I don't know how I stay so level tempered after some of the crap I go through. It's bad enough to have squirrels in your attic and paying $400 to get them out but my squirrels are so stupid that they can't figure out how to exit the one way cage.
I found a pair of Dennis' binoculars and have been checking their progress the last few days and was really surprised to see them inside the cage in the evening and apparently chewing on the bars trying to get out. I wondered if maybe the exit part of the cage was stuck but my squirrel remover says sometimes the squirrels just can't figure out how to use it. Now I have a terrible worry that the little buggers will die of thirst and starvation inside my attic and the smell will be what drives ME out of my own house.
A nice thing happened today (and for the past couple of weeks). I went over to Nick's in the morning to watch the boys so he could get some work done and, when I came back home, saw my good neighbor, Dang, cutting the lawn again. I hate that he feels he has to do this for me but he seems determined to do it after he cuts his own lawn. He's the same age as me so I feel awfully guilty about this. Nick has good intentions of cutting it regularly but he works and has a family to look after so his time is limited and the lawn does start looking awfully unkept before he can get to it. I know how fortunate I am to have good neighbors and good family to help me out when needed but I have trouble accepting their help graciously. These days I find it awfully hard to cut the lawn myself because I'm afraid to twist my knees and it also wears me out something fierce...I tell myself I'm not a young chick any more but that just makes me feel worse!! Old and helpless...crap!
Faye and Donna are coming over this afternoon for our Swedish weaving get-together and they'll make me laugh and feel a whole lot better, though.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Stabbings at Home
The local news reported a couple of recent stabbings here in town, one with scissors. As bad as this sounds, no-one died and that wouldn't have been the case if the assailants had guns instead of knives or scissors. This is a fair sized city and we do have occasional murders, some by gunshot, but this isn't the norm. We are situated not very far from Toronto where it's a different story altogether. Their news is filled with at least one murder by gunshot every week.
Living in a large Canadian city means there is more crime but very little of it involves guns and for that I'm thankful. It's interesting to note that much of our crime stems from alcohol or drug use, the same basic reasons for crime in most of the world. I suppose inherent stupidity is another major cause for crime but, unless we resort to genocide, we'll just have to continue to deal with that. Keeping a lid on drug and booze use is at least doable.
Speaking of stabbing with scissors, my Cindy threw a pair of scissors at Kim when they were about 5 and 6 years old. They hit Kim just under her eye and scared us all to death. Now, these were 2 young children involved in a dispute and not grown adults using the same tactics. Children don't always have the best control over their emotions but you'd think an adult would have matured enough to behave better.
I have no memory of ever deliberately hitting another person (not counting spanking my kids) except in defence and that only happened once. I abhor physical violence and have evolved to the point where I don't believe in even spanking unruly children any more. "Time Out" is an excellent alternative and works much better than spanking.
I obviously can't understand how someone could shoot another human being knowing what the consequences of their actions could be. Regardless of the fact they could kill the person they shoot, they also will almost certainly end up in jail. Maybe that's where the "stupidity" comes in.
In any case, although no-one would want to be stabbed, they'd have a better chance of surviving than if they'd been shot. Because of this, I'm thankful for our more stringent gun laws in Canada.
Living in a large Canadian city means there is more crime but very little of it involves guns and for that I'm thankful. It's interesting to note that much of our crime stems from alcohol or drug use, the same basic reasons for crime in most of the world. I suppose inherent stupidity is another major cause for crime but, unless we resort to genocide, we'll just have to continue to deal with that. Keeping a lid on drug and booze use is at least doable.
Speaking of stabbing with scissors, my Cindy threw a pair of scissors at Kim when they were about 5 and 6 years old. They hit Kim just under her eye and scared us all to death. Now, these were 2 young children involved in a dispute and not grown adults using the same tactics. Children don't always have the best control over their emotions but you'd think an adult would have matured enough to behave better.
I have no memory of ever deliberately hitting another person (not counting spanking my kids) except in defence and that only happened once. I abhor physical violence and have evolved to the point where I don't believe in even spanking unruly children any more. "Time Out" is an excellent alternative and works much better than spanking.
I obviously can't understand how someone could shoot another human being knowing what the consequences of their actions could be. Regardless of the fact they could kill the person they shoot, they also will almost certainly end up in jail. Maybe that's where the "stupidity" comes in.
In any case, although no-one would want to be stabbed, they'd have a better chance of surviving than if they'd been shot. Because of this, I'm thankful for our more stringent gun laws in Canada.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Babies
I met two brand new babies yesterday, Matthew (2 weeks old) and Pierce (3 days old). They are both beautiful boys with every wonderful potential ahead of them in life. It will be up to their parents to raise them well and guide them to the best of their abilities. It's a daunting task because those sweet babies have been born into a world filled with scary potentials, also.
When my babies were born in the late 50's and early 60's, our biggest fears were unplanned pregnancy and possibly alcoholism. These days, the worst fear by far is that a child will be introduced to illegal drugs or HIV. Children and teens are terribly gullible about the evils in the world and these dangers are so far the worst parents have had to face.
Of course, the old standby, molestation, will probably always be a fear unless some brilliant government in the future makes a law that anyone convicted of molesting a child is jailed for the rest of their miserable life.
Raising a child means forever worrying about their safety. They need to be taught about the dangers without terrifying them but it has to be an ongoing lesson. It would be a blessing to all loving parents if the courts dealt with paedophiles and drug dealers with an iron hand, removing all of them from society. Instead, the emphasis seems to be on rehabilitation which, for molesters, is a waste of time and tax dollars. Evil such as theirs is a permanent contamination of their thought processes and cannot be changed.
It's truly beyond my understanding to look at the sweet innocent face of a child and want to be anything but protective and nurturing. As I looked at the dear babies yesterday, I thought how their families would shield them from danger for as long as they can and, hopefully, rear them to an age where they will be mature enough to protect themselves. Their parents will never stop worrying about them, though, because that is how nature made most of us. We'll worry about our progeny until the day we die.
When my babies were born in the late 50's and early 60's, our biggest fears were unplanned pregnancy and possibly alcoholism. These days, the worst fear by far is that a child will be introduced to illegal drugs or HIV. Children and teens are terribly gullible about the evils in the world and these dangers are so far the worst parents have had to face.
Of course, the old standby, molestation, will probably always be a fear unless some brilliant government in the future makes a law that anyone convicted of molesting a child is jailed for the rest of their miserable life.
