I can't believe another year is drawing to a close. It certainly has been a busy and adventurous year for us.

Our recent trip to the mainland was enjoyable. It was so nice to see family again. I saw my niece and two of my great nephews, one of my nephews and his girlfriend who is visiting all the ways from Croatia(that was were my father was from). Our first day there we met up with my eldest daughter and had lunch with her and then did a little sight seeing and then off to my sister's.

The next day the boys decided they wanted to go to the Aquarium.....great idea, I haven't been there in years. The down side was that many others had the same idea and the place was very busy. We did take in the Beluga show and saw tropical fish, marine life on the westcoast and from around the world. It is great how they have it all laid out lots of indoor viewing areas where the sea life come right up to the glass windows, like they are saying hello to you. It was a good time.

There are 4 Beluga's in this tank.....this one appears to be looking right at me......

This sea lion is over 2000lbs.....you've heard me talk about the sea lions over here in Fanny Bay where they make home during the herring season....they are very loud....this guy just seems to be lounging....
There was so much to see....this little guy is one of those gecko like creatures that skim across the water.....they move very fast....
I am not particularly fond of this picture but I love the carving behind us..it is of an Orca whale carved by local artists....this is just outside of the Aquarium....

This of course is me and the Birthday girl....now I ask you does she look 60 something? I don't think so. Yes a good time was had....her roommate had made a wonderful lasagna dinner enough to feed a small army. The birthday cake was fabulous, those of you from the mainland who are familiar with Bon Bon cakes, you know what I am talking about....it was yummmmmmy!!!

Tonight we are home and taking it easy....hubby and I are going to make a Chinese dinner, hubby had gone out earlier and got some fireworks for the boys to set off at midnight....So there you have it...our plans for New Years.

I hope whatever your plans are for this evening you stay healthy and safe.....and bring in the New Year in your own special way. Cheers to you all and a very Happy New Years!!!!

We're off to the Mainland.......

Today I am up early. We are wanting to catch the ferry to the mainland to go visit my sisters. It is my eldest sisters Birthday tomorrow, so I thought it would be nice to be able to celebrate with her.

We tried to make reservations for the ferry but any of the sailing we want the prebooking is closed, so we just have to take our chances, hence I want to leave early to catch the 1030 ferry. They have been have such a terrible time with the mechanical function of the ferries lately. Currently they had to take one out of service and move another to another location hence certain sailings on the route I would take have been cancelled. We are to be getting two super ferries come January. I think we could have used more.

The boys have never really been able to spend to much time on the mainland doing any tourist things so I am hoping that we might get in an attraction or two. I am sure eldest son will want to check out some of the stores. There are so many people I would love to see, but I know the boys would be bored stiff, so I think this trip will be limited to visisting just family.

Anyhow, that is what I will be up to for the next couple of days, I hope life is treating you all well, and I will catch up with you all on Monday. Cheers and have a great weekend!

Let's go for a walk......

So now the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparation is over and for those of you who venture out on Boxing Day to get some of those sales I hope your survived and are now resting.


Yesterday, instead of shopping which is the last thing I wanted to do, we decided that the kids and I would take a nice long walk down to the fish hatchery and see what was going on. There are no fish in the hatchery right now, just some dead fish carcasses on the waters edge. Hence it is home to many eagles. I was able to capture a few Bald eagles and one Juvenile although I think by it's colouring it looks like it might be a 3rd year juvenile......so here are some of the photos from our walk yesterday.....



This is the 3rd year juvenile I was talking about.....see how their colouring works as a wonderful camouflage for the surrounding area....


I'm not sure where eldest was in this picture but here are the middle daughter, youngest daughter and the boys at waters edge.......and then dear Bert decided that the water was just to inviting and so.....
That water is darn cold...it is fresh run off from the mountains........yikes!!!!

The salmon return to spawn up this river, the way in which the water is falling is called a fish ladder....when the salmon are returning it's amazing to see them jump this ladder.

Anyhow, that was our day out....although it looks bright is was cool, by the time we all got home our cheeks were rosy and the fire and hot chocolate were in order.

And so this is Christmas.......

