One Week to Go

On December 2nd I had a bad case of stomach flu. I went to Sundre for my weekly routine home care. I met Debbie Ennis for lunch as planned but picked at my food. I was worried about having chemo the next day but thought it was probably not a good idea to postpone it any longer since it had already been postponed by a week. Chemo has been successful at reducing the size of the tumour so I like to stay on schedule. Wednesday morning, December 3rd, I felt great so had no qualms about having chemo. The night following chemo I did not sleep well as I was so 'wired.' This is quite typical after an outing and probably didn't have anything to do with chemo. Thursday night, December 4th, I slept like a log.

On Friday, December 5th, I began to experience some of the side effects of Taxotere. The pads of my feet felt numb and my calves had a tingling sensation. In addition I was experiencing stomach cramps. I may not have been finished with stomach flu as I had thought. I did not sleep well for several nights as I could not relax. I was also feeling rather 'blue.' It may have been the drug but it could have been sleep deprivation. I missed my Red Hatters Christmas party on December 8th as I didn't feel up to going. Thursday, December 11th, I had an appointment for a bone scan in Red Deer. I was feeling much better by then so I kept my appointment, did some shopping, and went to Madison's school Christmas concert in the evening. It was a good day! The next day, however, I was tired. The weather began to change, with dropping temperatures and blowing snow. Road conditions were poor and there were several vehicle accidents in Central Alberta that day. We decided not to go to my staff party in Innisfail. On Saturday, Helge shovelled out our lane and went to the Village Christmas Party. I stayed at home and kept the fires burning. With the cold weather and my health condition, I have tried to minimize my running around.

I'm off to Red Deer today as I am babysitting Madison for a few days. Aina has her face-to-face for her Module 3 CASB in Edmonton this weekend. Trevor is off to Chicago to pick up a covered snowmobile trailer that he bought on eBay. Sonja is staying at Aina's Friday night on her way to spend time with a friend in Calgary on Saturday. She will babysit Friday evening so I can go with Helge to his party at The Mountaineer. My energy and spirits are on the upward swing so I look forward to having good times with family at Christmas. We are having our Nome family Christmas at Aina's on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. On the 28th we are going to Laurel's for the Bjorgum family Christmas.

While I was still in bed this morning, between 8:00 and 8:30 I had a phone call from my friend Andy in Australia. I was after 1:00 a.m. Friday in Capella. The temperature was 38 degrees Celsius, and the fans were going full blast. Here the temperature is -22 degrees Celsius. The trees, roofs, and ground are white with snow. What a contrast!! Andy's wife Elizabeth is in London visiting their daughter Emily. Andy's son Garrett and his girlfriend are going to New Caledonia for Christmas. Andy will be spending Christmas with friends between Capella and Emerald. It's too hot for the barby. Andy and friends will have cold meats and salads, enjoy a small game of cricket in the back yard, and have a late afternoon nap.

Musical Musings

I have been doing my best to record the names of the songs and the artists that the dancers on "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance Canada?" have performed too. I was therefore very pleased to find these songs listed on the websites of each. One song I was particularly attracted to was "Shosholoza" by the Soweto Gospel Singers. I checked out their website and previewed their latest CD "African Spirit." Here is another addition to my wish list!! I would love to go to a live performance. They have a great sound and very colourful costumes. I sure seem to be attracted to that South African sound: Lorraine Klassen, Johnny Klegg, Lucky Dube, Ladysmith Black Mombasa...

I am saddened this week by the death of Odetta at the age of 77. What a powerful, soulful voice she had. She sang "Freedom" during the March on Washington in 1963 with Dr. Martin Luther King.

I am thinking of Eva Cassidy who passed in 1996 at the age of 33 years from melanoma cancer. I think her voice is one of the most beautiful I have ever heard. She was such a versatile singer and excelled in many genres: blues, jazz, rock, gospel, etc.
She was shy and enjoyed performing in small venues. It was thought that she never obtained a major recording contract because she could not be pinned down to one type of music. I discovered today that her birthdate is the same as mine - February 2nd.

My Wellness Report: I had my fourth chemo treatment on Wednesday and am doing well so far. That is four chemo treaments down, two to go. Yay!! Since I am on a new chemo drug (Taxotere) this time I decided to take only this drug rather than the combination of Taxotere and the antibody Herceptin. This gives me a chance to see how my body responds to Taxotere (possible side effects of skin rash, edema) before I add the Herceptin. I want to enjoy this time of year and all the Christmas festivities as much as possible. In my next treatment on December 31st I will take the combination of Herceptin and Taxotere. I have to take the drug Herceptin for one year - 17 treatments, spaced 3 weeks apart. I expect it will be early March before I undergo surgery. I so want to go with Alice to Canmore the last week in March so hope I am up to it by then.

Sonja's last day of classes was yesterday. She has a big exam tomorrow, one next Wednesday, and one next Friday. Then she will have finished her first semester at the U of A!! She has taken a break from her part-time job for study and for a Christmas holiday. I'm glad for that as she has been so busy.

Aina is up to her eyeballs in audits, reviews, studying for her CA. Trevor is under the pressure of not only a new job but of a takeover by Keyera of the company that he was originally hired by. Thankfully they will both have some time off at Christmas.

Kai is finding welding very sporadic, and would like to make a change from the trades. He has a new girlfriend and is back to working out regulary at the gym so is in fairly good spirits. I think he enjoys having Sonja's companionship.

Jarl has had steady work since he started his own company Geospark in July. Rebecca is busy with household chores and caring for and running around after her children. Spencer started playing hockey this year and is very keen. So Rebecca has become a hockey Mom and is in charge of 40 hockey jerseys. This is no small feat when one has a 1-year old to care for. Luckily she has the assistance of good friends, like Launa.

We are looking forward to being with our family for Christmas Eve and Day at Aina's home in Red Deer. It is going to be a sleepover. How exciting!

With chemo postponed, this turned out to be quite a lovely week. I enjoyed using my Kitchen Aid stand mixer to make some Christmas biscotti. It is two years since I received this mixer as a Christmas gift from all my children. I did not take my mixer with me when I went to stay with Mom and with Aina. With all the readjustments and coming and going of this past two years, I have done little baking. Now I am excited to get back to my old stress reliever - mix a bit, taste a bit, bake a bit , taste a bit...I am also thrilled to have a 'new' toy to help me out!!

I did a bit of shopping in Red Deer on Friday afternoon at my favorite spot,Winners. I ran into another fan while I was there, Arlone Lenz (Rebecca's Mom). Friday night I babysat Madison while Aina and Trevor went to Trevor's Christmas Party at Stettler. Maddi and I ordered pizza, then did origami while we waited for delivery. We ate our pizza, then folded even more paper. After that we changed into our pyjamas and tried out the entertainment room, watching "Legally Blonde 2" together. We both really enjoyed that movie. Then Maddi went to bed and I watched "Erin Brokovich," another movie I have never seen. Next morning Madison and I had our breakfast and folded paper for another couple of hours. It was great to have some quality Grandma - Granddaughter time!!