Raising a child means forever worrying about their safety. They need to be taught about the dangers without terrifying them but it has to be an ongoing lesson. It would be a blessing to all loving parents if the courts dealt with paedophiles and drug dealers with an iron hand, removing all of them from society. Instead, the emphasis seems to be on rehabilitation which, for molesters, is a waste of time and tax dollars. Evil such as theirs is a permanent contamination of their thought processes and cannot be changed.
It's truly beyond my understanding to look at the sweet innocent face of a child and want to be anything but protective and nurturing. As I looked at the dear babies yesterday, I thought how their families would shield them from danger for as long as they can and, hopefully, rear them to an age where they will be mature enough to protect themselves. Their parents will never stop worrying about them, though, because that is how nature made most of us. We'll worry about our progeny until the day we die.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Squirrel News
$395 with tax later, I find out that the metal cages around the roof vents were how the bloody squirrels got in again but it wasn't because they'd chewed through the metal. When metal cages are put in, they have a little door where they attach a sort of funnel so that the squirrels can get out but can't get back in. After the squirrels are all out, the funnel is removed and a permanent door closes the opening. Apparently one of those doors is missing. I don't know whether that was caused by the people who installed the cages or by the roofers when they put my new roof on. In any case, that's how the squirrels got back in.
In a related story, a big black squirrel tried to get in the screened patio door yesterday and I had to shoo him away. A short while later I noticed that a large geranium on the deck had been completely shovelled out of the pot, presumable by a squirrel. Today I chased squirrels off the deck only to discover a while later that the same geranium (which I'd repotted) had again been tossed out of the pot. I'm starting to feel as though the squirrels are out to get me because they know they're being evicted from my house.
I feel strangely like a landlord who has unruly and unpaying tenants who are fighting to stay put. One good thing is that there are no legal loopholes to stop me from kicking them out on their butts.
In a related story, a big black squirrel tried to get in the screened patio door yesterday and I had to shoo him away. A short while later I noticed that a large geranium on the deck had been completely shovelled out of the pot, presumable by a squirrel. Today I chased squirrels off the deck only to discover a while later that the same geranium (which I'd repotted) had again been tossed out of the pot. I'm starting to feel as though the squirrels are out to get me because they know they're being evicted from my house.
I feel strangely like a landlord who has unruly and unpaying tenants who are fighting to stay put. One good thing is that there are no legal loopholes to stop me from kicking them out on their butts.
Attitude
It seems that all of my life I've been aware how you can assume any attitude you like and it will affect your social dealings accordingly. That said, why have I not always used this knowledge to develop a fabulous life? Thinking back, I believe I did make the life I wanted...maybe, needed.
Using this knowledge is how some "special" people in the world attain great success in their chosen field. It's a simple process learned at an early age where a child discovers what works and what doesn't to achieve his/her goal. It's disconcerting to know we all could have done better if we'd diligently practiced what we learned at the age of 2.
I guess we all could have done better in designing our lives but most of us chose to coast instead of drive ourselves. Laziness is the flaw that produces jail prisoners and Welfare families, all of whom could have lived a much nicer life if they'd made the effort.
I remember yearning to the core for a life consisting of a nice husband, nice children, home ownership, and a comfortable (not luxurious) existence. I got it. I could have aimed for more but I didn't. Maybe people who succeed beyond our wildest dreams are driven by a higher expectancy. I really do think this is the case.
In my golden years, I don't yearn for much, just that my offspring have good lives and that I can be with them in good health as long as possible. I hope we really do get what we aim for.
Using this knowledge is how some "special" people in the world attain great success in their chosen field. It's a simple process learned at an early age where a child discovers what works and what doesn't to achieve his/her goal. It's disconcerting to know we all could have done better if we'd diligently practiced what we learned at the age of 2.
I guess we all could have done better in designing our lives but most of us chose to coast instead of drive ourselves. Laziness is the flaw that produces jail prisoners and Welfare families, all of whom could have lived a much nicer life if they'd made the effort.
I remember yearning to the core for a life consisting of a nice husband, nice children, home ownership, and a comfortable (not luxurious) existence. I got it. I could have aimed for more but I didn't. Maybe people who succeed beyond our wildest dreams are driven by a higher expectancy. I really do think this is the case.
In my golden years, I don't yearn for much, just that my offspring have good lives and that I can be with them in good health as long as possible. I hope we really do get what we aim for.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Tyson's Afghan
On the table is the book, "The Help", and I'm just starting it. So far it makes me really angry that black people have had to suffer such demeaning discrimination at the hands of whites. I sometimes feel shame because of my race but then I accept there is good and bad in all people regardless of race and we can't let ourselves be tarnished by the bad.
I just rented 3 tables for a yard sale that will be held June 9th and that makes me very happy. I can get rid of excess household stuff and also have an outlet to sell my jewellery. I have lots and lots of interests, some of which I have yet to start, and I really wonder at times how anyone can be bored or lonely. I don't remember my mother or grandmother having any interests in crafts or hobbies of any kind so maybe my craft interests come from my father's side of the family. Wish I knew who he was and who his family is!
My grandmother was a great cook who spent a lot of her time putting down preserves of all kinds. My mother worked all day and spent her spare time reading trashy love magazines. Now, that would bore the beejeezus out of me. It's best for us to find our own interests, isn't it?
I learned how to make crocheted ribbon-yarn necklaces from a friend in Florida so that is next on my list of things to do to sell at the yard sale. It isn't the selling of the items that draws me, it's the interaction that I enjoy. I did let myself get a little overstocked on jewellery, though, so I need to get rid of a lot of it now. One of my big problems is that I tend to overdo when I get involved in a pastime, then I begin to lose interest in order to go on to another newer interest. That's what's happened with the jewellery but I can't just shove it aside because I have too much money invested in it. Maybe one day I'll learn. Maybe, maybe not.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Squirrels in the Attic...Again!!
I think it was 2 years ago that I went through the utter hell of having squirrels in the attic and trying to have them removed. I had a near nervous breakdown over it and swore I'd sell the house if the buggers got in again. Well, they did.
The people I hired to rid me of the squirrels put a metal cage around the roof vents to prevent them getting back in so I'm not sure how they did. From what I can see, the metal cages look a little like they might have been cut through but I should know tomorrow. I've now hired the same pest control people that got rid of the centipedes and I'm hoping for more than 2 years squirrel free. I'm furious this time instead of deep down depressed like I was the last time. I would shoot them through the walls if I had a gun so it's a good thing I don't have one. Also, it would wreck the walls.