Yesterday I spent a good portion of my morning looking up Christmas songs on the Internet to add to my Christmas collection. I have what you would call a very eclectic taste in music. Anything from Roger Whittacker, Nana Mouskouri, Pavarotti, Enya,Sting, Great Big Sea, Tim McGraw and Reba Mcintyre just to name a few. But one of my favourite all time Christmas songs is the one by John Lennon" And so this is Christmas" When I think of the first lines of this song...."And so this is Christmas and what have we done, another year over, new one just begun....." it speaks to me about giving, caring, patience and tolerance. Every Christmas I look forward to hearing this song. If there ever was a utopia mine would be a world of peace and harmony.

I know that is a tall order. But wouldn't it be wonderful. We don't need to look at the war in Iraq or Afghanistan to see injustice being done and cruelty to mankind. It unfortunately is all around us on a daily basis. The senior who is victim to a home invasion, the store keeper who is robbed at gunpoint, the addict breaking into a vehicle to get the change for them to get their next fix, or the gang violence.....and even closer to home the intolerance of others that we experience. The unkind person who buds in front of another person, or says an unkind word because they don't like the way the person looks, smells or speaks. We talk about freedom of speech, but it only seems to apply if the person says what we want them to say, that they have to agree with our view point or we reject them in no uncertain terms using cruel words and profanity, rather than debate an issue and just agree to disagree.

Oh yes what a wonderful world it would be......oh that's another song now isn't it. But truly wouldn't it be such a wonderful world if we all just had a little more patience and tolerance for each other. I'm not one for making resolutions but if I want change to happen then it must begin with me, oh here I go again with another song. Anyhow, I am making this pledge to myself, to try to be more tolerant of others, and to recognize that we all have differing opinions and that's ok, to let that person in front of me in line, and to try not to curse at that person who just cut me off in traffic. Yup that is my wish for myself, and for you my dear friends I wish you all good things peace, harmony and happiness.

Merry Christmas.

A thought for Christmas.....

Well the countdown to Christmas is on....the house is quiet....hubby and the boys and grandpa have all gone shopping.....yes shopping. The boys are wanting to get a little something for me... they kept asking me what I wanted.....I can honestly say....I don't need or want anything...truly....I said that to my hubby as well....I just want us to be happy and healthy and together...and it appears that I will get my wish for Christmas, that is the best gift of all.

Have you ever read the story The Christmas Box written by Richard Paul Evans? It was given to me as a gift many years ago by my girls grandmother. She briefly explained the concept of the story to me and I thought how lovely, I will have to read that one day. Well the years have passed and the other day when I was preparing the boys room for their arrival I was looking at my bookshelf and there it was. It's has a charming cover and I thought it would make a nice table book. But something said to me read it.....read the book. So I got myself a cup of tea and laid on the couch and started to read it. The author of the book wrote the story out of love for his two daughters and it was his gift to them. The story was then given to others as gifts and finally someone suggested he publish it, which he did.

It is a story about a man and his young family who move from California back to his home state of Utah where he was going to start a new business. The wife while reading in the paper finds an ad for a small family to move into a mansion and to help with general chores and meals for an aging woman. The family move in and the story goes on about life in the mansion and living with the woman and the lessons he learnt. It was a touching story, one fit to be read at Christmas. It definitely gave me food for thought and reminded me about what is important, not only at Christmas but all year through.

It is hard not to get all wrapped up in the preparation of Christmas and easy to forget about why we do what it is we do for Christmas. I guess at some point in time after all the years of preparing for Christmas that maybe one Christmas we will truly get it.....I mean why we go to all the effort, why it is so important that we get just that right little something for Suzy or Johnny, why we spend so much time in the kitchen cooking the feast to end all feasts......or decorate that tree....that perfect tree.....maybe just maybe, that one year will come when we realize that it really isn't just about Christmas, but a time for us to renew and remember our feelings of humanity. We go to all this effort because we love.....because we care.....because we want those around us to know how much we care.....and because we feel so blessed and fortunate that we want to share this with others. Even if it is only your neighbour....just to share that warm caring feeling with someone other than your immediate family....to be able to do something for someone else....not because we have to.....but because we want to....and for some reason we have decided as a society that the best time of year to do this is Christmas......Christmas reminds us that there are more important things than ourselves...... when will we learn the lesson to carry these feeling through to the whole year....will it be this year? Or will it take another Christmas for us to figure it all out?

I wish you all a very blessed and Happy Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas........