I left Aina's around noon, did a few errands, then headed home to get ready for Helge's "Mountaineer" Christmas program. We had a great evening with an excellent turkey dinner, good company, and dancing. Helge and I each won door prizes - lots of chocolate - so we'll be sharing over Christmas. Helge's prize was a handmade reindeer bedecked with glass balls and Christmas ribbon, bells, Lindt and Ferrero-Rocher balls, candy canes, Ovation mint sticks, and white-capped Toblerone. I must take a picture before the candy and chocolate is eaten!!

I'm looking forward to doing some more baking this week. I plan to bake a fruit cake tomorrow. After that it will be Julekage, Norwegian fruit bread, which I must have for breakfast on Christmas morning. Then I hope to bake some more biscotti and other cookies. Ah, such fun.

Postponement

I went to Sundre today for my weekly routine dressing change and PICC line flush. I also had blood work done. By the time I got home I had a message from the Red Deer Cancer Centre that my white blood cell count was too low and that my fourth treatment would be postponed by one week, until December 3rd. This is not a surprise to me as my third treatment had also been postponed by one week. I am thankful that my progress is being monitored closely. In addition, Helge's Christmas Party is this coming Saturday, November 29th. I know I will enjoy it so much more than if I had undergone treatment this week. My delightful student nurse Dynelle from Home Care in Sundre has given me a product Mon.A.Vie to try. It is a blend of acai and 18 other fruits. I ran into Debbie Ennis at the Pharmasave in Sundre today. She started working there about three weeks ago. Her daughter Alyssa used to dance with Sonja. We have not seen much of each other since the girls quit dancing. Thus we have arranged to get together for lunch next Tuesday. I am looking forward to that!

Family and Community Fun

Since my diagnosis in August I've tried to limit my running around and to find entertainment close to home. On November 15th, Helge and I went to the annual Crammond Beef supper. The food is always great with a good selection of homemade pies, and there is always a full house. Crammond Hall is about 1/2 mile north and 2 miles west of us so it is very convenient. November 17th, our grandson Parker turned one year old. I wish I could have celebrated with him in Peace River. I did send a parcel via Greyhound which Rebecca picked up on the day of his birthday.

Tuesday, November 18th I went to Sundre for my weekly dressing change and PICC line flush. I also picked up tickets for the Shooglenifty concert at the Little Country Cappuccino. Then I noticed a little gift shop next door. Turns out it is a laundromat along with tanning salon and infrared sauna. Items for sale included beautiful soaps and bath salts made in Canmore, some earrings, and most intriguing of all some stuffed animals handmade from recycled materials. The prices were great and the animals had names so I couldn't resist bringing home a couple of them!! I also enjoyed visiting with Danielle who was manning the shop owned by her Mom. I found Danielle to be a delightful young person. She has her degree in Psychology from UBC, Kelowna campus. She has enjoyed a job working with special needs children and has decided to become a teacher rather than do research in psychology. She is taking a year off before continuing her studies.

Wednesday morning, November 19th I had an appointment with Dr. Miller in Innisfail. After my appointment I headed downtown to go to the bank. Since I was downtown I thought I might visit a few shops. I noticed that the sporting goods shop carried O'Neill hoodies so I thought I would check that out. This was my first visit to this shop. I was surprised to discover that the owners live close to me on the Harriman Road! Then I continued down the street heading for my favorite shop,The Gift Loft. Between the sport shop and The Gift Loft I discovered a fairly new shop Bare Bones owned by Angie who used to work at the Bowden Institution. After leaving Bowden she had much success selling on eBay. Then about a year ago she opened this shop. She has a great selection of clothing for guys and gals including shirts, hoodies and jackets. She also has awesome baby clothing and baby gear. Among her selection of purses are purses made from recycled materials, given the name Pursnickity. Angie is one creative person with a knack for knowing what people like. Visiting her shop was fun!! Next stop was The Gift Loft. I have found few shops anywhere that can equal the organization and creativity of this shop. About a year ago this shop was renovated. The new vintage style white shelves nearly reach the ceiling drawing attention to the original pale pink embossed metal tiles. (Before the reno I had never noticed this exquisite ceiling.) Now the shop is "Christmas" from back to front, with many styles and colors of decoration displayed. It is a real delight for the spirit. After lunch at the Coop (at the Mall at the other end of town) I checked out new clothes at the Classic Touch Boutique. Then I had a walk downtown and back which took about one hour. On this walk I discovered another new shop of baby clothing New Beginnings, and I stopped at Erin's on Main for a cup of tea. Even though I have little money to spend I still enjoy knowing what's new in the shops. My curiosity needs regular feeding!! After my shopping adventures it was off to Judy's....

My colleagues and I had been trying to arrange a time to get together at Judy's place. I asked if Wednesday after work was okay, and they said "sure." Judy and Al prepared coffee, tea, and juice along with hot and cold appetizers. Judy and Al spent 2 weeks in Korea in October. Judy's married son has been living there for some time. Judy was anxious to spend time with her young granddaughter. Judy brought back pairs of Korean slippers for all the female staff. I was so happy to see all the following (as well as the hosts): Barb, Evlyn, Cathy, Nancy, Shelly, Sherry, and Pat. We missed Norma as she was away on a week's holiday. The male staff sent their greetings. It was so much fun to visit and laugh with my wonderful colleagues!! Cathy lent me her CDs of "The Secret" to listen to. We are having our staff Christmas party on December 12th after work at Pat's home. I am so thankful for the ongoing support of my colleagues!! After Judy's get-together I headed to Red Deer to spend the night with Aina as I had an appointment for 8:00 on Thursday morning. On Thursday morning, November 18th, I had my second MUGA scan. The purpose of this scan is to monitor my heart function.

Friday, November 21st brother Glenn and his children Tyler, Braden, and Erika came to visit. Michelle was in Ontario for the weekend visiting her sister Danielle. Glenn brought two garage doors for Helge and picked up some more firewood. He also bought a beautiful bouquet of flowers for me. I made a big batch of blueberry oatmeal muffins for snacking and roast beef and veges for supper. Tyler is taking guitar lessons this year so enjoyed strumming on a small guitar I dragged out. Braden enjoys construction toys so made an amazing creation from our Fischer-Price Construx. Erika is working on a craft badge for Girl Guides so I showed her how to do some origami. Everyone enjoyed our Brio train set. These are the times that I am very thankful to be a pack rat!! I could never get rid of good quality toys like Playmobil, Brio, and Lego.

This afternoon Helge and I went to Sundre to hear the high energy Scottish band Shooglenifty. I missed my walk today but made up for it with some lively, sweat-causing dancing. Afterwards we shared a sub at Subway. It's nice to have a break from cooking and doing dishes!!

I enjoyed phone calls this week from Sharon Winder-Nelson, Alice, Laurel, Aunty Bea, and my children. Sonja has tickets for herself, me, Aina, Madison and a few friends to see the top ten dancers from "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" perform at Rexall Place in Edmonton on February 2nd. That's my birthday so I'm really looking forward to that. Laurel sent a nice card and a little note written by me that she had found in Mom's jewelry box. I would guess that I was probably in grade 3 or 4 when I wrote it. It said:

How are you? I am fine. I hope you will like the lilacs. God bless you. Elaine

Latest musical inspiration: Lorraine Klaasen, born in South Africa, and living in Montreal for the past twenty years. I love the energy of her song "Jubulani" from her latest CD "Africa Calling."