It really is infuriating to have these darned things making my home theirs. I wonder how many houses in the city sit squirrel free their entire lives and here my little house has been invaded twice. The last time it cost me $200 to get rid of them. The bill this time will be $350 so they are a costly problem.
I hope to update in a week to tell the world I'm squirrel free once again. I know nobody cares but me.
The people I hired to rid me of the squirrels put a metal cage around the roof vents to prevent them getting back in so I'm not sure how they did. From what I can see, the metal cages look a little like they might have been cut through but I should know tomorrow. I've now hired the same pest control people that got rid of the centipedes and I'm hoping for more than 2 years squirrel free. I'm furious this time instead of deep down depressed like I was the last time. I would shoot them through the walls if I had a gun so it's a good thing I don't have one. Also, it would wreck the walls.
It really is infuriating to have these darned things making my home theirs. I wonder how many houses in the city sit squirrel free their entire lives and here my little house has been invaded twice. The last time it cost me $200 to get rid of them. The bill this time will be $350 so they are a costly problem.
I hope to update in a week to tell the world I'm squirrel free once again. I know nobody cares but me.
Casualty of War
I have an image in my mind that I'm sure will stay with me forever. It's of a young 22 year old American man who is one of the many casualties of the wars we humans seem to wage constantly against one another.
I was sitting on a bench in Barry's Bay waiting for my companions to finish shopping at the Victoria Day street sales when a gentleman sat beside me and started up a conversation. If I'd been a young woman, I would have assumed he was trying to pick me up but now that I'm an old gal I feel pretty confident that any strange man talking to me is just that...an innocent conversation. This knowledge frees me to meet and chat with any number of strangers and it's a nice feeling.
He had a vintage car that he was showing and selling. I learned where he acquired it (from an old aunt) and why he was selling it (pension money just didn't pay all the bills). He had an accent that didn't sound Canadian so I asked him where he was from and he was indeed a Canadian who had lived many years in Texas. I mentioned that my daughter was an American and married to a retired Air Force man. The gentleman was a Viet Nam war veteran and that's how we came to talk about his grandson who had been seriously wounded in Afghanistan.
He told me how he'd been talking to the young man just the day before and how the boy had told him he still hadn't gotten his head together. I asked what he meant and he told me his grandson had been in the American military and stationed in Afghanistan when he'd had a landmine explode beneath him. The injuries were immense, taking a leg and hand, buttocks and the "family jewels". He went on to say that his grandson developed gangrene in his leg and it had to be further amputated above the knee. I kept thinking how this was a 22 year old young man with his whole life ahead of him and how it shouldn't have turned out this way for him. I worried about how injuries like this would affect his sanity.
I know such injuries are not unique in war but most of what we hear are anonymous stories printed in the newspapers or heard on the news. We don't usually put a human face on the casualties. It shook my soul to hear this man repeat his grandson's words..."I still haven't got my head together". How could he? How can he?
Of course I spouted on about how we have no right to be sending troops to other countries and interfering in their politics but it sounded stupid, even to my own ears. I know some of the reasons we invade other countries are valid ones and probably help to keep a degree of peace in the world but it's still such a shame that it's our young ones who actually face the enemy. It's our young soldiers who are put in the worst danger and on foreign soil.
War means death and dismemberment. It means killing or being prepared to kill. It means suffering. War is waged because of greed or intolerance. It's waged to gain power. It's waged to stop terrorists from becoming strong enough to become a threat. Many reasons but many cloaking the true reason, too. Whatever the reason, wars are deadlier for the foot soldier than the 5 star generals who send them there.
It's a war half way around the world, in a country most of us wouldn't even care to visit, that brought a 22 year old Texan to where he'll live the rest of his life limbless and sexless. I wonder if he and his loved ones think it was worth it.
I was sitting on a bench in Barry's Bay waiting for my companions to finish shopping at the Victoria Day street sales when a gentleman sat beside me and started up a conversation. If I'd been a young woman, I would have assumed he was trying to pick me up but now that I'm an old gal I feel pretty confident that any strange man talking to me is just that...an innocent conversation. This knowledge frees me to meet and chat with any number of strangers and it's a nice feeling.
He had a vintage car that he was showing and selling. I learned where he acquired it (from an old aunt) and why he was selling it (pension money just didn't pay all the bills). He had an accent that didn't sound Canadian so I asked him where he was from and he was indeed a Canadian who had lived many years in Texas. I mentioned that my daughter was an American and married to a retired Air Force man. The gentleman was a Viet Nam war veteran and that's how we came to talk about his grandson who had been seriously wounded in Afghanistan.
He told me how he'd been talking to the young man just the day before and how the boy had told him he still hadn't gotten his head together. I asked what he meant and he told me his grandson had been in the American military and stationed in Afghanistan when he'd had a landmine explode beneath him. The injuries were immense, taking a leg and hand, buttocks and the "family jewels". He went on to say that his grandson developed gangrene in his leg and it had to be further amputated above the knee. I kept thinking how this was a 22 year old young man with his whole life ahead of him and how it shouldn't have turned out this way for him. I worried about how injuries like this would affect his sanity.
I know such injuries are not unique in war but most of what we hear are anonymous stories printed in the newspapers or heard on the news. We don't usually put a human face on the casualties. It shook my soul to hear this man repeat his grandson's words..."I still haven't got my head together". How could he? How can he?
Of course I spouted on about how we have no right to be sending troops to other countries and interfering in their politics but it sounded stupid, even to my own ears. I know some of the reasons we invade other countries are valid ones and probably help to keep a degree of peace in the world but it's still such a shame that it's our young ones who actually face the enemy. It's our young soldiers who are put in the worst danger and on foreign soil.
War means death and dismemberment. It means killing or being prepared to kill. It means suffering. War is waged because of greed or intolerance. It's waged to gain power. It's waged to stop terrorists from becoming strong enough to become a threat. Many reasons but many cloaking the true reason, too. Whatever the reason, wars are deadlier for the foot soldier than the 5 star generals who send them there.
It's a war half way around the world, in a country most of us wouldn't even care to visit, that brought a 22 year old Texan to where he'll live the rest of his life limbless and sexless. I wonder if he and his loved ones think it was worth it.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Weekend Away
It was a long awaited visit to Joyce and Larry's cottage and it couldn't have gone better. I love going up there but things have gotten in the way for the last couple of years and it's been about 3 years since I was able to go. Luckily, Faye made the plans and we, along with Gary, went up there on Thursday and came home on Sunday. I'm a firm believer in the old saying that fish and company begin to stink after 3 days.
