pickerel, one they threw back and the other we had for Friday night supper. Very tasty.

We are getting a new post office in Picton. We need a new one like we need another hole in the head but that is the government for you. Before it was even started there was a meeting concerning anyone it might affect. The town hall was full to capacity and no one wanted a new one as our beautiful one we have now has sufficed for years. No doubt for less than half of what this new one is going to cost they could have brought the old one up to date plus finished the 2nd and 3rd floors with apartments , but no they said they didn't care what we wanted we were getting it anyway. It isn't done yet and we were to have had the new one a year and a half go. Not only that we are now having to change our box numbers. What a waste and expense. It seems the only people who make the rules are those with lots of money and have no idea how people on a fixed income cope. It seems the people who run our country want the power and glory and they have the money to get it. We don't have the people with smarts who should be elected. Good thing the upper echelon don't last forever, it only seems like it.

While I'm complaining about the post office there is another crazy thing going on. Our hospital. Every time it seems that the top guys get a raise a nurse gets a pink slip and is let go.; I understand that someone who answers the phone and communicates! makes in the vicinity of $150, 000 a year. I'll answer the phone for half that. Trying to get someone to answer the phone is an exercise in frustration. That is another story. I write notes to the Editor of our local paper every now and then and have expressed my annoyance about that.

We have had a great day and after a cloudy morning we have sunshine . Have attended a memorial service this aft and a drive through the county and to a delicious turkey dinner at the legion.

Again many thanks for the thoughtful birthday greetings.

frustration

2006-06-01T15:03:00.000-04:00

Today is my 83rd birthday. The years have sure snuck up fast as I never expected the 80's to come so fast. As I look back there are many wonderful memories for me to feast on. Today is a half rainy and much cooler day so just may take the day off. Don is taking me out to dinner tonight so no meal to prepare and that is so good as I don't mind geeting the dinners but it is the decisions. Most of my family have called with greetings along with some neighbours and friends. My husband gave me a real mushy but wonderful card.

Back to the frustration episode. Tues I went to my Dr with a pain in my neck, no this is an actual pain. She said some therapy might help but best to have an x ray first. I walked to the radiology clinic, which is it now called, and was told that I had to phone Belleville to get permission to have the x ray right here in Picton. So dumb, I'm standing right in the clinic. I came home and phoned Belleville. First I listen to the first preamble then told to press button numer 1 for one thing then button number 2 for something else then a question is asked and either Emily or another voice comes on and says "Is that a yes or a no?" then " I didn't hear you now is that a yes or no?" We have a rotary phone so no button to press. Then there is silence . I hang up and try again with the same results. Finally someone answers and I get an appointment for the next day at the Picton clinic. I decided to ask if this was an efficient way and was told no. Did it save money? Doubtful. Is there a number that I can call directly into Picton hospital, No you have to go through Belleville. I'm surprised that ordinary people are smart enough to have handled and are still handling ordinary things without all this technology that is flying around and befuddling us. Good thing I wasn't an emergency as it would have been easier to drive to Belleville go see whoever handles phone messages and get the appointment then.

Now to where I left off last month. Our one neighbour Alison came from Switzerland 10 years ago. She was born in Quebec but met a fellow from Switzerland when she was a young lass and married him. They worked here for a few years till mama called and said, son come home, your father needs you, so they packed and went to Switzerland. When he retired they came back to Canada and settled in a condo by the Bay of Quinte. Good place as it is on the water and they had a boat and the condo has a dock for each unit. Unfortunately her husband died a few years ago but she has stayed. She has a son who lives in Switzerland and another who lives in New England. 5 years after they were here they were required to try for their G2 car license. Their Swiss license was good for the first 5 years. Now Alison has to try for her G1 license , whaterever the G stands for and I don't care to get into that. For her to get that she has to drive on the 401 which is our super highway, and she has no need for that. Don has been taking her onto the road and helping her get up to speed and all that stuff so she has to try that later this month and Don is going with her.

Don has been having tractor problems but then his tractor is a 1953 model and does need a lot of TLC. The handle of his riding lawn mower came off in his hand and our septic system decided to run too slowly so there have been a few things that have been on the frustrating side. Nothing that can't be fixed.

Mid May we attended the annual Navy meeting with about 350 attending, fewer and fewer attend each year. Those who do rehash their navy days and the pranks they played and so relive the war years. Don't we all relive past times. Good for the soul. The annual is held in Digby, Nova Scotia next May, hope all can attend.