Three Down, Three to Go

Spencer's two beautiful cousins on Rebecca's side, Ava and Anna

This photo was taken in front of the Caroline Library and Fire Department. The Fire Department hosts a Haunted House every Halloween. We had only four trick-or-treaters come here. Why did I buy so many treats?!! What will I do with them all? (I've stored them out of temptations way!!)

Enjoyed a nice visit with brother Glenn and nephew Braden on October 26th. Glenn also picked up a load of firewood. Braden turned ten on October 28th, same birthdate as Aina.

Aina, Trevor, and Madison moved into their new home in Red Deer on the weekend of October 24th. Aina's birthday was on October 28th and our 31st wedding anniversary on October 29th. I was to have had my third chemo treatment on the 29th. Then our plan was to celebrate our occasions by going out for dinner in Red Deer, and to see the new home. This did not materialize. My neutriphil (type of white blood cell) count was a little on the low side. It was recorded at 1.3, a couple points short of the 1.5 they want as minimum. I was disappointed but not altogether surprised. I had been walking daily but carrying reams of tissue as my nose and eyes were running continuously. We thought it was a good idea to lie low and not run off to Red Deer for dinner, etc. In addition, Aina was tired from moving so it worked out best for everyone. I had my third chemo treatment on Wednesday, November 5th. My neutriphil count had risen to 3.4 and I was certainly feeling much better. My neighbour in treatment was a man named Keith, probably around 50 years or so. His chemo was scheduled for 5 days in a row followed by a few weeks rest. That sounds pretty brutal to me!! When you think you have a challenge you always run into someone who appears to have a worse one.

Helge didn't come with me to Red Deer for my 3rd treatment. I advised him against it since after treatment I was to have an appointment with my oncologist, Dr. Tarukandirwa. In addition, my cancer support group was scheduled for the evening. I knew it would be a long day, so I decided to go in by myself and stay overnight with Aina. Turns out my support group was cancelled. I had supper at Aina's then enjoyed some retail therapy (Winners). I had a relaxed Thursday at Aina's, sleeping in, watching Regis and Kelly and having a nice jacuzzi bath. I also did a few dishes and a bit of laundry for Aina as she is very busy now with work and studying module 3 for her CA. Trevor is also under a lot of stress with his new position. After I left I delivered my Great West Insurance forms for disability to Dr. Topstad, the surgeon who performed the biopsy which detected my breast cancer. If all goes well these benefits will be in place once my EI sick benefits are complete.

Madison is having difficulty adjusting to her new school. There is continual homework in every subject area. Imagine that at grade 3!! (I told Aina I believe that has to do with living in a higher socioeconomic community where parental expectations can be somewhat unrealistic.) When they left Peace River, Madison was at the top of her class. I'm sure that once she adjusts to all the change her grades will improve. She has always done well in Math but has now encountered word problems so that has slowed her down. There is a long list of new spelling words every week, so it is a challenge to learn and remember them all. Her feelings are hurt when her teacher says, "I am so disappointed...." However, she continues to amaze everyone with her artistic talents, lately cartooning. She does karate two days a week and really enjoys that, too.

Spencer is in Kindergarten in Peace River. He continues to be very social with both girls and boys as special friends. He is playing in a hockey tournament this weekend and scored two goals. He was so happy! Parker will be one year old a week from tomorrow. He is a highly energetic child. Rebecca is a busy but capable Mom. She is in charge of 40 hockey jerseys, so that is a challenge when one also has a baby to care for. Luckily she has the support of good friends. Jarl went to Edmonton for the weekend and will probably be there until Tuesday, hoping to finish a surveying job where the Anthony Henday joins Highway 16.

Kai has a new love interest, Jocelyn, and his motivation seems to have substantially improved. It is difficult for him to know whether or not to take a welding job in the city when he could get a call from Grande Prairie at any time. There are so many uncertainties in the trades. Sonja is busy with her studies, working out, and a part-time job. Her last exam before Christmas is December 12th.

Aina is planning to have the Nome family Christmas at her new home (Christmas Eve and Day). Our Bjorgum family Christmas will be at Laurel's on December 28th, so I am looking forward to seeing everyone, and to seeing Laurel's new home.

If all goes well my next treatment will be on November 26th. I will be starting on a different combination of drugs so the plan is to spread treatment over two days, with each of the two drugs being given on separate days rather than together. That way they can assess the side effects of each drug separately. The first day (26th) I will be given Taxotere which can cause pins and needles and skin rash. On the second day (27th) I will be given the antibody Herceptin. One in four women with breast cancer is HER2 positive. HER2 is a protein/gene that promotes rapid growth of cancerous cells. In the past the prognosis was not so good. However, targeted treatment with Herceptin has been very successful. Dr. Topstad tells me I am fortunate to have this option. One of the possible ( not a given) side effects, however, is heart damage. Thus, before my next treatment I have to have another MUGA scan. I continue to be proactive by eating nutritiously, getting tons of sleep, taking my supplements, minimizing sugar and caffeine, and walking almost daily. So far I am doing better than expected. I have no hair but am enjoying my collection of hats and toques.

Helge has been doing much research on the history of the Social Credit Party, and went to a Socred Party meeting yesterday. We both would like to see a more equitable distribution of wealth in our society. He believes the time is right to start a ground swell with the Socreds. It is unfortunate that all the funds that federal governments pump into the banking system enable large banks to gobble up small ones but do not benefit the common man.

Hopefully Helge and I will go to hear our local musician Allen Christie in Caroline on November 15th. (His performance was postponed from Nov. 1st.) I am also trying to arrange meeting a few friends at Red Deer's Festival of the Trees on November 22nd, health-permitting, of course. I am considering the idea of donating a white Christmas tree next year, covered with origami decorations in various shades, textures, and prints of pink paper. I would also add some pink ribbons and balls. (Perhaps I'll ask for support in the form of loonie and toonie donations - have to figure that out yet.)

We had a light frost last night. I so enjoy the smell of the air after a frost. The temperature now at almost 1 p.m. is 10 degrees Celsius so I must get myself going on another lovely walk. Helge has been busy using his tractor to create trails in the bush to access areas for firewood cutting and pasture grazing for his goats. This makes so many special spots in the bush much more accessible for walking so I really enjoy that!!

An Update

Looking Back: It has been a busy fortnight or so. I had my second chemo treatment on Wednesday, October 8th. For the remainder of the week I tidied up the cabin in preparation for Thanksgiving. Aina had a hair appointment in Caroline on October 11th, so she dropped Madison off here on her way to town. After her appointment she returned and helped prepare for Thanksgiving, baking a batch of fresh buns and pumpkin pie. We continued working together on Sunday, and had a nice meal on Sunday evening. Trevor, Kai, and Sonja joined us. Our turkey was excellent. Helge purchased a 22 lb organic turkey from a local supplier. It cost us $75.00 but it was worth it. I was also very happy with the way my stuffing turned out. Everyone went home with a stack of leftovers.

