The Diabetes Dilemma

Early in September my husband was diagnosed with Type2 Diabetes (like he doesn't have enough health issues already), and we've been scrambling to adjust our eating patterns to fit each meal's carbohydrate counts into his "per meal" allowance.

His doctor wasn't much help. He tells him he has diabetes and hands him a prescription. And that's it. That's all he bothered to do. If I hadn't already been through a bunch of research to help my cousin out a couple of years ago, we'd still be floating on little raft without paddles on huge sea called "lack of knowledge". I went back and looked up my previous research, explained the carbs per meal to the hubby and adjusted my own cooking habits and meal choices to ensure what I fed him (and me) fit within that. He's getting better at it, but after years of counting calories he had a hard time getting used to looking at carbs rather than calories.

Date Night: what do you do?

Some of my friends have regular "date nights" with their significant other; some weekly, some bi-monthly. I would think that depending on where you live, it could eventually get to the point where you are "re-doing" the same thing on date nights - dinner at a favourite restaurants, visiting favourite parks, going to the show ... those are nice things to do I guess, but for us, stuff like that just is normal.

We don't have set or regular date nights. For us, a date night would be something special; something we don't normally do. Of course, it doesn't have to be a "night time" event either. Some day time events can be lots of fun, and feel a lot more like a special date than a dinner out.

One Tiny House

Back in November I wrote about my annual obsession with Christmas village pieces (see Excitement is Simple) and my recent efforts to add a few more pieces. And no, this post isn't about Christmas villages again, but my newest "obsession" has grown from that interest.

I had been thinking it would be nice to have a couple of pieces something like the village, but that weren't typical seasonal pieces - houses or buildings without snow or seasonal decorations on them.

Got the Flu?

Yeah, me too. And to be honest, I'm hardly ever sick so this has been a tough go. I'm in the third week and at this point, I'm no longer sure it's the flu. It feels more like pneumonia now (having had that several times in the past, I know what it feels like).

It's been the oddest type of flu ... each week brings something different, but the most prevalent thing has been the fever. Although aspirin and excedrin have been working to keep it under control, I have to take them twice a day. Yesterday, I started on some antibiotics and that seemed to help. Yesterday, no fever and no having to take aspirin.

Controlling it has been pretty tough ... lots of coughing (almost none yesterday); eating only small amounts of food (notably, homemade chicken soup!), and drinking tons of water.

The Date that Wasn't (Sort of)

hahahaha, yes that is a weird title, isn't it? It's been a long time since I had a date with my best beau ... oh, wait, not that long but it's only the second one since we arrived home from Florida in April of this year. Two dates (one was only half a date ... I don't suppose that makes it a raisin?) in 4 months ... well, I guess that a date every 2 months is perhaps not that bad for on old married couple right?

The Winnonah II

We planned to take an hour long cruise on a old-time steamer in a town about half an hour north of us (Gravenhurst, Ontario ... the ship being the Segwun). As long as I've lived in Orillia (over 40 years) I've never taken a ride on the Segwun or the Winonnah II.

Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?

...or when the electricity went off?

What would today's society do in a non-electrified world? Oh, some would cope, but I expect most of those would be the older crowd - those who understand how to live without cell phones and internet, or instant everything. Consider just how much of our life is dependant on electricity. Fridges, stoves, cookers of several types, coffee pots, hot water, radio and TV, lights, education, workplaces ... today, nearly all of them depend on power (okay, there are some appliances that run off gas or propane but just as many homes run electric appliances).

Ditto Machine (Wikimedia)

What got me started on this track wasn't a power outage (but in 2003 we went through a 3 day total outage for most of Ontario and bordering provinces, leading right down into the US) but a photo of an old Gestetner machine on Facebook, with the question "do you know what this is".

I recognized it immediately because in our high school's office (back in the 1970s) sat the exact same model, and I used to have to "work" in our high school office on my lunch hour. In our business dept (that's where students learned stuff like typing and Short Hand and general office stuff  they had a "Ditto" machine (a little different than the Gestetner) ... I used to run that one too, and type up lessons to run off.