We ate, laughed, did a bit of yard saleing, Swedish weaving, and more eating and laughing every day so it was a lovely visit. Their home is immaculate but so comfortable and homey, not to mention that the outside views of the lake are breathtaking. I'm allergic to cats and they have two...Fernie and Allie...but the house is so clean that I'm never affected by their dander. Allie is a monster sized persian cat who makes no bones about who is the queen of the house...her!
The weather was excellent but the appearance of black flies kept us indoors most of the time. Joyce and Larry have a screened gazebo so we sat out there for a while reading, though. The black flies don't go near Larry so he can't understand why the rest of us squawked about them. I'm happy for the northerners that black fly season is short lived because I'm still scratching the bites I got up there.
Gary took the long way home on Sunday, driving through miles and miles of somewhat back roads until finally reaching the 401 which was clogged with cars. We'd thought the traffic would be moving faster on Sunday because it was the long weekend but Toronto is never easy to drive through.
The weather has been quite hot but my recent plantings did okay while I was gone with the exception of one poor little Impatiens that a squirrel dislodged and tossed out of the pot. I hate squirrels!! I replanted the poor thing and will water everything later today.
Kim is coming over at 10 A.M. to take me to Matt's for coffee. He's such a sweetheart who loves his family deeply. He called yesterday to tell me he'd just finished planting flowers in pots on his balcony and was quite proud of himself. I'm hoping that Sandra isn't working today so that I get to see her, too.
This summer, so far, is working out to be the easy one I've craved for such a long time. I think it helped that I bought the new car so quickly and didn't have to waste time fretting about that unpleasant job. I did kill a centipede this morning and that shot my stress level up a few notches but I'm okay now. I hate centipedes!
I love going on day to 3 day trips but it's always nice to come back to my own house. As Kim said when she was a little girl, "I'm just a homely girl.".
We ate, laughed, did a bit of yard saleing, Swedish weaving, and more eating and laughing every day so it was a lovely visit. Their home is immaculate but so comfortable and homey, not to mention that the outside views of the lake are breathtaking. I'm allergic to cats and they have two...Fernie and Allie...but the house is so clean that I'm never affected by their dander. Allie is a monster sized persian cat who makes no bones about who is the queen of the house...her!
The weather was excellent but the appearance of black flies kept us indoors most of the time. Joyce and Larry have a screened gazebo so we sat out there for a while reading, though. The black flies don't go near Larry so he can't understand why the rest of us squawked about them. I'm happy for the northerners that black fly season is short lived because I'm still scratching the bites I got up there.
Gary took the long way home on Sunday, driving through miles and miles of somewhat back roads until finally reaching the 401 which was clogged with cars. We'd thought the traffic would be moving faster on Sunday because it was the long weekend but Toronto is never easy to drive through.
The weather has been quite hot but my recent plantings did okay while I was gone with the exception of one poor little Impatiens that a squirrel dislodged and tossed out of the pot. I hate squirrels!! I replanted the poor thing and will water everything later today.
Kim is coming over at 10 A.M. to take me to Matt's for coffee. He's such a sweetheart who loves his family deeply. He called yesterday to tell me he'd just finished planting flowers in pots on his balcony and was quite proud of himself. I'm hoping that Sandra isn't working today so that I get to see her, too.
This summer, so far, is working out to be the easy one I've craved for such a long time. I think it helped that I bought the new car so quickly and didn't have to waste time fretting about that unpleasant job. I did kill a centipede this morning and that shot my stress level up a few notches but I'm okay now. I hate centipedes!
I love going on day to 3 day trips but it's always nice to come back to my own house. As Kim said when she was a little girl, "I'm just a homely girl.".
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Good Neighbor
A week or so ago, I discovered that my lawn had been cut by one of my neighbors but just recently found out who it was...Lisa! Today, I thought my grandson, Nick, was out there cutting the lawn and wondered why he hadn't come in first to say hi but, when I looked out in the yard, it was Dang cutting the lawn. Just as I've had the good fortune to fall into a Florida park with some of the most wonderful people in the world, I've also got the best neighbors in the world here at home.
I stopped cutting the lawn myself 2 years ago because it totally wore me out. Then last year there was the issue of skin cancer and it scared me to go out in the sunshine for even short lengths of time. Nick took on the job of grass cutting, thank heavens, but my neighbors have chipped in occasionally, too.
I suppose I've reached the age when I shouldn't be living in a house and having to depend on others to help out but I really hate to leave here. This is "home" and I've got such good neighbors who are almost like family to me. It's selfishness on my part, but I do want to stay here a while longer. I have a very strong conscience and feel guilty that I'm not doing more myself but, for whatever reason, the strength to do even slightly heavy work just isn't there anymore. It's a fact of life and I'll just have to live with it.
I don't want my neighbors to think they are responsible for looking after my lawn but as long as Nick is willing to do it, I'll be comfortable with that. I'm so lucky to have these good people in my life.
I stopped cutting the lawn myself 2 years ago because it totally wore me out. Then last year there was the issue of skin cancer and it scared me to go out in the sunshine for even short lengths of time. Nick took on the job of grass cutting, thank heavens, but my neighbors have chipped in occasionally, too.
I suppose I've reached the age when I shouldn't be living in a house and having to depend on others to help out but I really hate to leave here. This is "home" and I've got such good neighbors who are almost like family to me. It's selfishness on my part, but I do want to stay here a while longer. I have a very strong conscience and feel guilty that I'm not doing more myself but, for whatever reason, the strength to do even slightly heavy work just isn't there anymore. It's a fact of life and I'll just have to live with it.
I don't want my neighbors to think they are responsible for looking after my lawn but as long as Nick is willing to do it, I'll be comfortable with that. I'm so lucky to have these good people in my life.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Mother's Day Present
I thought today how Mother's Day presents shouldn't be the usual pot of flowers but something you know your mother will love but would never spend the money on. This is it! There are so many things I see that I would love to have around the house but just don't think I should buy because they're sort of frivolous. We need a bit of "frivolous" in our lives...it brightens them!
Along with the butterflies, which I love, is a saying, "Welcome each new day", and it's a lovely sentiment to live by. The older I get, the more I live by that saying. These days I have so much to be thankful for and no great sadness to deal with so it's easy for me to welcome the day.