The next few days were clean-up days with dishes to wash, turkey stock to make, etc. Since I am not currently working I was able to take my sweet time doing these tasks!! We certainly enjoyed our leftovers: turkey buns with cranberry sauce, shepherds pie, and turkey soup. Autumn food is so comforting!!

October 14th: Full Moon. Federal Election. Rueben's birthdate (1943). I have a weekly outing on Tuesday mornings, going to Sundre Home Care to have my PICC line flushed and dressing changed. Then I head off to the "Outlaws Bar and Grill" for some great homemade soup. After that I might run a few errands like pick up a few groceries at Sundre Sobeys. This Tuesday I also went to Caroline on Tuesday afternoon to take advantage of my civic responsibility and cast my vote.

October 16th: I attended "Look Good, Feel Better" at the Red Deer Cancer Center. Each participant (cancer patient) had their own volunteer. The volunteers each wore a black apron with the LGFB logo. Their first task was to unpack the cardboard box of complementary makeup given to each participant. It was like Christmas watching this process. Each participant received between $300 and $400 worth of free cosmetics. I was so excited to receive makeup that had been on my wish list for a long time but that I had never purchased due to cost. This included Mac eyeliner, lip conditioner and lipstick as well as a beautiful Clarins quad eyeshadow, lipstick, and lipbrush. We used our product to remove the makeup we were wearing, and then learned how to apply makeup. It was a fun afternoon, and our results weren't bad!!

October 17th: Rebecca, Spencer, and Parker spent a good part of the day with us. It was great to visit Rebecca and have some quality time with my grandsons. Rebecca spent about a week with her folks as her Aunt (her Dad's sister) had passed away. She was my age and was fighting a recurring case of breast cancer. She got a blood clot in her leg which sadly moved to her heart. Her funeral was on the same day as Rebecca's Dad lost his Mother (also breast cancer) before Rebecca was born.

October 18th: Helge and I joined our friends Judie and Darrell for supper at Caroline's excellent Chinese restaurant, "The Silver Gate." We were celebrating Judie's Birthday. My fortune cookie said: Remember three months from this date. Your lucky star is shining. Three months from now I shall have completed chemo if all goes well. It will also be time to celebrate some birthdays: Alice (15th), Spencer(6 years on the 16th, my Mom's birthdate.)

Today: I bid farewell to Rebecca and the boys before they took off for Peace River. We sold our last two pups. One pup (all black one) went to a nice family from Ponoka. I thought their (Mike and Robin) children had such lovely names: Brody, Tori, Kate, and Mallory. They were all beautiful children with lots of curiosity, energetic, and well-mannered. The other pup went to a Vietnamese father and son from Red Deer. The fun part about raising dogs is all the interesting people we meet!!

This Coming Week: I'm looking forward to a more quiet week. I start a Cancer Support group on Wednesday evening in Red Deer. So far I'm doing quite well. I have been blessed with all kinds of support and encouragement. I am so thankful for this precious time at home.

Latest Musical Discovery: Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters. BB calls their music "Vaudebilly" saying they look like the Beatles but sound like a bunch of Hillbillies. I like their sound so will add them to my wish list. It is fall fundraising time at my favorite radio station CKUA. There are many wonderful prizes for people who make donations. As an ongoing subscriber my name is automatically entered in the draws. I would sure like to win the mid-campaign prize which is a week for two at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel in Maui (see pictures.) Helge would never agree to a resort holiday but I know it wouldn't be hard to find a travel companion! My husband would like to go on a camping holiday to the NWT, as would I. We would like to follow the Deh Cho Trail from Northern AB to NWT to Northern BC and back to AB. I always wanted to go to Liard Hot Springs in Northern BC. We have friends that have just bought a ranch at Houston not far from Liard. We could visit them as well as my cousin Jackie in Yellowknife. Lots of possibilities...

Three Months Late

Weather: Summer has arrived three months late in Central Alberta!! Yesterday was the warmest day since 1888 with temperatures of 25-26 degrees C. It is such a beautiful time of year with the mild weather and the vivid fall colours!!

Wellness: Since last posting I have been to Sundre twice to have my PICC line flushed and dressing changed. The only troublesome side effect of chemo that I have so far experienced is a sore on my tongue making eating difficult. Thankfully that has taken its course and my mouth is much more comfortable today. I had some non-related chemo sores, however. My fingernails were getting too long and needed trimming. Unfortunately before I attended to that job, I caught one of my nails on my clothing and ripped it off. Ouch!! Then earlier this week the pups (10 of them) got into the chicken pen and killed a chicken. Helge was away so I had to get them out of the pen. In the process, I caught my head twice on barbed wire and got a bit of a deep scratch. The worst has passed now. We are down to six pups. (We are selling them one by one.) I'm due for my second chemo next Wednesday, October 8th if all goes well. I picked up my new glasses this week and am enjoying them. Today I had my hair shaved except for a little bit on top. I made this choice since my hair was already falling out. I also found myself a new hat at Winners. The best thing about this journey I'm on is the sleep I'm getting. Eight hours plus per night in addition to frequent afternoon naps is bliss!! What a contrast to my usual six or seven hours!! I've virtually eliminated coffee and sugar, and am walking almost daily.

Wills and welfare: Helge and I finalized our will this past week. I have completed the necessary paperwork for EI sick benefits, and tomorrow will finalize the necessary paperwork for insurance on our personal loan.

Social: Last Saturday I enjoyed my first ever (and Caroline's first ever) Women's Wellness Workshop. That included a continental breakfast with fresh fruit, breads, and cheeses and lunch with homemade soups and do-it-yourself buns. Louise Bruns did a presentation on eliminating the single-use plastic bag. Georgina Woodward-Fay shared sacred teachings of the medicine wheel with emphasis on creating balance in four areas of our lives: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Pat Carsand from Rimbey did a belly dance demo and showed workshop participants a few moves. Finally, Kelly Rowell, a financial advisor, shared some financial tips for women. While Helge was at a meeting in Rocky on Tuesday evening, I had supper with my good friends Judie and Darrell. That was a special treat as I hadn't seen them probably since Helge's B.D. in May.

Sunshine in Unexpected Places

Yesterday I filed an online application for EI sick benefits. After one hour I had not completed the application but got bumped due to technical difficulties. Luckily one has a code number to get back into the application and a 24-hour period to complete it. By the end of the day I had completed my application. This morning, already, I had a call from Linda at Service Canada in B.C. She said that the B.C. offices were helping Alberta get up-to-date since AB was so far behind in processing applications. She had a few questions regarding my application. Apparently the birthdate on my application and the birthdate accompanying my original SIN application do not coincide. I have to be sure to correct that in person, with necessary ID (especially if I want to receive CPP and Old Age Security when I come of age!) I was delighted to get such an immediate response to my application and to be able to talk to a "real" person who did not let procedures and protocols interfere with "being human and showing compassion."