Overhead Projector (Wikimedia)

When the power was off, school didn't stop. There wasn't any need to. Typing could still be done; lessons and tests could still be printed; windows opened to let in fresh air; and, teachers taught. There were very few things needed beyond the text books and blackboards for a teacher to get through the lesson. Audio visual equipment consisted of an overhead projector, or film strip machine. Lessons could always be completed without electricity and with no distractions such as cell phones and tablets, there wasn't much else to do but get through the class. More often than not, whether you wanted it to or not, a lot of the information seemed to insinuate itself into your memory.

Pen and Paper ... PenPals of Yore!

Once upon a time, in a time far away ... no, no, no ... not that far of course, but at least 10 or more years ago. Which is long enough in today's technology. Some younger folks will think that's ancient times, but it's still pretty fresh in my mind.

I was thinking this morning how I miss communicating with "real" written letters. Oh ... very true that instant communication through email or messengers is, well, "instant", and convenient in most cases, but it really isn't the same. Most likely a lot of the folks under 30 won't understand this yearning for the "letters on paper".

I used to have a dozen penpals all over the world. I guess that started in my late 20s. Looking for others to learn about their countries and lifestyles first hand from someone who lived there. Today of course, this is possible through many websites and blogs, but there is something unique about getting a real letter in the mail. It was almost like having a friend arrive at your door for a good chin-wag and a coffee.

Recovery from Paraplegia & Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

If you read my other posts related to my husband's recent health issues, you'll already know the circumstances we've been through starting in January 2013. Since he came home in June that year, we've been through an enormous roller-coaster of ups and downs between treatments for different problems within the same 2 issues. The A.L.L. required an additional 18 months of home treatments (so, a 2-year treatment period in total beginning in March 2013 with the 30-day hospital treatments, ending with home & weekly hospital treatments, then home treatments and hospital testing for the balance), and continued monitoring after that.

Home At Last

Originally published June 21, 2013

Following up on my previous post ... Ron is finally home. He arrived home this morning by car (provided by Helping Hands). To be honest ... it was hard to describe the feeling when I saw him climbing out of the car into his wheelchair - a mixture of elation and joy, and a little trepidation; wondering if I can do the job. I think I can (with God, you can do anything!), but still ... you wonder if you can give him everything he needs. Given that I've never had to be 100% responsible for someone that's disabled, I'm not even sure what that is going to involve. Right now, he isn't able to transfer himself alone, and can only put weight on his legs for a nano-second. He's been getting some physical therapy, and can now feed himself, but his arms aren't strong enough to support himself and needs help to get up.

I can only hope (pray) that continued therapy and training (cause of course, this is entirely new for him too) will help us learn how to do the things we need to do to give him as normal a life as we can ... and maybe at some point be able to walk again. His greatest desire is to be able to drive again.

Coming Home!

Originally published May 31, 2013

So the big news is that hubby is finally coming home - Friday morning! After having been hospitalized since January, we're excited about his homecoming. The house renovations are mostly done thanks to our awesome contractor, and the last few things will be cleared up this week. CCAC will be delivering some home help aids (a temporary ramp for the front steps; appropriate bathroom fittings; a roho cushion for his wheelchair) on Thursday, but they can't say what time, so I'll be stuck at home until they arrive. Hopefully, after dinner we'll go up and start packing up his room and belongings and bring them back to the house so he only has to grab his toothbrush and cell phone on Friday.

Our Home Becomes Wheelchair Adaptable!

Originally published May 21, 2013

Apple Green and Stone

After finally having our new bathroom finished and our home restored to some semblance of normalcy (tidy and cleanish) we are (let me rephrase that "I am") back living in a construction zone.

I will admit that I am happy about finally getting some of the work done that I've been nagging about for the last 3 years, but when one has work done, one lives in disarray (considering that my whole life seems to be in dissaray at the moment, I suppose I should be getting used to it).

Does anyone else find it odd that my husband finally decides to get the house fixed up while he's holed up in the hospital and doesn't have to live with the work that's being done, or the resulting mess? I do appreciate that he's forking out the money to pay for it - I honestly can't complain about that, and appreciate that he's been pretty agreeable about the colour choices we discussed. It's just kind of frustrating to be one who always ends up moving the stuff, doing the cleaning, putting the house back in order ... when you're alone. (If I'm going to be totally honest, given what he's had to live with the last little while he'd probably be happy if he could be home to help.)