The boys arrived yesterday.....oh and what a pleasure it was to greet them at the airport. Their flight was only 40 mins delayed....I thought that was pretty good considering the weather conditions that have been happening out east. They arrived safe and sound....tired but in good spirits. You know what it's like having to get up at 0300 then drive for an hour to the airport and then they had 9 hours to get to their destination, but they made it and we are thankful for that.

Hubby wanted to do some shopping on our way home, and I couldn't believe it but the boys were totally ok with it....mind you it was going into electronic stores...with all the computers and gadgets and all...it's like a candy store to them. Hubby never found what he was looking for....I picked up another couple of boxes of silver ornaments for my tree and a couple of things and then it was off home. It was a glorious day yesterday....I told hubby if we can't have snow for Christmas I want a day like today...it was cool and crisp the sun was shining and the snow on the mountains and glacier was picturesque......I had thought to bring my camera, but forgot it on the dining room table....good place.....NOT.

Today I am up early, I want to get on my stepper and do a few chores. I am going up to work today to pick up the Christmas hamper we have been preparing to give to a family for Christmas. This year we have a family that is a single mom and two small children. The youngest is 18months and suffers from asthma and frequents our paediatrics department at the hospital. It was our Social worker who told us about this family, and we all thought it would be just perfect. We had asked the mom if there was anything special she or her children would like for Christmas....her list was very small. The one thing the mom asked for was colourful towels. I had already bought her a collection of bath creams and shower gels, so when I found out she wanted towels I thought how perfect, so I went and got her a couple of bright yellow towels a vibrant pink and a turquoise coloured towel.....I don't think you can get much more colorful than that....for the youngest I bought a musical toy that lights up and pops up....very interactive I thought...and for the 3 year old I got her a very cuddly Christmas bear dressed in it's Christmas best.....the staff have been very generous I thought and a colleague and I will be delivering the hampers today.....you know it feels so good to be able to give to someone who really needs it....that's what Christmas is about isn't it?

Wishing you all a wonderful day.........cheers!

Happy Holidays.............

Life has been hectic as I am sure it has been for all of you. Our boys arrive tomorrow so I have been busy try to getting the final touches on wrapping gifts and organizing their rooms and just general Christmas stuff.

Hubbies recovery is going very well. He is just amazing me. He is a very fast healer. We were at physio on Monday and go again today and he is getting great range of motion with his arm. I am so happy. I on the other hand am not doing as well as I had hoped. I met with my employer and the powers that be on Monday and we decided that I should stop my gradual return to work and not try to come back until the New Year. My shoulder is starting to show signs of impingement, but what bothers me the most is my spine. I have pain up an down my spine and am getting numbness in my finger and great toe...all just to weird. When I saw the physiotherapist on Monday she did some mild traction on me...and ever since then my spine has been killing me...I actually took hubbies pain killers yesterday and basically vegged on the the couch....that is sooooooooooooooooo not me. I am more mobile today, I was to see my GP but he called in sick today so they had to cancel all of his appointments and now they are not open until the New Year. Living in a small town there are not many options available to me at this point in time. I asked to see another doctor but they are all booked up. My only option it would appear is to go to the ER but it is not that bad and it is not an emergency, but I do feel as though I need a xray of my spine and possibly at CT scan, but it looks like that will have to wait until the New Year now. So much for that.....

I am so excited about our boys arriving tomorrow. I want to do one last baking which I will do today, and then I think I am done. We got our tree the other day....and you know.....I love it....it is much smaller than I wanted....I mean it's not the 13 footer that I am used to...but we are anticipating a lot of people on Christmas and didn't feel the larger tree would fit........so here it is our 2007 Christmas Tree.....

It would have been nice if there had been snow outside. We did have snow off and on yesterday....our weather has been so odd this year. Our boys are travelling from back east and we know how hard they have been hit with the winter storms, we are being optimistic about their being able to travel tomorrow.

One of the things I collect, are Santa's....this year I added two more......here is what I have done with my Santa's this year....

The White Santa on the right on the table is one of my new ones.....and here is the other.....

He stands a couple of feet tall......I just love him.....I don't know how or why I got into collecting Santa's but I did, so now I am always on the look out for a Santa........other than my Santa's the theme around my house is blue and sliver. The garland around the window as are decorated with blue and silver and the tree as you saw is blue and silver.....well I can across this lovely table runner that is of varying materials of blue and with silver stars, I just loved it...then I saw the candles and holders and well I just had to have those......the center piece was given to us as a gift a couple of Christmas's ago......