This n' That

Threatening, yet beautiful August sky

A familiar Caroline August view

AUGUST/ SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS:

*Edmonton Folk Festival:
1. Memorable performers included C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band, The Duhks, Yves Lambert et le Bebert Orchestra, Habib Koite and Bamada, Little Miss Higgins, Joan Osbourne (Of course there would be a longer list if one could only attend every session one wanted to!!)
2. Friday night pre-festival BBQ with friends of Sonja just a few doors away from main gates
3. Spending time with Sonja: tour of Riverside Golf Course where she worked for the summer, lunch at Chianti's on Whyte Ave., shopping in Army & Navy on Whyte Ave. (for old time's sake)

*Central Alberta Music Festival: Especially enjoyed Souljah Fyah (reggae) from Edmonton, Harrison "Sweet Taste" Kennedy (blues), and Ian Tyson (voice showing signs of wear but still a wonderful performer)


*60th Wedding Anniversay Celebration for Lloyd and Mildred Bjorgum in Camrose. Enjoyed visiting with them and their family as well as numerous other friends from Kingman and Camrose including Lloyd and Aurora, Sharon, Wildie, Ioan, Vernon, Mary and Ovel Jr., and Orville and Harold. Following the celebration, Helge and I visited Orville and Joy in their beautiful new home. We were given the grand tour and treated to wonderful refreshments including fresh fruit salad. We really enjoyed the day!!

August 15th Aina and Madison returned to Red Deer. Aina is articling as a C.A. for Meyers Norris Penney. Madison is attending Mattie McCullough School in SE Red Deer. Trevor joined them in September. He is working in a supervisory capacity for Spectre Energy at Content Bridge. Madison has spent a night or two here. In fact, she is here at the moment. She is a great helper in the garden. She takes the initiative to pick peas herself - no prompting from Grandma.


*Jarl spent a couple of nights here as he was working on a subdivision project in Caroline area. Spencer was at his other grandparents' home. He and Jarl had brunch with us on August 24th before returning to Peace River. Jarl started his own survey business in July - Geospark Surveys. "Spark" is named after his and Rebecca's two sons, Spencer and Parker.

*Routine Maintenance: diagnosed with breast cancer on August 22nd; teeth cleaned and checked and molar pulled on August 26th; eyes checked and new glasses ordered on August 26th; appointment with lawyer Kyla on August 26th working on our will

*Farewell Party for Fay at Barb's on August 26th: always a fun time with colleagues.



*Supper at Moxie's in Red Deer with Aunty Bea and Uncle Norm, Helge, Aina, Madison, and Sonja. Uncle Norm sold his truck to an Afghan family in Calgary. They were treated like royalty with fine food and overnight accommodation. They used their time in AB to visit family and friends. They said it is hard to make a living truckin' these days with increasing fuel and brokerage costs.

*Last Day of Work was September 5th: My employer has granted me 8 months' leave which can be extended to 1 year

*Caroline Centennial: 100 years since the first post office was opened by the Langley family whose daughter was named Caroline; enjoyed sitting outdoors on Sunday afternoon with the warm sun on my back, surrounded by gentle breezes, and watching the Native Drummers and Dancers


*September 17th: first day of chemo (see posting)

*Afternoon snacks with colleagues Evlyn, Pat, and Judy at Mountainview in Innisfail. Had an enjoyable time and hated to say goodbye. Will keep regular contact as long as I am able. Studies show that cancer patients with support groups have more success than those without.

*Latest Musical Inspiration: Watched the last few minutes of "The View" the other day and heard Dave Stewart and his Orchestra. Where have I been? I checked his website and was amazed by his bio. My wish list now includes The Dave Stewart Songbook, the Eurythmics, and a recent Annie Lennox.

* Puppies everywhere, 10 of them, cute little German Shepherds ready for sale

The Beginning of a New Challenge

I had my first chemo treatment today at the Cancer Center in Red Deer. Sitting next to me was a man probably about 80 years, Jack Rockwell from Olds. He is a true survivor and a real inspiration. He lost his wife a few years ago. He nearly died in a car accident in 1967. More recently he has had a hip replacement, a pacemaker, cataract surgery and fallen lens sewn into place by Dr. Gimble. He is a diabetic and is undergoing chemo every 2 weeks to try to shrink tumours on his liver before he has surgery. His attitude was basically "you gotta do what you gotta do." As for myself I felt caught between a rock and a hard place. My tumour appeared to be growing and getting harder. Although I have fears re chemo I was more afraid of the tumour spreading if I didn't take radical action. I will do my best to support the treatment with the three pillars: exercise, rest, and nutrition. Once a month "Look Good, Feel Good" comes to the Cancer Center with complementary make-up. They bring wigs for you to try on, as well as various hats. I look forward to learning how to tie on a turban. It is on tomorrow but I am lying low for a few days. Hope to go in October. There are also cancer support groups I can participate in. Yesterday I had a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) inserted just above my elbow. This is like a tap to my vein. This saves being poked frequently in hard-to-find veins. I have to keep this clean and go to Sundre once a week to have it flushed out and re-dressed. The day before my next chem I have blood work done. If my white blood cell count is too low they will postpone the next treatment. My next scheduled treatment is October 8th. If everything goes as planned my third treatment will be on my wedding anniversary, October 29th, and my final treatment on December 31st. I look forward to putting 2008 behind me!!

Day Tripping

Elaine enjoying vegetation (potentila, bluebells, groundcover) on Corkscrew Mountain
Helge posing for photo on Corkscrew Mountain
Ram Falls
Ram Falls - a closer view
Mountain sheep at Ram Falls

Butterfly at Ram Falls

Though this summer has been cool and wet, I have enjoyed having time at home. I finally have a vision for my ornamental garden so am excited by that. Helge and I have attended two birthday parties in Caroline in July: one for Ernestine Stang who turned 100 years, and one for Yvonne Evans, who turned 50 years. Ernestine is one of the early pioneers in this district, having immigrated from Germany. She has many descendants in this area. She looked great for her celebration, appeared to enjoy her day, and had a surprising amount of energy for all the activity. Helge used to work with Yvonne as a volunteer firefighter. She continues to volunteer for the fire department and the ambulance. She and her husband have several cleaning contracts in Caroline. She is one of the most fit 50-year olds I know!

I started swimming twice a week after work in July. I find the water so enjoyable and relaxing. I'm on holiday for the last week of July and the first week of August. Once I return to work, I plan to continue swimming.

Sonja has been home a couple of times in July so we have enjoyed her company. We saw Jarl, Rebecca, Spencer and Parker briefly at the beginning of the week. Jarl has started his own surveying company, Geospark. ("Spark" is named for Spencer and Parker.) Rebecca plans to look after the books for their company. Madison stayed with us last night. I took her back to her Mom in Drayton Valley today. Aina and Trevor's plans have changed since Trevor has been offered a major promotion in his job. He will continue to live in Drayton. Aina will be renting a condo in Red Deer and completing her articling with Meyers Norris Penny. It will be nice for Aina and Trevor not to be so far apart, and we are certainly looking forward to having her and Madison in Red Deer once again. They will be in Red Deer in a couple of weeks. Tomorrow I am on my way to spend some time in Edmonton with Sonja and Kai, and to attend the Edmonton Folk Festival. On Sunday Helge and I will both go to Camrose for Lloyd and Mildred's 60th Wedding Anniversary. I am looking forward to spending time with some of my Bjorgum relatives.