A Long Road - The Unexpected Journey

(Originally published May 17, 2013)

Winter

This winter has been particularly tough. Okay, I know I say that every spring, but that usually refers to the weather when I say it ... this time, it doesn't. Yes, sure, the weather was bad but there can be much worse things than weather.

It began in December I suppose. My daughter's house (right next door) had a flood due to the dishwasher malfunctioning and spraying boiling hot water everywhere. A few weeks before Christmas my husband got sick - with what we thought was swollen glands and/or a virus of some sort. That was the start of a very long journey (see previous posts). One that isn't over yet ... almost 4 months and thousands of dollars later (getting sick with a long-term debilitating illness is incredibly hard on your budget - travel costs, meal costs, some medical expenses, renovation costs - none of this is stuff you plan for. Good thing we did have some savings)

Blue Willow and Me

July 12th, 2012

One of the most popular china collectibles of all time is the very old Blue Willow Pattern. This china pattern has been popular since pre-Victorian times and has been produced by a multitude of different manufacturers over the years from the "made in Japan" common china, to the delicate Nippon (essentially means Japan), and popular "Booth's" china.  During the Pioneer era (roughly around the 1790s to the 1870s), Blue Willow was even found in the hotels, inns and roadstops that served food. As late as the 1940s and early 1950s, Blue Willow restaurant ware could be found in some country eateries and diners. In fact, this pattern is so popular even today, that manufacturers such as Churchill are producing modern-day dinnerware sets using the same pattern.

Preparing for Winter

December 5th, 2011

Port of Orillia Boardwalk

We've spent the last half of November getting ourselves ready for winter. Typically we get snow "up here" anywhere from the first of October (fairly rare) on into the late spring.

Unimpressed fat tabby.

Most often, the "stick around" kind of snow arrives here by late November, early December. Right now (Dec. 5th) we have bare ground, and green grass, although we have had a snowcover (twice) during November.

So far we've seen perhaps an inch or so the first major "snow-down", and about two inches the second time around. But, the mild weather and abundant rainfall have cleared away the snow and we're left with bare ground, and I seldom complain about that sort of thing (since I seriously don't like shoveling snow, and don't like wearing boots, and just generally don't like the winter much.)

Sometimes Life is for the Birds

Sept. 1st, 2010

Real birds that is. Living at the edge of city we get quite a few birds hitting up our feeders; sometimes, they fight over them. We have three good sized bird feeders on the front porch, and in the back yard,  an old feeder my dad built that feeds a number of small birds in their own cubbyholes. The holes are small to keep the squirrels and larger birds out, so the feeder is suitable for the small yellow finches, the little sparrows and wrens, and the tiny chickadees.

The feeders at the front porch dispense the feed onto a bottom platform and we generally get sparrows and yellow finches, but also find ourselves inundated with starlings, and on occasion the large crows and blackbirds try to feed off them too. When there’s a fight over the feeders, they swing back and forth spilling the millet and sunflower seeds onto the front porch, bringing the doves who prefer to feed off solid platforms as opposed to swinging bird feeders. Having a pond and birdbath with moving water adjacent to the feeders also helps bring the birds into the yard.

Not far from our house is a large wooded area open to the public which is known as “Grants Woods”. This used to be a private estate, and on the grounds is a fieldstone house and a large gazebo at the side yard. This gazebo has a picnic table and benches around the edges, with feeding platforms for the birds. Nearby are a number of feeding stations for the birds too. We discovered on a recent outing that if a person sits at the gazebo, you can see and photograph the birds without frightening them away.

On that particular day, I was only equipped with a 200mm lens, so I wasn’t able to get as close as I’d have liked.  If you leave the gazebo to move closer to the feeding stations, the birds disappear in a hurry.  We’re planning another trip out there to simply sit and watch (ie: photograph) the birds, but this time I’ll be taking my 400mm lens and tripod and setting it up in the gazebo.

It's A Date!