The nativity scene in the back ground was my mothers....it's nothing extravagant, but it was hers and it brings such fond memories for me.....

The angel with the blue candle was my sister's, her husband gave that to me the first Christmas we celebrated without her, so to put it by the nativity scene just seem appropriate to me, so when I look at that I think of both my sister and my mom.......Merry Christmas Eileen and Mom.......

Sugery update....

It was a long day yesterday. It started at 0500, we had to get up and head out to the hospital. Hubby was first case of day the. We got there and they called him in. So now what do I do.....it's only 0650 in the morning. Nothing is open. My intent was to go finish up some Christmas shopping while I was in town. So to kill some time I went and had a "skinny Latte"(gosh I could be a barrista, Not!) and read the local paper. It was getting on for 0800 by that time so I decided that by the time I drove to the Mall at least Wal-Mart would be open.

I was amazed at how much time I was able to spend in there, they have everything from nuts and bolts to peanut butter, and so I end up wandering about getting all glassy eyed. Actually it was really pleasant...the store wasn't busy at all.....Christmas tune(country style) were playing and I was singing along....it was very enjoyable. By the time I left Wal-Mart the rest of the mall was open. This then provided me with an opportunity to do some of the other stuff.

One of the things my youngest wanted was a P-Coat.....do you remember them? I always thought of them as the "sailor jacket". Well they are really nothing like the original P-Coats

but they are fun and come in a variety of styles. My youngest is about 5'4" and weights maybe 100-105lbs...she is tiny. Anyhow, it just so happens the clerk in the store was about her size. Oh did we have fun, I had her try on a variety of jackets and then the bulky scarves. The sleeves on the jacket I picked had 3/4 length sleeves which then meant longer sleeved gloves....oh did it ever look classy and fun. Oh I do hope she likes it. I had already bought her some jeans and a dress top so I am hoping the whole outfit just goes together....I can hardly wait to see her in it.

I love shopping for my girls. They are so easy to shop for. They certainly make the clothes and not the other way around. I was also suppose to try and find some stocking stuffer for my step sons but is so hard. I got everyone scratch lottery tickets, and the older boys deodorant and toiletries....but what do you put in a 12 year olds stocking besides the candy, orange and nuts and lottery ticket? I am stumped. I have asked hubby numerous times what he thinks, but he just says...we'll go shopping and find something....well now with him being laid up I don't think he is going to want to be going shopping. Ah I will find something.....

So after 3 1/2 hours shopping I had enough, I decided it was time to go back to the hospital and see where they were at. I wasn't really expecting him to be ready to go home until 2:00 pm at the earliest. I arrived at 1230. They have this waiting room with recliner chairs and a TV....I bought a paper and then just dozed off and on. Finally at around 2:45 they came for me. I go into the area were he is....he was semi upright in bed, looking much better than I had anticipated.....the surgeon was there and explained to us what he had done. The damage to my hubbies shoulder was much worse than he had anticipated, and hence the surgery took an hour longer than he thought. He told us that even with all the muscle manipulation he had to do there is still an area on his shoulder that is not protected and hence he potentially will never fully regain the ability to lift his arm to up towards his head. He told us it was going to be a very long recovery, 6 weeks of immobilization and working with physio to do passive range of motion.

Last night was a long one. Hubby just couldn't' get comfortable in his recliner chair and the sad thing....the wonderful big comfy chair that I bought him for his birthday with the anticipation of him having to use it a fair amount of time, didn't work out the way I had anticipated. I over looked one major thing .....the leaver that is used to extend the leg of the chair is on his affected side....so every time he needed to get up....I would have to get up and move the leaver and assist him up.....it was a sleepless night. I think we are going to have to come up with some device to help him manipulate the leaver himself.....hmmmm....got to get my thinking cap on...I was able to get a couple of hours this morning.....I finally went up to bed and grabbed a nap. He is doing amazingly well under the circumstances. Thank you all again for your kind words of support. I got to fly now....got to go bring in some wood and make some lunch and do some chores......hope life is treating you all very well....cheers.....

Just touching base......