I have travel ambitions. Helge enjoys being at home. We have surprisingly come up with a compromise that pleases us both. We have decided to go on regular day trips. Last Thursday we took a trip that I had always wanted to take. We drove west of Caroline, stopped to have a peak at Phyliss Lake as I had never been there, continued up the Corkscrew Mountain, stopped at Ram Falls, and then continued to follow the Forestry Trunk Road to Nordegg. From Nordegg we drove to Rocky Mountain House where we had supper at the Tamarack Inn (one of my Dad's favorite stops), and then returned to Caroline. It was nice to have some quality time together. We both enjoyed our day!

Musical discovery: Vitamin String Quartet Tribute albums released by Vitamin Records. Chelsie and Twitch danced to Vitamin String Quartet cover of Janet Jackson's "Control" on "So You Think You Can Dance." They were both attired as conductors in black-and-white tuxedos fighting for control of the conductor's stick. It was a delightful routine.

Life's Many Riches

The joy of summertime and flowers!

As much as I enjoy wearing my capris I had to give in to long pants today. One of my colleagues heard that this was the coldest July 10th in 100 years. Imagine that!

One of my summer fitness goals is to go to the Innisfail Pool after work on Tuesdays and Thursdays for adult lane swim. I kept my commitment to myself this week so I am pleased. I find the water so relaxing and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It is not difficult getting exercise in this way. My colleague Cathy joined me today and plans to continue doing so.

Due to injury I had to put exercise on hold this spring. First in late February I cut my left leg in front of my shin bone. This required eight stitches. The doctor advised against any vigorous walking due to the location of the injury. At the end of May I tore intercostal muscle tissue at the Warden's Golf Tournament. This, I learned, is the muscle between the ribs. It expands when you inhale and contracts when you exhale. Rolling over in bed, rising from a sitting position, sneezing and coughing all caused discomfort. It has taken approximately five weeks to perform these everyday activities without hurting. What a treat it is to be able to exercise at last!

Since last posting we had a most enjoyable time with family and friends at the baby shower for Jaia, Rita and Glen's daughter. On that Sunday I took Auntie Janet and Uncle Art out for brunch. Then I took Uncle Art home and took Auntie to the baby shower. She really enjoyed herself. I asked if the noise bothered her. She said that it didn't because it was happy noise.

I began working full-time once again at Bowden on June 3rd. I have survived the first month, and am thankful to have a regular income once again and to see my friends (colleagues) on a regular basis. We sold our house in Grimshaw. That meant taking a small loss, a minor detail considering that we reduced out debt load in a major way by no longer having that mortgage to pay. After all the change I experienced in 2007, I am finally beginning to feel like myself once again. Spending time with Mom was a trip into the past, recalling shared memories and visiting with old friends. Staying with Aina and Madison was a trip into the future, especially since Helge and I have purchased land in the Peace River region and were thinking of moving there. It feels good to be back home in the now. We have decided we are not up to major change and would like to stay put on our little acreage in Caroline and gradually make improvements to our home.

On June 29th Helge went by ambulance to Sundre Hospital. His blood pressure was high and he had chest pains on the left side of his body. They kept him for four days and did many tests, all of which had positive results. He is having more testing later in the summer. He is feeling better, and has resolved to get more rest and not work so hard. Believe it not, I too am going to bed earlier as I have such an early start every day. While he was in hospital I looked after the animals and ran around with his camera on Canada Day taking pics for the paper.

Aina and Trevor have made an offer on a house in Red Deer which has been accepted. If all goes as anticipated they should be in South Red Deer by the end of August so I am very much looking forward to that.

July 28th I met Laurel in Red Deer and watched Tamara compete in Soccer Provincials. The next day Helge and I went to the 100th birthday of Ernestine Stang, a local pioneer.

At work I have been showing parts of the BBC Planet Earth to my students. What amazing photography. What a beautiful planet we live on!

Tonight's sunset is amazing! The aspen treetops literally look like gold!

The Final Stretch (of May, that is)

Cleo's pups, sold this week

This has been a fun and varied week! A week ago, after work, we went to my colleague Barb's home to bid farewell to another colleague, Conrad, who is retiring (today, in fact) after 15 years of teaching at Bowden. Barb is the perfect hostess, and we had a delightful time, as always. The creative Barb always writes a poem, play, or song for whoever is leaving. For Conrad it was a song sung to the tune of "Reuben, Reuben, I've Been Thinking..." We all wore ball caps decorated to demonstrate Conrad's many interests like fishing, gardening, travelling. The gift was a basket of garden goodies including ergonomic garden tools and a cap with "volunteer" logo.
Conrad never complained about our low salaries. He simply stated that he was a "volunteer." We are sure going to miss him! He was very laid-back with a subtle sense of humour. He was also my lunchtime walking companion.

I am on the board of the Alberta Correctional Education Association (ACEA.) On Monday, May 26th, we had a board meeting at the Calgary Young Offender Center. The meeting was very productive. We are well on our way to having our next conference planned.

Tuesday, May 27th: I subbed for the Science teacher, Mr. Murdoch, at West Central High in Rocky. This was my last day of subbing as I return to Bowden full time next week. After work I went to the Flower Shop where I had a $50 gift certificate. I bought a beautiful pale yellow hibiscus, a gardenia, a croton plant, and an African violet. Then I had a coffee at Novel Ideas. I ran into JJ and had a nice visit. On my way out of the shop I met Donna Reed and her daughter Amy. Donna is the Further Ed Co-ordinator for this area. We discussed running some one-day origami workshops. Then it was off to Extra Foods for a few groceries. I also bought a beautiful flowering alstromeria.

Wednesday, May 28th: Susan, our boss, brought pizza for a farewell lunch for Conrad. At 2 p.m. we put on an afternoon tea so that anyone in the institution could come and say goodbye to Conrad.

Thursday, May 29th: Warden's Golf Tournament at Spirit Creek. It was a fun day! Our staff wore red shirts, red bandanas, and temporary tattoos. The tournament was followed by a BBQ and door prizes. I won a $100.00 gift certificate for Petro Canada as well as a small water fountain. How lucky can I be?

Friday, May 3oth: On my way home from work I stopped at Forest Heights Golf Course which is close to home. I had never been there and wanted to check it out. I plan to start golfing there next week on Ladies' Night. Now I am listening to Friday Night Blues on CKUA, and working on the computer.

It will be a big adjustment working full-time next week with no parties!!

This week's musical discovery: Dan Kaplan, Vera Hall, solo blues harmonica
Sara Bareilles, pop piano/soul artist
http://www.cdbaby.com/ a website for purchasing CDs

Some of my favorite artists will be at the Edmonton Folk Festival in August so I plan to attend. With so much family in the Edmonton area I should be able to find a companion for each of the four days! I am especially looking forward to hearing Buckwheat Zydeco, Eliza Gilkyson, Serena Ryder, and Little Miss Higgins.