Our son from Vancouver came May 18th till May 24th and we were happy to have him. That weekend was a holiday weekend and 2 of our daughters and a friend came that weekend . We are always happy to have any member or members of our family to visit. This was not really a visiting weekend. The men got the boat hoist and docks in. A very large and old tree had to come down so a fellow came from town and did that. The next day he was back with a splitter so all the wood from that tree got split but so far not piled. We had a great weekend and the girls dished up spectacular dinners. I sat in the lazy boy and watched.

Our son has an office job and does jog and work out but methinks that he wasn't used to all the work and the unused muscles that got used as he slept on the plane going to Vancouver.

This past Sunday brought some summery weather and it has gotten hotter each day till today and we have some blessed rain.

Time for a rest. Stay cool all.

A typical cottage long weekend

2006-05-22T18:29:00.000-04:00

We have moved

2006-05-06T15:10:00.000-04:00

At last we are at our summer home. We had been down, about 11 miles from our place in town, a few times to bring a few things down. We have both places equipped with the necessary things except food. We have a freezer here which we emptied for the winter and now have to empty the one in town and bring the food here. We have summer duds here so don't have to bring many clothes. We have moved for the season, which may take us to mid November. It is beautiful, the birds are back the trees are growing their leaves. The wild flowers are blooming as well as the daffodils and tulips. The rhubarb is up as well. We were here for part of a day when it seemed like we had never left the place.

Today is the fishing derby. It was rainy this morning but the sun is now shining so the fishermen should be happy.

The ruby throated hummingbirds appeared yesterday as well as the orioles. The red breasted grosbeaks were at the feeder too. The robins have had their first hatching and soon the mothers will have them in the bird bath. Spring is a great time of the year, a real awakening. Don has the tractor oiled and greased and ready to go, like grading the road, and shoving fallen rocks over the edge.

There are lots of leaves to rake as we are in a sugar bush area. A lot of the old trees have been taken down but it was a labour of love along with sore and unknown muscles 20 years ago. We are on waterfront and a beautiful view every day.

We bring our computer with us and the printer gave out. We now have a new printer, newer and it seems a dab more complicated but with Sandy's help it is up and running. We also bought one of these new fangled digital cameras. A printer came with it. We have printed pictures but as yet haven't taken time to hook it up to the computer, maybe we are a bit hesitant to tackle that as yet. Am glad to have the pictures printed as we took pictures of friends while out to Vancouver and will send one to each of the people we visited.

The annual naval meeting is next weekend and Don is busy getting ready for that. As he is president of the Combined Operations branch of the Navy he has a report to get ready plus a few more things so has put that job off since last September. I guess you call that procrastination. The meeting will be in Woodstock which is a 4 to 4 and a half hour drive west of here. The fellows talk about the war and all the stories they remember, places they were and mostly good things. The rough times are barely mentioned. Each year the membership is getting less. After all none are under 80. All have aches, pains and various other afflictions. Don and I are bothered with arthritis in the knees as well. The men don't march like they used to and if a march is planned it is a very short one. It is usually a happy time for the men to renew old friendships. The wives and or sweethearts are very patient and have a good time. Usually the host club has something arranged for the women even if only shopping.

Ann, next door neighbour, was over for tea yesterday along with her 2 dogs. As soon as the dogs knew we were here last week over they came looking for biscuits. The little one is a heinz 57 and the big one is a bull mastiff. He has a deep bark but that is all. A bit scary to strangers. Ann's son bought him for breeding purposes when he was a pup. By a year old the dog had to have a hip replacement. He is 3 years old a beautiful brown colour but doesn't see to well and is not up to the weight he should be at this stage. Good thing as he now weighs 130 pounds and he should be near 200 pounds. He is a nice dog but as characteristic of that breed he slobbers and drools. But he likes dog biscuits, old muffins, peanut butter on toast and whatever else I need to get rid of. The past few days he has been over after dark so we think the sun bothers his eyes. Ann said he likes to lie in his bed and sleep all day. He was from a registered pair but guess there was a mixup in the genes. Not suitable for what the son bought him for. The little one is rather timid but will take food from our hands now but does not care for strangers and when someone comes around she beats it for home.

A neighbour , a retired police lady from Toronto and in her mid 40's, lives next door for the summer and is starting a new line of work. She has her notices out and is called "County Care Bears". She will open and close cottages, do handy work around, raking leaves washing windows and all those jobs you don't want to do but need doing. She is a delight and we are happy to have her drop in as she did this morning with her brothers dog that she is looking after for the weekend. She is sponsoring a mixed soft ball team called the Care Bears. She brought us a ball cap with that logo on it and is bringing over T-shirts as well. Must sign her up for volunteering with the Women's Hospital Auxiliary. Oh to be mid 40, retired, money enough to live on, foot loose and fancy free with no aching joints, can't imagine.The only thing we have to do is slow her down as she is still physically on hyper time. Tea time.

beautiful rainy B.C.