Right now I'm playing on the computer with no housework waiting on me and I'm looking out into the backyard which is slowly coming together. I see freshly planted flowers and a few empty pots waiting for my inspiration on what to put in them. Life is good.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Upgraded Internet
When I got the bundle (internet, T.V., phone) with Shaw, I was advised not to bother paying for the faster internet because it supposedly wasn't much faster. Well, I decided to get it today and it is slightly faster and that is enough for me. I've become very impatient with how slow the pages upload even though they've been lightening fast compared to my dial-up service in Florida.
It was a good idea for me to take note of how fast it was this morning before changing over to the faster service because it gave me a good example of the difference in speed. Yup!, it's faster and that means my intolerance to waiting will be lessened a bit.
I've still got Bailey until tonight when Nick, Natasha, Nolan, Nash, Kim, and Cindy come over. Nick will be cutting the lawn but the rest will be here just for a visit. I think it will be nice enough to sit outside so I need to clean the patio furniture some time today. I'd probably be wise to clean the outside toys, too. I don't think Nolan will mind me doing it without him. John (next door) borrowed 2 of the side tables on Saturday for his party and he cleaned them...bonus for me!
I guess I can plant the rest of the Impatiens I have, too, and get them out of the way. They're all a salmon color and are going in the side garden and maybe in a pot or two if there is enough. I enjoy doing my gardening like this because it gives me more time to decide what else I need to buy. Shopping for flowers is such a pleasant pastime and should never be done all at once.
The other day when I was outside gardening, I didn't put sunscreen on my face because I thought I wouldn't be out as long as I was and I got some sunburn. That scares me and I won't make the same mistake again. My face is clearing up nicely after having the liquid nitrogen spray and using a prescription face cream regularly. I hate having to pamper myself like this but it's necessary now. I just hope it keeps on working.
Back to the garden...I think my next purchase will be snapdragons for a couple of pots in the backyard. They come in a lot of colors and I like to mix them together. The pots at the front of the house will contain Portulaca so I can forget about them until the end of the month when Portulaca becomes available.
Well, enough talk and now is the time for some action!
It was a good idea for me to take note of how fast it was this morning before changing over to the faster service because it gave me a good example of the difference in speed. Yup!, it's faster and that means my intolerance to waiting will be lessened a bit.
I've still got Bailey until tonight when Nick, Natasha, Nolan, Nash, Kim, and Cindy come over. Nick will be cutting the lawn but the rest will be here just for a visit. I think it will be nice enough to sit outside so I need to clean the patio furniture some time today. I'd probably be wise to clean the outside toys, too. I don't think Nolan will mind me doing it without him. John (next door) borrowed 2 of the side tables on Saturday for his party and he cleaned them...bonus for me!
I guess I can plant the rest of the Impatiens I have, too, and get them out of the way. They're all a salmon color and are going in the side garden and maybe in a pot or two if there is enough. I enjoy doing my gardening like this because it gives me more time to decide what else I need to buy. Shopping for flowers is such a pleasant pastime and should never be done all at once.
The other day when I was outside gardening, I didn't put sunscreen on my face because I thought I wouldn't be out as long as I was and I got some sunburn. That scares me and I won't make the same mistake again. My face is clearing up nicely after having the liquid nitrogen spray and using a prescription face cream regularly. I hate having to pamper myself like this but it's necessary now. I just hope it keeps on working.
Back to the garden...I think my next purchase will be snapdragons for a couple of pots in the backyard. They come in a lot of colors and I like to mix them together. The pots at the front of the house will contain Portulaca so I can forget about them until the end of the month when Portulaca becomes available.
Well, enough talk and now is the time for some action!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Jack Russells Stare
I had forgotten how irritating it is to have a dog that follows you everywhere and sits and stares at you all the time. On the T.V. show, Frasier, they had a Jack Russell dog that did just that and it irritated the hell out of the lead character. I know how he felt.
Bailey has that annoying habit which includes sitting in front of me while I'm sitting on the toilet and staring, unblinkingly, at me. I've gotten into the habit the last few days of closing the door, all the time knowing she's sitting on the other side...staring.
Although she's really no trouble, it will be nice when she goes back home and I can pee in peace.
Bailey has that annoying habit which includes sitting in front of me while I'm sitting on the toilet and staring, unblinkingly, at me. I've gotten into the habit the last few days of closing the door, all the time knowing she's sitting on the other side...staring.
Although she's really no trouble, it will be nice when she goes back home and I can pee in peace.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Farting Dog
Bailey is a "people" dog and loves laying right at your feet. I guess it's her way of always knowing if you're going to sneak out on her. She follows everywhere I go and is quick enough to never get stepped on. I do enjoy her company but not so much the farting. I guess it's to be expected with an old girl so I shouldn't complain. One day someone might say the same thing about me.
Planting Season in Canada
The plants are a little askew right now because of how they sat in their original planter but they'll gradually fill out uniformly. They are very healthy looking and all have lots of buds waiting to bloom. These will definitely go down to Florida with me in the fall.
It's funny how I begin to lose interest in my Florida plants at about the time I'm getting ready to go home in the spring and then, once home, my gardening interest rises once more. I'll lose interest in my Canadian plants around September and then go gardening crazy again once I get back down to Florida in October.
I'm trying to cut back on the amount of plantings I do because I don't want too much to look after. I'm also using better soil for my plantings and that's a plus. I've learned that you can't count on good soil in those hanging planters you buy even if they're filled with healthy looking plants. Sooner or later they'll dry out and the plants will die. A good example of that happened a few years ago when I purchased 3 beautiful geraniums in hanging planters from Costco. I hung one up and planted the other 2 in the garden and the difference was amazing. The 2 planted in the garden flourished and doubled or tripled in size while the one left in the planter hardly grew at all.
The way I plan my garden is to sit outside and just survey it. Soon I can picture just what plants and colors will make me happy and that's when I begin buying. I do it in spurts because it's more fun that way. In prior years I've planted lots of hostas and they continue to be such a pleasure, beautiful without needing much care. I'll probably stick mainly to impatiens this year because of the many varieties of color and little work needed to keep them lush. I don't think I'll plant any annuals in the front garden at all but, of course, I'll put a few pots of portulaca out there because they thrive on sun and dried out soil. With the existing perennials and the portulaca, that should be all the color I need.
I haven't finished cleaning up the yard, washing the furniture and toys, but all things happen in their own time and I'm just taking mine. I dug some massive dandelions out of the grass yesterday and am now considering hiring a lawn service again. At the very least I'd better sow some grass seed out there because it's looking pretty rough.