A Weekend to Remember

When I arrived home from work and shopping in Innisfail on Friday my granddaughter Madison was here. She had travelled from Peace River with Rebecca and grandsons Spencer and Parker. Aina arrived later with Jarl. ( They both worked on Friday so left at a later time. ) I enjoyed visiting Friday evening with Madison and Aina. They both stayed here overnight. Saturday morning we all went to the Caroline Rodeo Parade. We met Jarl, Rebecca, Rebecca's Dad Ron, and grandsons in town. It was an especially wonderful parade this year. The weather was perfect, warm and sunny. The parade was longer than usual. I visited with neighbour Carol, who tragically lost her husband to pancreatic cancer nearly two years ago. She is doing well and has a wonderfully positive attitude. I also enjoyed a visit with Sharon Hamilton, her daughter Mandy and Mandy's husband Morgan. Mandy was Jarl's first girlfriend. I had not seen her for a long time. She and her husband live in Coaldale. She does books for a company out of her home. Her husband is a geologist/grain farmer. We also caught up with Shane Nafziger (former classmate of Jarl) , his wife Lorissa Peterson and their two beautiful daughters, Jolie and Madelynne. The parade is a wonderful opportunity to visit with neighbours and former Caroline residents!

A proud Canadian

Scrambling for candy

A rare site in Caroline

A Marching Band - a Personal Favorite
The Old Firetruck

Ma and Pa and a bit o' Moonshine

Horses - common in the Caroline Parade and Area

Got everyone's attention; new restaurant Bucky's in background

The way it was

A proud horse and rider

Leonard Kanten, perfectly color coordinated

A bookworm from Caroline Library

After the parade, Helge, Madison, and I went home. We spent the remainder of the day cleaning the yard and flower pots in preparation for the party. We planted some flowers, and just sat the remainder in planters to provide some colorful decoration for the birthday celebration. Madison loves to help, and I surely appreciated her company and extra help. Aina met Trevor in Caroline. They camped at the Caroline RV Park and went to the rodeo cabaret on Saturday evening.

Sunday morning the place was a-buzz with continued party preparations and phone calls from family and friends confirming their attendance and checking directions. The surprise call was from Aunt Bea and Uncle Norm. They had delivered cars to Red Deer and Rocky Mtn House and would be attending the party!! Other guests included : Jarl, Rebecca, Spencer, Parker, Kai, Aina, Madison, Sonja, Ben, Alice, Laurel, Tamara, Kayli, Keith, Theresa, Nadine, Franco, Aolani, Rita, Glen, Jaia, Liana, Mike, Glenn, Michell, Tyler, Braden, and friends Judie and Darrel. We had a great time! The weather cooperated for the most part. The day was mostly sunny with only the odd, short-lived shower. Everyone contributed to the very tasty menu. I decided I would attempt to make a potato salad, and decided to try something different to see if I could approach anything as tasty as Rueben's potato salad. The attempt was very successful. We cut about 4 pounds of potatoes into bite-size cubes, brought to the boil over medium-high heat, reduced to simmer for about 10 minutes. We then drained the potatoes and poured about 1/2 cup of pickle juice over the warm potatoes. We let this sit for about 20 minutes. Then we added the chopped hard-boiled eggs, celery, green onion, and a dressing of Miracle Whip, sour cream, and mustard. The salad was garnished with eggs, parsley, and freshly-ground pepper. Aunt Bea assembled the salad for me so I was happy for her magic touch. I also enjoyed the marinade I purchased from Innisfail Meats - the Mad Butcher Hickory BBQ Sauce. I marinated some sirloin steak in this sauce which I found to be very tasty. Trevor did an excellent job of BBQing. It was a fun family get-together! Aunt Bea and Uncle Norm stayed overnight in their truck sleeper. Here are a couple of photos from the party. Unfortunately we did not think of the camera soon enough to get pics of all of our guests. Laurel clicked quite a few, though.

Can you spot our surprise guests?

Monday Morning we had coffee with Aunt Bea and Uncle Norm before they left. At 2 pm we attended the joint funeral of Peggy Oliver and her mother-in-law Audrey Oliver. (Audrey Oliver was married to Rebecca's Grandmother's brother Hugh.) The Caroline Complex was overflowing. The ceremony was heartfelt but long. In addition to an eulogy and slide show for each, there were several personal tributes. (Crystal Oliver (nee Anger) and MC (Marie-Claude, Peggy's daughter-in-law, prepared the slide show. They used software from www. muvee.com . I enjoyed the vintage album with page-turning transitions.) The complex was warm, and I was rather worried about the babies and elderly, in particular the diabetics. Parker coped really well but Rebecca said it took a while to settle him last night. Mary Hare, a diabetic in her 80s, sat in front of me and managed well. However, there was one person who fainted at the end of the service. Hopefully she is okay. I sat next to Norene and Urbam Fortin whom I had not seen since they left Caroline. Norene taught Aina in elementary school. Claire and Jarl were roommates in their first year of uni. I also enjoyed visiting with Denise Dean, her daughter Monique and granddaughter Sidney. And, of course, there were many others. Lunch was well-organized. The Church of the Nazarene, the Scouts, and the Royal Purple all contributed. The lunch and coffee were set up in all four corners of the complex which really assisted with managing the large crowd, making it easy for us to munch, mix, and mingle.

What a treat it was to have quality family time, and renew old friendships over the weekend!

HEAVY HEARTED

Innisfail Library sponsored the showing of their first independent film last night, "The Kite Runner." Helge and I attended. I found the experience very emotional. We had to take a detour to Innisfail as Hwy 54 was blocked off between the Stauffer Road and the Harriman Road. There had been an accident. Today I substitute taught at David Thompson High School. One of the teachers there who is from Caroline informed me who the accident victims were. Penny Oliver, a librarian at the Caroline School for 36 years, and her mother-in-law Alice Oliver were both killed. Dwight and Donna Oliver suffered extensive injury. The vehicle driven by Dwight and heading west on Hwy 54 was hit head on by a vehicle coming from the west at excessive speed and passing on a double solid line. Although there is a double solid line, the highway appeared clear for passing. The Oliver vehicle was hidden by a dip in the highway. Locals are concerned about this stretch of road and have spoken to Helge about creating some publicity in order to get some action to make that stretch of road safer.

It is a year ago on a Monday that we lost our dear Mother. By date it was May 13th which is tomorrow. I just had a phone call from my Aunt Janet remembering our loss. We had a lovely visit over the phone. (CORRECTION: Alice has reminded me that the date of Mom's passing was May 14th. Rueben passed away a year before Mom on May 28th.)