September 7th, 2012

Overview of lake and park area (Bracebridge, Muskoka)

A couple of weeks ago I got asked out on a date! Imagine that ... being married doesn't mean you can't have a date, right? The truth is that even long-married couples need to have a date sometimes.  I mean most of us go out together, spend time doing things as a couple or family - even day trips, and a day at the local fall fair or just a nice relaxing day at the beach.  But there's something different about being asked for a date, instead of just "let's go to (insert name of local place)".

High Falls - Bracebridge

So this particular Monday when my husband asked me what I was doing on Friday, I wasn't really expecting a date, you know?  And since I work from my office at home, my time is pretty much my own, so I replied that I wasn't doing anything in particular. THEN he asked me if I'd like to go on a date with him.

The Memories Go On

August 6th, 2012

My Aunt

Last week was not one of our better weeks.  The last member of the "older" generation in our family passed away, and for our family (like many others), it was the end of an era. She was our last remaining matriarch - her brother and sisters all predeceased her and now, her generation is gone.

The children born to those folks are now the the "old" generation ... um, I am one of them, but there aren't many of us. We once were an averaged sized family group, where get-togethers saw more than 30 people.

What's left of us now is a small group: the eldest is in a nursing home, one is a member of the Salvation Army and we haven't seen him in many years; and the last three (including myself, my sister and my recently deceased aunt's son) are all that's left.

One Boston Terrier, One Christmas

January 28th, 2012

Here we are in a brand new year - 2012 dawned here (for us) with one of the mildest Christmas seasons we've ever experienced. Very little in the way of snow (just a "skiff" to make it a little white) and temperatures hovering around zero, or above. That's very unusual in our part of the world, but January is playing the "catch-up" game. The last couple of weeks have been up and down - very cold (like -25) to quite mild (+8), and we've had a little more snow, too. Nothing like we should have at this time year, but enough that we've had to shovel at least a couple of times.
That's a far cry from having to shovel one to three feet of snow almost every day, and most of us here are enjoying the "easy" winter so far.

A Holiday Scare

January 13, 2011

Back in early December my husband was told pretty suddenly that he'd need heart surgery...so first there's a round of tests, and then admission to a hospital that was an hour and a half (on a good traffic day) away from where we live. Ordinarily, that wouldn't be all that much of an issue, except that I don't drive and he does. That meant for me to be with him for the surgery and some days afterward (and of course I'd want to be), I needed to find a hotel nearby.

Well, the ONLY hotel even remotely close to someone who travels on foot was about a 30 minute walk from the hospital. But, for someone whose used to walking, that's reasonably "doable", so I booked it. At what we consider an outrageous price - partly I assume that's because it's was pretty close to Christmas.

My husband was admitted on the 13th of December, and this major surgery was scheduled for December 15th, so I booked my hotel from the 15th to 19th (cost without meals for the hotel was in excess of $500) and my daughters and I headed down to the big city very early in the morning on the 15th of December. His surgery was scheduled to begin somewhere between 9:00am and 9:30 and we arrived at around 8:30 (which was the time they'd told us to be there so we could see him before he went in).

Feeling Blue

June 26th, 2010

The last couple of months have been (what feels like) a never ending battle to pack up my Aunt’s house and empty it out so we can list it on the market for her. She’s not really in a position to help (anyway she’s 82 and there isn’t a lot she could do) and as it stands, today (Saturday) she’s scheduled for yet another surgery – this will be the second major one in a couple of months.  At the current time, most of her belongings are packed in boxes and taking up an awful lot of the main floor of my home…I’ m beginning to feel like a “hoarder”.

Two rooms are completely full, with only a small pathway one can navigate if they are careful. The plan was to have  large garage sale and sell off the works, except for the few smaller things she could fit into a private room in a Nursing Home (still waiting for that – the wait time is 6 months to a year).  I spent nearly two weeks UNpacking all the boxes we brought here, washing the stuff in them, pricing them and then REpacking them so that we’d be ready come garage sale day. That’s today. Unfortunately, it appears to be raining, and on checking the weather…is going to continue raining all day.  I’m not sure what we’ll do at this point (shudder).