I didn't spend much time in the yard last year because of the skin cancer treatments but I'm beginning to lose my irrational fear of the sun and will be out there more this year, in the shade and with sunscreen on! It's emotionally therapeutic to tend a garden, nurturing your plants and just watching the beauty of nature unfold. I'm looking forward to it.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Lawyers/Child Rape & Murder
A man and woman abduct a child, rape and murder her. At his trial, his lawyer successfully fights to keep evidence from being presented that shows his client spent months prior to the abduction surfing the web for child pornography and child rape. His reason...his client's rights were breached because police didn't obtain a proper warrant to search his computer. My question is, "How can a lawyer fight for a monster like this and then hamper a fair trial that would give the jurors ALL of the evidence?".
I've long given up trying to figure out how adults can be sexually attracted to children because it totally goes against nature. Children are to be cherished and protected and that is how normal people view them. Something horrible grows inside a person's brain to make them capable of assaulting children and, once implanted, makes them potential predators forever.
Jurors are sequestered now, discussing among themselves the evidence they were "legally" allowed to hear and deciding what this man's punishment should be. I wish we had the death penalty in Canada even if only for child murderers!
I've long given up trying to figure out how adults can be sexually attracted to children because it totally goes against nature. Children are to be cherished and protected and that is how normal people view them. Something horrible grows inside a person's brain to make them capable of assaulting children and, once implanted, makes them potential predators forever.
Jurors are sequestered now, discussing among themselves the evidence they were "legally" allowed to hear and deciding what this man's punishment should be. I wish we had the death penalty in Canada even if only for child murderers!
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
New Baby in the Family
Carson is my grandniece and she and Andrew became the proud parents of Francis Robert today.They're a young couple but they'll do just fine because they've have a loads of family ready to step in and help whenever and wherever needed. It's so exciting when a new baby joins the family. It's as though our strength has been increased by his/her arrival.
Val is Carson's Mom and a Gramma for the first time so she really doesn't know yet just how this little babe will grab hold of her heart and never let go. I'm sure the process began as she held her tiny grandson in her arms soon after his birth. It's that delicate soft skin and baby smell that draws you in until you're hooked. Add that to the fact he's the offspring of her precious daughter and she really doesn't have a chance, does she?
We're having a shower for this baby in the near future and all the family and friends that will fit in Faye's house will snuggle with him, bonding and binding him to us. It's a rite of passage in welcoming the baby to the fold. Happy times!
Val is Carson's Mom and a Gramma for the first time so she really doesn't know yet just how this little babe will grab hold of her heart and never let go. I'm sure the process began as she held her tiny grandson in her arms soon after his birth. It's that delicate soft skin and baby smell that draws you in until you're hooked. Add that to the fact he's the offspring of her precious daughter and she really doesn't have a chance, does she?
We're having a shower for this baby in the near future and all the family and friends that will fit in Faye's house will snuggle with him, bonding and binding him to us. It's a rite of passage in welcoming the baby to the fold. Happy times!
You May Not Agree
I was watching a T.V. comedy show this morning that had been taped maybe 20 years ago. It started with a bunch of photos of the comedians and I, at first, wondered why they all looked so flat. Then I realized it was because these people had continued to look more interesting as they aged and had more life experiences. They, of course, show a lot more age today but also a lot more character.
The lines etched in our aged faces aren't there by accident. They developed during our many life experiences, some good and some bad. They show a progression through a long life filled with love, hate, pain, ecstasy, fear, wonder, etc. They are the mark of a life lived.
We all admire the perfection of childhood and youth but it's the age signs that tell a story. It takes time and knowledge to develop character and that's what makes a person more interesting. Old age isn't something to fear or dread, it's something to hope to achieve.
The lines etched in our aged faces aren't there by accident. They developed during our many life experiences, some good and some bad. They show a progression through a long life filled with love, hate, pain, ecstasy, fear, wonder, etc. They are the mark of a life lived.
We all admire the perfection of childhood and youth but it's the age signs that tell a story. It takes time and knowledge to develop character and that's what makes a person more interesting. Old age isn't something to fear or dread, it's something to hope to achieve.
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
My City
As usual, I met my sister at the mall food court on Sunday for lunch and a bit of shopping. If I didn't know it before, the mall food court is a microcosm of the human ingredients that make up our city. One of the prettiest things I saw was 3 Sikh gentlemen, resplendent in various colored turbans, sitting at one of the tables. People, for the most part, were still wearing the drab colors of winter so these men sort of stood out in the crowd.
I'm one of those people who think we can all learn and grow by being exposed to different races, nationalities, and cultures so it doesn't worry me much to see so many variations in my city. If I worry at all it's that my own race, nationality, and culture might be shunted aside as it becomes the minority. I hope not. I hope we can just blend together to make a better whole.
My sister and her husband are regulars through the week at that food court and have made friends with strangers just by inviting them to sit at their table when the area is full. They are not the norm for Canadians because most of us are not unfriendly but we are decidedly reticent when it comes to welcoming strangers onto our territory. We're known to be polite but maybe a little private in our ways.
On Sundays, especially, the food court at the mall is teaming with families, single parents with children, seniors and juniors from every part of the world...all who have chosen to call Canada their home. They may be first generation Canadians or tenth generation, who knows or cares? Where many of these people might congregate with their own kind at other places such as church or employment, the mall is where they all come together so it's there that we have the best chance to make our personal observations. We can discover that to coincide with other races, nationalities, or cultures is really non-threatening. It's sort of a United Nations in the city.
There was no mall food court when I was growing up but we did have a diversified neighborhood. Most of the immigrants then came from Italy, Germany, or Britain and they, too, were a little different from us but they gradually became absorbed into the Canadian culture. This doesn't mean they had to forget about the culture of their birth countries but it does and should mean that the culture of their chosen country must come first.
In those days, there weren't so many government programs offering funds to immigrants geared to make them cling to their birth cultures so assimilation to the Canadian way was easier for them. One of the problems today is that immigrants are not encouraged to become "Canadians" but are offered too many incentives to retain their old cultures. Thus we have blocks of people, some who never learn the language, who don't even try to become true citizens of the country they've chosen to call home. This is their loss but it's also ours.
In any case, the food court at the mall might be one of the biggest weapons in breaking down the barriers between the different cultures in this city. It's where we can all come together. The government should understand that, left to our own devices, people will blend where they can so maybe it might be better for them to encourage Canadianism. We'll develop multiculturalism on our own.