2006-04-26T21:52:00.000-04:00

On April 5th we drove to Toronto and spent the afternoon and evening with daughter #2 and family. At 6.30 the next morning we went to the airport for a 2 week trip to Vancouver . We had a good flight. We were told that no meals are served on planes now, unless you bought them so we ate breakfast before we left. They served breakfast so we just had tea. Our son Tom picked us up at the airport. They served a very good dinner when we came back 2 weeks later. The travel agent will be surprised when we tell her. It was overcast and a bit chilly. I had been watching the weather station but guess my brain went on hold as I figured there would be nice warm weather, at least that is what I have been told. Another time I will take my winter coat. The next day was overcast and chilly but we went shopping as well as looked our son's boat over and out for lunch. We went to the Granville Mall and looked around. As I am a Red Hatter Tom suggested that we visit the hat store. Lots of hats and they sell nothing else. There was a gorgeous red hat and I tried it on and it was beautiful. I quickly put it back when I looked at the price. After trying on many I went back to it and then Tom said "I'll buy it for you for Mother's Day. I objected but he said " I guess I can buy my mother a hat for Mother's day and he did. I showed it to many people, at the airport on the plane and anywhere else that anyone was interested. I can hardly wait to wear it. Will have to get a picture on here soon. We have one of those new digital cameras and still figuring out all the buttons and things. Don is doing very well with it and has printed some pictures but we have to get it hooked up to the computer one of these days.

On saturday we took the ferry to Bowen Island and walked around there. It has a lovely harbour and many nifty looking boats were docked. It was overcast and chilly. I had 2 heavy sweaters on plus a jacket but wished I was a bit warmer but a little chilly weather didn't hurt.

On sunday it was rainy but Tom and I walked to a shopping street, all uphill , as most of that coast is plus the islands. We were invited to a cocktail party in the afternoon which was a pleasant affair.

AS Don was in the navy and a few navy veterans live in Vancouver we called them and had lunch on Monday with one and the men had a great visit. We met another and his wife on Wed and had a good visit and took them back to Tom's home for more talking. One of our neighbours has a friend in Vancouver so she gave us his phone # and address and asked us to call him to say hello. We did and he insisted we meet him for lunch. They went to Queens University at one time. He was most gracious and had invited Tom along as well. Tom was off work for the time we were there so drove us around. It rained all Tuesday night.

Wed night the four of us went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. La Margurita. Talk about crowded and noisy but everyone was having a great time. Good thing we had reservations. They served Corona beer. Now how much more Mexican can you get than that.

On Thursday it rained all day. Regardless the flowers and shrubs were out in bloom and just beautiful. Some streets were lined with flowering pink cherry blossoms, the white blossomed trees were starting to drop their blossoms. The daffodils were blossoming all over as well as other plants. Just a picture.

On Friday we had cloud, rain and sun. The 4 of us left at 9.30 for the ferry to Swartz Bay to go to Victoria and then another ferry to go to Saltspring Island. Our neice, Nancy , husband and son met us at the pub there and we had lunch. It was good to see them. Down the road a bit from Nancy's is a bed and breakfast. They are builing a house in the woods and for now living in their trailer. As the lady at the B&B was in Belguim visiting her daughter Nancy was looking after the guests. The husband was there, a very nice man, but as we were staying from Friday till Monday we had the use of the house. What a lovely place and it overlooked the water and we could watch 3 ferries going and coming. The man of the house is an architect so the house is beautiful.

On Saturday it was rainy and windy. We went to the town of Ganges as there was an outdoor market and we thought we should spend some money but it was downright miserable so we didn't stay long . Tom drove us to the home of another navy buddy and as Tom and daughter-in-law went to an art show we had a lunch and a good vist with the navy again.

On Sunday we had SUN. Nancy took Don and I to visit a friend who was buillding a house high up on a hill, Mount Taum. The man was there and we were talking and we told him where we lived In Picton and he said he had a farm for sale about 10 miles from Picton. Small world.

On Sunday we had a delicious lamb dinner, we all pitched in with the food and invited the man of the house to join us and he was most happy to. 8 of us sat down to a good 2 hours of eating, visiting and having fun.

Monday was windy and cool but Tom and Christine left before 6 a.m. to catch a ferry back to Vancouver and we left at 10 for Victoria. Friends, more navy, met us at the ferry terminal and took us to their home , lunch and a visit. These navy fellows review the war all over again and tell mostly of the good times during that time.