My Mother was my heroine. Especially in my early life, there was no one I wanted to be more like than my mother. She was beautiful. She had a lovely figure and was always dressed stylishly, often in dresses that she had expertly sewn. She was an excellent seamstress and sewed many favorite dresses for her daughters provided we helped with meal preparation, dishes, etc. Mom also excelled in knitting, crocheting, and quilting. She milked cows, shovelled grain, grew a beautiful garden, and was the best cook ever. I hardly remember her having an idle moment. Once I had left home Mom was a "best friend" whom I enjoyed many wonderful conversations with. She took pride in her family and frequently let us know how she felt about our accomplishments and our facing of challenges. This included her two beautiful daughters-in-law, Theresa and Michelle, whom she often raved about. I feel very blessed to have spent some quality time with Mom last year before her passing. We shared many memories, and I even heard some delightful stories that I had never heard before. Mom had a great love of learning and was proud of her collection of some 600 books. She stated that she had read everyone of them, some more than once. (This past week, unfortunately, one of Mom's favorite shops, "Poplar Books" in Camrose burned to the ground. )

Our family has suffered much loss this past two years: Brother-in-law Rueben, Aunt Martha, our Mother Irene, our cousin Iain, our Uncle Russ. Although the heart is heavy, it is warmed by a wealth of memories and uplifted by the arrival of six new babes: Zechariah, Aolani, Navaeh, Parker, Jonas, and Jaia. Such joy! How thankful I am for facebook and blogs which enable me to check out the latest pics and developments.

WHAT HAPPENED TO APRIL? TO SPRING?

After Easter in Peace River with Jarl and Aina and families, our granddaughter Madison came home with me to spend her Easter holiday. We enjoyed a few special days together. Madison enjoys spending time outdoors with her Granddad looking after the llama, goats, chickens, and dogs. She enjoys games, reading, and shopping with Grandma. On March 28th we took off for Laurel's place as Madison was going to spend time with her cousin Kayli while my sisters Alice and Laurel, and sister-in-law Michelle accompanied me to the Jubilee for the Los Lobos concert. On our way through Calmar I stated that I should stop at the bank for some cash in case I wanted to buy a CD at the concert. Madison replied, "Grandma, is that a want or a need? You don't really need a CD! What you need is to get to Laurel's place on time.....(not exact wording)" I asked her how she knew about wants and needs. She said that she often gets to go to the grade 3 classroom when she finishes her Grade 2 Math. (She is a top math student, and completes her math with ease.) She learned about wants and needs with the Grade 3 class in Social Studies.

On March 30th Alice and I headed for a week's holiday in Kelowna via the Yellowhead route. We had planned to stop at the family's favorite restaurant in Edson for breakfast but could not find it, so we motored on to Hinton. We fueled up at an Esso station there and enjoyed a tasty and economical breakfast at the adjoining restaurant. Our next stop was at Blue River in B.C. This community caters to the heli-skiing crowd. We found a great restaurant that is open to the public at mealtimes. We enjoyed an excellent smorg. Our drive was very picturesque, and we enjoyed the changing seasons along the way, and each others companionship. We stayed at the Lake Okanagan Resort which was available to Alice through her time share. We were in new accommodation along the lake, and especially enjoyed the beautiful, functional, and cozy decor. Our first day was really cool so we enjoyed staying inside lounging, and enjoying satellite TV especially the home decorating and real estate shows. Alice's daughter Vanessa and grandson Zechariah came to visit. We enjoyed spending time throughout the week with Vanessa, John, and Zechariah. Vanessa took us to a favorite family coffee shop right along the beach in Penticton, and took us to Summerland so we could see Mom and Dad's old place and look for the popular dollar store and convenience store that we all enjoyed. She also took us to the Mission Hill winery for a tasting tour. The facility and its location are impressive. I didn't enjoy any of the sample wines, and didn't buy any at $25.00/bottle! John took us on a tour of the Coral Beach area where he grew up, and also took us to the popular lookout from where we could get the birds eye view of Kelowna. As the Okanagan appears to be so urbanized it was hard to imagine any rural areas. Thus I very much enjoyed that country drive. Alice and I each received gift certificates from the resort when we attended an introductory/information session. I used mine towards a lovely mauve vest from the resort. Alice bought a beautiful locket at Posh on Pandosy St. Kelowna offered some wonderful shopping. I especially enjoyed Coco Boutique and the Marmalade Cat Cafe in the Mission area of Pandosy as well as the ?? Art Gallery. One evening of our holiday we enjoyed a lovely meal and visit with John's parents; another evening we drove to Vernon and enjoyed home cooking and visiting with Ken and Brenda. We returned to AB on April 6th via Roger's Pass. Vincen picked up Alice at my place which saved me 5 to 6 hours of driving. I was very thankful for this as I had to work the next day.

April 12th was a grand day. Sonja drove us to Willow Creek for Melanie's Baby Shower. ( My vehicle was parked waiting for the installment of a new alternator. My vehicle just stopped one day at Spruce View on my way home from work. Thankfully this did not happen on our BC trip!!) It is always fun to spend time with family, particularly in welcoming a brand new babe, in this case Jonas Quinn. We also enjoyed getting to see Vanessa and family again.

April 21st and 22nd(Earth Day) were the only two days in April that I was not booked for work. This was fortunate, as these were snow days with extremely cold temperatures for April. Helge and I both enjoyed staying inside with a warm, cosy fire. I am so thankful that Helge enjoys accumulating good firewood!

May 4th I enjoyed dinner with my siblings at Monte Carlo Restaurant in Camrose. This was one of my Mom's favorite restaurants. Sadly, we lost her a year ago already on May 13th. After dinner we all went with Glenn to Viking to Earl and Rose Mae Kjelland's to decide on a headstone for Mom. We want the same granite and font style and placement as on Dad's headstone. We have yet to make a decision on graphics and epitaph, and plan to do so when we get together for Helge's birthday. We also enjoyed coffee and a visit with Earl and Rose Mae. Over the years we had heard so much about them but had never met. (Rose Mae is Uncle Norm's younger sister.) We gals admired Rose Mae' beautiful petite point, and her painting and decorating of the garage for the red Corvette. The guys, of course, enjoyed the vintage cars!

May 8th we had a major dump of snow (8 -10 inches) Apparently there was nearly 2 feet west of Rocky Mountain House. I could not drive my car up the driveway Thursday evening. Helge shovelled just enough snow for me to park my car at the end of the driveway. I did not go to work on Friday until the afternoon when weather and driving conditions had improved. I could not believe how balmy and snow-free Innisfail was! I went to Extra Foods after work for a few groceries. I was excited to see major supplies of bedding plants, hanging baskets, and potted perennials coming in. I decided to purchase many of my faves. I usually miss out because I wait too long to do my shopping. I always wanted osteospermum(daisy-like) flower and now at last I have some in two beautiful colors. I also bought a flowering crab tree and a deep pink/red peony. Grandma Hanson always had peonies, and I believe Aunty Janet still has a piece of that so I must try to get a piece from her and perpetuate it. As I write this the birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and the temperature has reached 10 degrees C on the plus side. Hopefully it won't be long until my snow-covered yard is green. I am so anxious to beautify the place with herbs and flowers! Helge has prepared his garden for veges.

Two of my colleagues attended a Knowledge and Employability seminar last week. They shared their info and resources. I have enjoyed the website of curriculum developer, Roger Taylor (www. rogertaylor.com), finding support and motivation for my own ideas. And the good news is that I will be returning to full-time work at Bowden at the beginning of June so I am very much looking forward to that!

Here is a parting thought:

From the day your child is born you must teach him to do things. Children today love luxury too much. They have detestable manners, flout authority, have no respect for their elders. They no longer rise when their parents and teachers enter the room. What kind of awful creatures will they be when they grow up? -Socrates, 399 B.C.