I'm one of those people who think we can all learn and grow by being exposed to different races, nationalities, and cultures so it doesn't worry me much to see so many variations in my city. If I worry at all it's that my own race, nationality, and culture might be shunted aside as it becomes the minority. I hope not. I hope we can just blend together to make a better whole.
My sister and her husband are regulars through the week at that food court and have made friends with strangers just by inviting them to sit at their table when the area is full. They are not the norm for Canadians because most of us are not unfriendly but we are decidedly reticent when it comes to welcoming strangers onto our territory. We're known to be polite but maybe a little private in our ways.
On Sundays, especially, the food court at the mall is teaming with families, single parents with children, seniors and juniors from every part of the world...all who have chosen to call Canada their home. They may be first generation Canadians or tenth generation, who knows or cares? Where many of these people might congregate with their own kind at other places such as church or employment, the mall is where they all come together so it's there that we have the best chance to make our personal observations. We can discover that to coincide with other races, nationalities, or cultures is really non-threatening. It's sort of a United Nations in the city.
There was no mall food court when I was growing up but we did have a diversified neighborhood. Most of the immigrants then came from Italy, Germany, or Britain and they, too, were a little different from us but they gradually became absorbed into the Canadian culture. This doesn't mean they had to forget about the culture of their birth countries but it does and should mean that the culture of their chosen country must come first.
In those days, there weren't so many government programs offering funds to immigrants geared to make them cling to their birth cultures so assimilation to the Canadian way was easier for them. One of the problems today is that immigrants are not encouraged to become "Canadians" but are offered too many incentives to retain their old cultures. Thus we have blocks of people, some who never learn the language, who don't even try to become true citizens of the country they've chosen to call home. This is their loss but it's also ours.
In any case, the food court at the mall might be one of the biggest weapons in breaking down the barriers between the different cultures in this city. It's where we can all come together. The government should understand that, left to our own devices, people will blend where they can so maybe it might be better for them to encourage Canadianism. We'll develop multiculturalism on our own.
Monday, May 07, 2012
Afternoon With Nolan
Picture #1 was the best I could get when trying to keep this little boy to stop moving for a moment.
Picture #2 was taken when I asked him to stop sucking his lower lip. He does that when he's tired or...just because he feels like it.
Picture #3 shows where he likes to play with his cars...lying down in my hallway.
Picture #4 shows just how much his GG loves him because that's the cardboard box that his car seat came in and that his Gramma made into a playhouse for him.
Nolan is such a good boy. He is bright and talkative and, for the most part, tries to be an obedient little guy. He's neat (like his father) and only knocks things over by accident. He's a little too rough with his baby brother, Nash, but Nash just might grow up to be bigger than Nolan and then watch out!
I adore these babies and can't believe I have one more generation to be part of their development. They're so much fun and I'm glad I didn't miss it altogether.
Sunday, May 06, 2012
Tank
Shelley has had some terrible luck with family dogs these last few months. Buddy passed away suddenly in February and their new puppy, Sunshine, passed away inexplicitly last month from some unknown illness. They'd said they would take a break from dog ownership but they're a dog family, always having a huge yellow Lab rambling around the house so I knew they wouldn't stay dogless for long.
They'll be picking up their new puppy on Friday, a large male puppy they've decided to name "Tank". I'm so looking forward to meeting him in the fall because I love yellow Labs, too. I love all Labs because they're about the best family dog you can have.
Shelley owned Buddy's father and mother, too, and kept Buddy out of a litter of 10 and gave 8 away to friends and family...the runt passed away soon after birth. Buddy's father, Monty, was a beautiful animal, smart and majestic. Buddy was big, too, but a bit of a sissy. No matter because we loved him for his own sweet self.
They bought Sunshine soon after Buddy passed away because their hearts were broken and they needed something to brighten their day. She was destined to be a wonderful dog, smart as a whip and very easy to train. Unfortunately, she apparently came to them with an unidentified illness that ended her young life within a few short weeks. Like I said, they decided to wait until next year to try again but I guess the house was too empty without a dog padding around it because "Tank" joins the family this coming Friday. He's a yellow Lab, too.
I had noticed, after Sunshine was gone, that the house really didn't seem right. There was an emptiness there that you couldn't help but feel. I'm glad they decided to get the new puppy because they are a family that just isn't complete without a doggy companion. And Tank is one lucky puppy to be joining that family.
They'll be picking up their new puppy on Friday, a large male puppy they've decided to name "Tank". I'm so looking forward to meeting him in the fall because I love yellow Labs, too. I love all Labs because they're about the best family dog you can have.
Shelley owned Buddy's father and mother, too, and kept Buddy out of a litter of 10 and gave 8 away to friends and family...the runt passed away soon after birth. Buddy's father, Monty, was a beautiful animal, smart and majestic. Buddy was big, too, but a bit of a sissy. No matter because we loved him for his own sweet self.
They bought Sunshine soon after Buddy passed away because their hearts were broken and they needed something to brighten their day. She was destined to be a wonderful dog, smart as a whip and very easy to train. Unfortunately, she apparently came to them with an unidentified illness that ended her young life within a few short weeks. Like I said, they decided to wait until next year to try again but I guess the house was too empty without a dog padding around it because "Tank" joins the family this coming Friday. He's a yellow Lab, too.
I had noticed, after Sunshine was gone, that the house really didn't seem right. There was an emptiness there that you couldn't help but feel. I'm glad they decided to get the new puppy because they are a family that just isn't complete without a doggy companion. And Tank is one lucky puppy to be joining that family.
Saturday, May 05, 2012
Coffee
I have a coffee maker that my daughter, Cindy, bought me to take to Florida but I have almost no counter space in the trailer so I've kept it here. It's a single cup one that uses Melitta coffee pods. I use the pod twice so my second cup is fairly watered down.
Daughter #3, Shelley, bought me 2 of these Tim Hortons mugs and they're a perfect size, especially for that first morning coffee.
A coffee smell in the morning is like a drug. I never enter a restaurant at dinnertime with the same anticipation as I do for a breakfast. If they were smart, they'd blow that coffee smell outside through air vents and we coffee addicts would follow it like lemmings. Funny, it doesn't have the same effect on me at any other time of the day so I guess I've conditioned myself to morning use only.
I'm drinking cup #2 now so I'd better get back before it gets too cold.
Note:
I noticed on a couple of previous blogs that the size of the print increases part way through. Wonder why???