On tuesday a former neighbour and a co-worker during his and Don's working days, picked us up and we went to his place and he had us back to the ferry by 3 for the trip to Vancouver. Tom met us at the Vancouver Hotel and back to their place.

On Wed Tom took us up to the town of Squamish and it was raining. After lunch we drove to Cypress,a ski place and there was at least 7 foot of snow. The ski lift was not being used that day but no doubt would be by the weekend. Whistler was a bit too far to drive to that day.

On Thursday we went for a walk then left for the airport at 11.30. The staff at the check in counter were not busy so they had a good look at my new red hat. As I have a sore knee I took a cane with me. Now a cane will surely get you a fair bit of attention. We were hustled to near the front of the check in line and through the zapper, which I set off. My watch and artificial hip. The lady with the zapper asked if she could feel my hip, maybe she thought I was packing a 6 shooter. Then my purse caused a bit of trouble. The man said there was a pair of scissors in it. I didn't remember any and it went through the Toronto scanner OK. My purse has 4 compartments in it. He emptied that purse 3 times and even put it through the scanner after he had everything out and it showed a pair of scissors alright. In one of the compartments is a wee pocket and that is where they were, a 3 inch pair that I have no idea when or where I got them. I did have a pile of Kleenex in that purse.

We had a good trip back to Toronto and our daughter picked us up at 10.30 p.m. We enjoyed that holiday more than if we had gone south. When we got off the plane and a staff member saw me walking with a cane she had us sit down and soon had a golf cart and took us to the baggage carousel , which was a long way. That cane again.

Tom phoned on Sunday night and said that after we left the next 2 days were warm and sunny. Toronto had been warm and sunny while we were away but was windy and rainy when we got back. There is a message somewhere there. We drove to Picton on sunday, 140 miles in the pouring rain and lots of traffic , the wind blowing the spray and it was cloudy. Were we ever glad to see old Picton again.

Enough for now

spring may have sprung

2006-03-25T11:28:00.000-05:00

Another week and lovely days. The weather has not co-operated for the maple syrup makers tho. They say the days are not warm enough and the nights cool enough. Can't please everyone. This weekend is Maple in the County. Several maple sugar making places serve a pancake and syrup breakfast this time of the year but apparently there hasn't been the good run of sap as they usually have. All say they have enough syrup to put on your pancake. We will pass this year. I have a can of syrup in the cupboard and don't really care for pancakes anyway, too many calories. Will go to the Legion when they have roast beef and pop overs or Yorkshire pudding as some call them. They have much the same in them as pancakes . 2 of those with lots of gravy mmmm.

We are having a big hassle with our health care system. Me thinks there are too many head honchos and too few workers. The upper brass seem to make the rules, pay themselves the money but don't do the work that they ask or demand of the workers nor pay them accordingly, they just ask them to do twice the work and or to work part time. I wonder if the bosses ever work part time and if so do they still want the full pay. Did it ever occur to them that all pay the same price for a loaf of bread, whether you work part time or full time. There was supposed to be a list in the paper of the salaries of all who made over $100,000 this past year in the Health Care system but so far I haven't seen the Hospital exec's salaries. The paper published the school board list and if I come back to this earthly place again I am running for a position on the school board. Not sure what they do but the money is sure good and possibly not one teach a lesson to the pupils. Same as the exec's at the health care, not one has ever looked after a patient, carried a bed pan or mopped you know what off the floor. Maybe that is just as well. Maybe what a board member would teach is not what a student should hear nor an exec from the Health Care who might faint and who would pick that one up?

So many of these people are so called "experts". I have seen an expert described as "an ex is an unknown quantity and a spurt is a drip under pressure".

I wrote a letter to our local paper about a procedure and it touched a nerve as the mayor called me and seemed concerned. He was going to a meeting in Belleville re the health care and asked if he could take the letter with him and bring it up at the meeting. He did and a few days later I had a call from the director of communications. Now that sounds like an impressive title but am not sure what all it entails. He apologized for the treatment I had received . I asked if our Hospital was going to be shut down and he said no. I asked if he would guarantee that it wouldn't and he said as long as he was there it wouldn't happen. At that stage I think my brain went into park and I didn't think to ask him how much would they take. I know the building will be there but will there be anything inside except rooms full of empty furniture. Must phone Mr Burgess again and have a few things written down, as the memory part of my brain isn't what it used to be.