Thank you all for your kinds words of encouragement. Sorry I haven't been around very much....haven't had much to say really. Been busy doing the Christmas preparation and all, and my back to work program.

Well I have been back since last Friday I have only been able to manage four 4 hrs shifts. My shoulder hurts all the time. I keep doing the exercises physio has shown me and actually when I saw her last I reviewed what I was doing to make sure I was using the proper technique, but wow I hurt. Today I worked 4 hrs and will be going off to physio shortly. I think part of my problem is the driving. You see I have to drive 50 mins before I even start work, that static position is just not good for me. I reposition myself, moved the seat up and down forward and back as the same with the steering wheel. It has now been suggested that I pull over and take a rest. Well if I am going to do that I am going to leave my house even earlier, as it is I give myself an hour to get to work. Anyhow, that what is going on with my shoulder, I have met with the powers that be and will meet again with them next week to review my progress. I am remaining optimistic, that all I can do.

On another note, I got my final grade for my course......drum roll please......I got an A+.....I can't believe it. I thought oh they've got the wrong person here....but nope it was my paper and presentation that was marked. I am really doing the happy dance. My hubby was sleeping on the couch when I opened the envelope....I said "hey I got an A+" He grunted....I am hoping he will be a little more enthusiastic for me when he wakes up. If my mom were alive I would call her, but instead I sent a text message to my middle daughter she got right back to me....doing the happy dance is for sure. I am going to take an English courses in January and I was hoping a nursing course but I don't think that is going to happen. I have volunteered for our local Hospice society and have to take their 6 week course come January, so I thought I should make my plate to full. So there's my educational update.

Hubby has his long awaited surgery tomorrow. To be honest I am scared and happy at the same time. I am so happy he is getting it done because he has been in excruciating pain since the dislocation in September and constant pain since he was hit by the car almost 2 years ago. But tomorrow it will be done. I am scared one just for the simple fact that he has to have surgery....I know this has been done a bazillion times before but he is my hubby and well.....I just worry....the other is the post op pain I know he is going to have and the long road to recovery that lays ahead, but at least it is recovery, this is a positive.

The continuing saga of me and my shoulder.....

So I was at physio yesterday, working on strengthening my shoulder and range of motion. It's funny..with all the manipulation that she has been doing it has made my old injury on my left shoulder flare up. So much so that it caused temporary numbness to my arm. Urgh!! That left shoulder has never been the same since I had a work related injury to it over 4 years ago. Anyhow, she was doing some massage therapy on my scapula's and well that is when my left arm started to go numb. It did pass. I asked the physiotherapist if she thought I could go back to work this Thursday...being tomorrow. She looked at me like I was crazy. I asked her to fax her observations to my doctor and tell him what she has been doing etc. Anyhow, today I go visit my doctor. I have now got the go ahead to try what we call a gradual return to work, with 2 weeks of half days and physio and then 4 weeks of no lifting above my waist and nothing greater than 10 kg. So although I am excited about getting back to work, I am amazed at the differing of opinions. Here we have a physiotherapist who on Tuesday worked on me for over an hour saying by no means did she think I was ready, and then the next day my doctor who spends 15 mins with me tells me I can go back on the GRTW program. Go figure. Long and short of it, as I said I am glad to be getting back, I hate not working and pulling my weight at work. There's a part of me that feels like I'm being a slacker. Like I should be able to handle it all and do it all. Then there is my body, that says...hey wait a minute.....don't do that to me.....

But I feel the longer I am off the worse I mentally feel. Even though I have been active and busy and going to physio, I still feel like I am not being productive. So there you have the update on me and my shoulder. Physio tomorrow and then hopefully if all the powers that be can coordinate things I shall be back to work soon.

Hope you are all having a fantastic day.....cheers!!!

Heads or Tails Tuesday

This week it is Heads and the theme is 3

Three things I did today

1. Got out of bed
2. brushed my teeth
3. had my yogurt with bran and blueberries

Three things I bought today

1. More Christmas lights
2. Another extension cord
3. Milk

Three chores I did today

1. Dust
2. Make my bed
3. Laundry

Three things I have to do tomorrow

1. Exercise
2. Go to physio
3. Christmas shop

So there you have it...my three .....now if you would like to play along check out Skittle's Place for all of the instructions. Have fun!!!!