Friday, May 04, 2012
Dandelions
Arriving back in Canada last week, I was unpleasantly surprised to see the proliferation of dandelions just about everywhere. It wasn't this bad in the States so I have to believe that the restrictions in Canada against many weed killing chemicals is more stringent than in the States.
On one hand, I understand that it isn't good to saturate our atmosphere with all these chemicals but, on the other hand, the sight of masses of dandelions isn't nice, either. I failed to weed my flower gardens last summer because of "the lip" and dandelions took hold in a darned big way. The other day I carefully climbed into my front garden, worrying all the while about twisting my knee, and pulled out an armful of the healthiest dandelions you ever saw. I haven't ventured into the backyard yet to do any work but I can see lots of huge dandelions happily growing in the lawn back there.
Could it be that this is the time to just accept an ugly lawn? Were we all a little too obsessed before with growing the perfect, weedless lawn? This is going to take a huge attitude adjustment on the part of gardeners everywhere but I suppose it can be done.
Even if we tried our best to keep dandelions out of our grass, it would be impossible to keep the airborne spores from landing there and seeding themselves. From the large expanses of dandelion covered land I've seen (mainly city property), we're all in for an invasion of the little devils.
On one hand, I understand that it isn't good to saturate our atmosphere with all these chemicals but, on the other hand, the sight of masses of dandelions isn't nice, either. I failed to weed my flower gardens last summer because of "the lip" and dandelions took hold in a darned big way. The other day I carefully climbed into my front garden, worrying all the while about twisting my knee, and pulled out an armful of the healthiest dandelions you ever saw. I haven't ventured into the backyard yet to do any work but I can see lots of huge dandelions happily growing in the lawn back there.
Could it be that this is the time to just accept an ugly lawn? Were we all a little too obsessed before with growing the perfect, weedless lawn? This is going to take a huge attitude adjustment on the part of gardeners everywhere but I suppose it can be done.
Even if we tried our best to keep dandelions out of our grass, it would be impossible to keep the airborne spores from landing there and seeding themselves. From the large expanses of dandelion covered land I've seen (mainly city property), we're all in for an invasion of the little devils.
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Sorry, It's Ridiculous
Sometimes I read articles in the newspaper that make me so mad that I wonder why I bother reading it at all. Today I read that a woman, sunbathing on a local beach, won a lawsuit (possibly $750,000) against the Hydro company because a big bird ran into the overhead power lines, died and fell on her, breaking her hand. Isn't that sort of an act of god and no-one can be held responsible?
Another incident of the law gone haywire was when a woman bought hot coffee at a Tim Horton's drive-through. She sat the coffee between her legs as the car drove away and it spilled, scalding her legs. She won a huge lawsuit against Tim Hortons!!!
The very worst example of a ridiculous lawsuit was when a local woman, the wife of a doctor, sued the hospital because she had pain during childbirth. She won!!!
Maybe I'm missing the boat and could have been a millionaire by now. I gave birth to 3 children and it darned well hurt me, too. I wonder if I can sue 50 years after the fact?
Another incident of the law gone haywire was when a woman bought hot coffee at a Tim Horton's drive-through. She sat the coffee between her legs as the car drove away and it spilled, scalding her legs. She won a huge lawsuit against Tim Hortons!!!
The very worst example of a ridiculous lawsuit was when a local woman, the wife of a doctor, sued the hospital because she had pain during childbirth. She won!!!
Maybe I'm missing the boat and could have been a millionaire by now. I gave birth to 3 children and it darned well hurt me, too. I wonder if I can sue 50 years after the fact?
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
"You're Healed"
At my age, I'm lucky that I'm not running to doctor's appointments all the time but I do have my regular ones. In the spring, I see the dentist for a cleaning and the dermatologist for a check-up. In the fall, I see the dentist for a cleaning, the dermatologist for a check-up, and I see the haematologist to have my blood checked...a few of my white cells are misshaped and could cause me trouble some time down the line, hopefully not until I'm 110 years old.
After going through radiation last fall for skin cancer on my lip, my springtime list of appointments included seeing the radiologist for a check-up. His response after looking my lip over was, "You're cured!". I asked about the slight swelling and numbness that is still there and he said the healing will be ongoing for a few years...this was a surprise. I'm cured but still healing?? Hmm!
I have a couple of other suspicious spots but I'll see the dermatologist about them tomorrow. I asked the radiologist why I, who was never a sunbather in my youth, should be afflicted with these darned things and he said that I was just unlucky. I blame my Irish ancestry for this pale, freckled, and susceptible skin.
I know I've mentioned this before but here it is again. Our health care system in Canada is pretty darned good and I'm thankful for the services I get that aren't accompanied by a bill or a co-pay. If I did need medical care on a regular basis, it's there for me and it's excellent and not watered down care. We Canadians should all be thankful of what some foreward thinking politicians did for us way back in the 1960's by providing the citizens with health care that was funded with taxes. Sure, we bitch about how much tax we pay on goods and income but a long illness could bankrupt the average person.
That said, I have to say that I'm pleased with how my little lip skin cancer was handled even though looking at the pictures I took while I was undergoing radiation makes me sick to my stomach. I survived it. I'm here and I'm dear....I love that saying!
After going through radiation last fall for skin cancer on my lip, my springtime list of appointments included seeing the radiologist for a check-up. His response after looking my lip over was, "You're cured!". I asked about the slight swelling and numbness that is still there and he said the healing will be ongoing for a few years...this was a surprise. I'm cured but still healing?? Hmm!
I have a couple of other suspicious spots but I'll see the dermatologist about them tomorrow. I asked the radiologist why I, who was never a sunbather in my youth, should be afflicted with these darned things and he said that I was just unlucky. I blame my Irish ancestry for this pale, freckled, and susceptible skin.
I know I've mentioned this before but here it is again. Our health care system in Canada is pretty darned good and I'm thankful for the services I get that aren't accompanied by a bill or a co-pay. If I did need medical care on a regular basis, it's there for me and it's excellent and not watered down care. We Canadians should all be thankful of what some foreward thinking politicians did for us way back in the 1960's by providing the citizens with health care that was funded with taxes. Sure, we bitch about how much tax we pay on goods and income but a long illness could bankrupt the average person.
That said, I have to say that I'm pleased with how my little lip skin cancer was handled even though looking at the pictures I took while I was undergoing radiation makes me sick to my stomach. I survived it. I'm here and I'm dear....I love that saying!
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