We have a beautiful, that is if you have to use it, dialysis clinic at the hospital. It opened about 4 years ago and 9 patients at a time 3 times a week and there are 2 shifts those days have to be dialysized. Don and I volunteer there once a month and more often when called to spare. We enjoy this and have a good visit with the people. I like to think of them as having a condition not a disease. It is like being pregnant which is only a short term condition but cured faster than the dialysis people.

Yesterday was above freezing so after our stint at the hospital we took lunch and supper and went to the cottage, about 11 miles down bay. The geese were honking their way east and north all day. It was great to see them again and watch as they changed formation. They honk for a reason but if they would stop their honking they might go further and not tire out. At least that is my theory.

It was delightful and after Don put a fire on in the wood stove it soon warmed the place. The tulips and daffodils are up 2 inches or so under the leaves, the dogs next door were over for a treat and the robins were busy looking for nesting material. As we had the mildest winter on record and not too much snow the road down was good. It will need a bit of grading in places but that can be done when we go another time.

While doing this I have been watching people move into an empty condo across from us. First they carried out furniture now they are taking furniture and boxes in. Don't know if the furniture didn't fit or if it was someone else's but whatever we will have some new neighbours. There are 15 units in this complex some still working and some retired. I think some of the retired are as or busier than the working ones. A lot of retired people wonder how they had time to go to work when they worked. I never wondered as I was a, shall I say a kept woman or a stay at home wife and mother. When Don retired I took on another job, entertaining him. I thought I was going to be a nervous disaster until I realised that he was home for good , which took nigh onto 6 months, and decided to go with the flow. He is a 3 meal a day and like them on time man so that got me off the couch at lunch time with my tray of snacks . I understand that some companies now have classes for their upcoming retirees on how to act when retired , that their wife is not an employee and some understanding along with some T L C would go a long way in making the transition go smoothly. After 23 years of retirement I'm used to him around now. He stays out of the kitchen and his favourite dinner, which he makes himself if I'm out at something that runs past the dinner hour, is macaroni and cheese. He also makes the Christmas cakes every year. I stay as far away as possible in November when he does that. The only stipualtion is that he has to clean up after he uses every pot and pan in the place. He does. God love him, how would I do without him.

St Pat's Party

2006-03-15T21:21:00.000-05:00

Today is St Patrick Day and a tea was held at the United Church. It was a sold out affair and a good time was had by all. There were 2 Red Hat groups present and all the hats looked different. I wore my green outfit along with a fur stole and felt really dressed up.

We went to Brampton for the weekend to our son-in-laws 50th birthday party and what a party!! They had invited 50 people and I think all were there. It was like musical chairs at their home . If you got off your chair to talk to someone or to get something to eat you had to find another chair. First we went 10 pin bowling and was the music ever loud. Flashing lights and lots of noise. After awhile I got used to the confusion and really enjoyed the game. As it was a birthday, Doug was given a bowling pin to take home. It was rather beat up but guess they have to replace them and what better to do with the old ones than to give them to birthday people. We were there from 2 till 4 then back to their home. 3 men barbequed chicken, hamburgs, weiners and sausages on the 2 barbeques. Lots of salads and such plus 2 large birthday cakes with Doug's picture on each. Great time. There were 7 children , a 2year old and a 3 year old and the others were up to 11. They were so good and played well together. By 8.30 I was wondering if anyone was going to go home as we had had a busy and tiring day and it felt like midnight. It wasn't long after and all were gone and the rest of us were in bed before 10. What party poopers we were. The day was perfect, warm and sunny and just what Doug had ordered.

Tomorrow is dentist day so hope all is well in that department. I still have my original teeth and plan on taking them with me when I leave this earthly place. They are getting a bit dull but they will do.

We can now drive to the cottage as the road is clear of ice so must go down soon and see how things have wintered. There are spring bulbs in the flower bed there and do hope they survived the winter as we didn't have as much snow as we should have to have covered them. The road will need grading as it does get rough and a bit pot holey. Don has a grader on the front of his tractor and will do that when we move down the end of April. Before that we have a trip to Vancouver first to see family members there. Our son's contract ran out and he is enjoying some retiring time. He is rather enjoying it.

Have run down for tonight but will have more later.

Lots of rain today

2006-03-09T20:35:00.000-05:00

Another week and how fast they go by. We have had cold but sunny weather all week until today. Apparently it was very icy north of us and in Ottawa but mild and wet here.

Yesterday was a busy day. Went to the pool in the morning then laundry then to play bridge by 1 and after that home, and a fast dinner then to help at the blood donor clinic. I sure was bone tired by 9.30 so the bed was a welcome resting place. Today was a free day.

Don bought a digital camera about a month ago. In came in a big box and the parts have been sitting on the table till today. I brought them to the computer room and 'said come on we are getting this thing up and running. He sat at the computer and I read the instructions. The instructions on the computer were simple enough and now it is getting the battery charged. We are leaving tomorrow morning, after we do our volunteer work at the dialysis clinic, for the city and the camera hopefully will be ready to take pictures. This camera also has a printer so we can print any pictures that are suitable as well as show them on the screen. From the instructions it should do everything but sweep the kitchen floor.

Next Wed the Red Hatters will be attending a St Patricks afternoon tea at our church and hopefully Don can take my picture in my new get up. We are to dress in as much green as possible along with our red hats. I decided I needed something green, forgetting I have a green skirt and jacket in the cupboard, so went to our Giant Tiger store early on Tuesday and on the reduced rack there was a vivid green top that had been reduced from $39. to $3. The clerk looked around and found a lined green broomstick skirt with sparkles all over it that had been marked at $ 40. and it was down to $3. Even at 3 I wouldn't have bought it as it is rather garish but for this it will be OK. It is the same crazy green. There were no green sox but I will wear my pair of red fishnet panty hose with the outfit. My red shoes will make a fashion statement. My daughter-in-laws mother sent me a fur stole from Ireland, where she lives, so that should dress up the whole ensemble. My red hat has a yard of red tulle over it along with several lovely artificial coloured flowers. Sounds neat, eh?

We are going to a daughters place in the city as the family is having a 50th birthday party for our son-in-law on saturday. Not sure what it all entails but I think bowling is for the afternoon. Don't understand it all but apparently the bowling is done with strobe lights going off and on. Will have to write about that later. I have made a large shepherds pie for tomorrow night as there will be 7 of us. The daughter has a day job but sure goes all out for a party. I figured she might need someone to povide dinner for a change.

The camera batteries are now charged so Don is reading what to do next. His work was as an engineer so one would think a little thing like a camera would be duck soup to figure out.

It is now near 9 p.m. so must pack a few things for the weekend.

Spring around the corner??

2006-03-05T15:58:00.000-05:00

Last night the weather man from Ottawa said that "Spring is around the corner". He didn't say what corner as the morning temps has been from 0 to 20 each morning. Granted it rises from 24 to 32 by afternoon. That is Farenheight , probably the wrong spelling but my dictionary was probaably published before the word was even invented, to you Celcuis people. At this age I have decided there are more important things to remember than to figure out temperature. I look at the thermometer each morning and know how many clothes to put on. At least we have had beauty sunshine for the past week and no snow for a week now. We did have a load of it come down then but it is starting to melt. Good for the water table the farm fields and to wash the sand and grunge off the roads. You fortunate souls who bask in the Florida , Mexico , and Island sunshine probably are snickering and saying "This is the life. A lot of people do like the snow and winter weather and take their holidays at that time so as to ski, snowboard, skate and all kinds of those goodies. See what you miss by sitting in the sun?

Yesterday we were couch potatoes as the womens curling was on and it was exciting, that is you like curling and women doing the game. The men curlers did themselves proud at the Olympics but this is a ' Tounament of Hearts' that raises money for babies in crisis and probably other things. I usually have to get another coffee or other such necessary things during the ads so am not up on what they are promoting . Today is the final so will watch that if the station doesn't go off like it did yesterday.for a spell.

Have been to the pool each day this past week and the water was sooo nice. That early swim does tend to be a wake up call for the old bod and be ready for what ever the day may throw at one. We went to church this morning and with curling this aft and will soon be off to the Legion for dinner. I don't want to wreck the day by having to figure out what to get for supper especially on a Sunday. Isn't sunday suppossed to be a day of rest. Whoever said that wasn't thinking about the cook. Any of you guys out there are you taking your other delightful half out for a change? If not why not? Get off your aspects and treat her.

We had our usual game of cards this week and the men were a little too much for us this time. One of the couples will be going on holidays next week to Portugal for 3 weeks so there will be just the 2 couples and a different game. When you are retired you have to plan a to take a holiday or you don't go anywhere much. Staying home all the time may be less stressful than when you went to work but looking at another four walls relieves the monotony.

Time to go for dinner and we are meeting 3 other couples there at 5 so bon appetit for us, that is. Chicken and biscuits is on the menu.

a snowy day

2006-02-25T13:24:00.000-05:00

What a week. I joined the 9 to 5'ers for the week but my day started at 7 a.m. and quit by 8, 9 or 10 depending on what was happening in the evenings. This morning I stayed in bed and slept till neat 10. Once in awhile it is good for the body and soul. We were out playing euchre last night so it was after 11 when we got home and near 12 when we made it to bed. All was clear then but at 7 this a.m. it was snowing so hard I couldn't see up the street. When Don picked up the paper from the porch after 7 it was lying on the bare boards so hadn't started too soon before. It is now near noon and we are in for a day of it. It will cover the spring bulbs and bushes and help the water table, if it needs any help.

On Tuesday we had about 8 to 10 inches of snow, you centimeter people can figure that out, inches I know what is happening , centimeters I wonder.

I want to thank you, Don, not my significant other, but a Don who lives in the County who read my blog and answered my question about the word "blog". Thanks Don and for your encouraging words. Also about "podcasts". Daughter, Sandy, sent us a CD and it has music, and a story teller Janet telling about things related to the County and instructions on how to instal it. We have listened to it and it is so great. My the things out there that the younger generation are tuned to and we olders are hearing about. Keeps one busy keeping up with the times, which many of us never will. Speaking of instructions my Don ordered a digital camera. No we didn;t own such a thing just an oldie that sat most times in a drawer which we forgot to take with us when we went any place. At Christmas time our one granddaughter had one given to her so they soon had it working and even printed a picture on the printer. Don was so impressed that all of a sudden we needed one. He is not one to order on line, in fact this was his first attempt and with instructions from daughter #1 he ordered. It was suppossed to be here between the 2nd and the 17th. Quite a gap. Anyway the 17th came and went so he called and he was told that they were backed ordered and would be here in 2 weeks. Two days later as we were going out the door a delivery person came to the door with a large parcel. As we were on our way to a funeral we had no time to open it. After the morning funeral we were invited out for lunch at one of our upscale restaurants. A group of women at a luncheon can make a lots of noise chit chatting but they come in second in that department when at this luncheon a group of about 20 men were there for lunch also. What a clatter as all were talking at once. How anyone could tell what the one next to him was saying is a mystery. Maybe that is the reason all talked at once so the next man wouldn't have to respond to something he didn't care about. They were there when we got there and 2 hours later were still there. We figured when the food came all talking might cease or at least calm down. There seemed to be no difference. Anyway when we left they were at the coffee stage so lots of time to resume full volume their ideas on whatever that was. When we came home we tackled the box. Now the box was 11in by 11in by 8in, now that is inches, not centimeters and inside was a 2 and a half inch by 3 and a half by 1inch camera but there were lots of other things as well. Lots of box tho. Cords, batteries, a printer, printer paper other things that I didn't ask about. It is now 3 days later and all is still sitting on the table and some of the parts not unwrapped as yet. Don has read the book which was on the top that said "Read me first". Now there is an indication that this is not going to be as simple as one is led to believe. We were going to spend part of this morning reading the book again but it is now past noon and we haven't even picked up the book as yet. The CD has to be installed and that is enough to delay any further reading forr a bit.He has acquired another new gadget. A paper shredder. We had bought one years ago ,the cheapest they had . Will we never learn? Cheaper is not always better. This time the higher priced ones were on sale, the store never loses, so he went for it. What a difference. Now he is busy cleaning out the desk drawers and the shredder is happily chewing up the papers that have accumulated for years. As Don once said ' If you keep everything for 25 years there will be a use for it.' Methinks the 25 years have passed. This one sits under the desk , plugged in so when a piece of paper gets anywhere near it, it merrily gobbles it up . What an great idea ! What will they think of next!!

We have been watching the Olympics. What a spectacular opening ceremonies. The closing may be as well. What an act Vancouver has to follow in 2010. The millions spent on window dressing or whatever you want to call it. One wonders if these cities ever get out of the debt they must end up with. Having enough money to live on every day as we think we have ,shoundn't give us as big a head ache as they will have when their bills come in.

Laundy is done , lunch is over and now time for a rest before we might tackle the camera puzzle.

snow, wind, sun and cloud,

2006-02-19T15:34:00.000-05:00

On a windy sunday with morning sun and afternoon snow flurries and a wicked wind we haven't ventured too far outside. We did drive to church this morning and will drive to the Legion for dinner but the bycicle is the only place to get some exercise today. It is in the bedroom and facing the TV so it is easy to sit there and peddle and watch the Olympics. There has been hockey on this aft. Yesterday the wind was much stronger than today but brilliant sunshine all day. The two windows in our den face the afternoon sun and so warm lying on the lounge in the sun, doesn't beat the sunny south but a good place when the cup of tea comes.

Today we celebrated Lord and Lady Baden-Powell day. We had sparks, brownies, scouts . guides and beavers celebrating with us this morning. What a wonderful organization for children. Now it is seniors day, church meetings as well as lodge meetings. Some of the stuff gets a bit too serious but the kids have a more relaxed and fun programmes but they too will be olders someday and into more serious things. May they enjoy and appreciate their youth.

Have a good afternoon and evening all.

snow, 10F and chilly out there

2006-02-16T13:54:00.000-05:00

Millie, you are my inspiration. At Christmas time , daughter, Sandy, told me what a blog was. She said she'd send me a website to check out and Millie it was yours. I thought if at 80 you can blog, at 82 surely I could do it. I needed a lot of instructions but Sandy got me through those and because of you, Millie, I am blogging. Thank you. I think it is a neat thing to do.

This is sunday and tonight we are off to the Legion for dinner, we do this every sunday night so no dishes to do and no decisions to make. It is served buffet style so there are seconds but we don't take advantage of that as we are not near as active as once and the weight could pile on.

As the Olympics started on friday we watched the opening ceremonies and they were wonderful. Don is busy watching those this afternoon.

Last night saturday we went to a concert to raise funds for Pathways for indepent Living. 8 different performing groups donated their time and talent to this event and it was a great evening. I have a cousin who has 3 boys, 15, 14, and 10 who play the violin and she plays the piano for them. They are talented and were on the programme so had toes tapping during their stint. There was a packed house. The organization did well and many people will be helped. There has been and is a lot of musical talent in my family as well as my mother's but when musical talent was being passed around I was missed, too bad as I love music.

Here it is tuesday a rather busy one. I went swimming this morning. We had about 3 inches of snow last night but it was the soft fluffy kind. I swept our sidewalk out to the car last night so there wasn't much to do this morning before I left. Went to the Bible class at 9.30, came home and got into my Red Hat finery and to a luncheon at a restaurant. A friend talked her husband into going and Don went also. About 20+ women and those 2 men. At least I didn't have to get his lunch here. As it is Valentines Day that was the theme at the restaurant. We had a good lunch, and some contest and prizes. Everyone was to take a gift of about $5.00 in value. Some of the ladies were going to a nursing home after and sing for the residents. Me, I was too tired as I had had a busy day yesterday. The men enjoyed the luncheon and we women paid for them. Now how much betteer could they get it than that? Spent the afternoon yesterday at a lodge meeting and more food of course. I'm trying to get rid of 5 pounds so may have to move to the country and away from things, to do that. Tonight we are going to a fancy restaurant for a Valentine dinner, compliments of daughter #1. We don't need any more material things and have suggested that the kids give us gift certificates to a restaurant. Betty did just that for a Christmas present. We will enjoy.Thank you Betty. I won't even mention about tomorrow as it is a fuller day. Don't want to be idle as that is the devils workshop, and the devils name is Alzheimers. deliver me from that .

It is above freezing today so is a dab slushy out but the snow is so glaring that one almost needs sunglasses on.

Time for a rest.

What a blustery Feb 17th we had this morning. When I went to the pool at 7 the weather was gloomy, but we should be used to that by now, but at 8.30 there were a few snowflurries. The snow and rain and ice came for about an hour and left a crusty mess and the temperature dropped . Anyway we are in for the day. Yesterday was very tiring. Early to the pool then to Belleville to see the Dr about my knee then back to go to the soup and sandwich luncheon at the church then to a bridge affair at 1 and home by 4. I didn't dare go upstairs and lie down or there would have been no supper , Had to get that on as Don had a lodge meeting. When he left after 7 I found the bed and there I stayed.

Am reading a very interesting book about the early missionsries, 1864 to 2002. What those women went through. But then dedicated women seem to be programmed go through deep waters anyway. To China, Japan. Formosa and places like that. They also did work in northern Manitoba, and Saskatewan getting schools, churches built as well as educating the men women and children. They devoted their days and nights and long working years to try and make it better for the people and under very trying times I am amazed, while propped up in bed with the hot water bottle under my knees, by their strength and stamina. I think I have had it too soft. My kids tell me that I am spoiled. I have worked hard to win that title. Am also trying to finish the last one of the Harry Potter books that granddaughter Tamara loaned me. I have reading material by my chair in the living room, another by the bed and another by the chesterfield in the den. Just have to make sure I read some from each, each day so my forgetter doesn't forget what the story was about. I had my 50,000 mile check up at the Dr this morning and she figures I'm in good enough shape to make it to the 90 I'm aiming for. Don't know what I'll do after that.

Tomorrow and the weekend look unbusy as of now. May try and get a 6 handed game of euchre in one of the nights. The laundry is done so rest time again, lovely!!