History Day for Canada

Happy Voting Day to you!!!
I ran out with JO this morning to pay the phone bill and to get a Just Us coffee. The latter in W. and the former in G
P.


Then we came home.  Then J. took me upstairs to her play room and I spent almost 3 hours cleaning up; mostly tidying though.  Didn't put much of a dent in all of the toys.  I tried to enlist her help in deciding what to keep and what to give away.


It started out good with a lot of give aways.  Then came the stuffies and the dolls.  She has four Elmo's.  Not one doll or stuffed toy was allowed to go into the giveaway bin.  Not even one Elmo!


So I reorganized and tidied up a bit.  She came downstairs and played in the dirty roaster with the water in it.  By the time I found her, she was soaked to her underwear.


We cleaned up and ran out to take Daddy to get the truck.


So goes my day.  It's the first I've been on the internet today.  I watch the tweets from Twitter and of course this precious blog of mine.


Oh, and Face book, too.  I need a fix of that almost once a day.


I've voted at the advanced poll so will watch the results tonight after Missy is in bed.

Sunday Morning Routines

It's another rainy cold day here.  Windy too.


The little one and I went to church this morning.  Almost late as I was up till after 1 am scrap booking.  I lost all track of the real time.  J. snuggled in with me around 2:30 or so.  Did not sleep well after that.  She slept on my pillow and kicked and butted into me for the rest of the night.


Kendall Harrison was in the service this morning and spoke about the consultation that has been taking place with the charge.


The onion soup mix in with the chicken baking in the oven smells soooo good, btw.


Change is coming.  I think it will accommodate the present needs of the congregation.


They made about a thousand dollars yesterday at the rummage.  I'm glad to hear that.


I think I'll buy the rest of the plants that were there this morning.  Must somehow remember to drop in tomorrow morning to get them and pay for them.


J. looked very pretty today in her pink frilly long sleeved dress and Dora tights with her light up pretty brown shoes with pink flowers.  She looked delightful. We topped it off with her dark blue Easter bonnet and her beautiful wine coloured frilly sweater with pink cloth flower brooch.


My daughter is so beautiful.  I delight in her beauty and her innocence.


The coffee was really good this morning.  Can't beat Just Us.    The homemade short bread cookies were delicious.


I am thankful for all of it.


Next Sunday is Hilarity Sunday and I signed up to read the scripture.

WAITING

I wait for my hubby all the time.  Working the fields and the time is consumed with the plowing and the turning over of the dirt and with the fertilizing of the same.


I am a woman who waits for her man.


I try not to wait on him too much though.  Even though he deserves the service.  I'd appreciate the tips.

Happy Weekend and Happy Day

Another Saturday.  Out in the morning to run errands -- that means buying up a few specials at the local Co-Op and filling in our free time with some things like our usual mall walk and a stop over at the Greenwich Fire Hall to help out the Annapolis Horse Club.  They had a ticket auction today.  I didn't get a call so I guess I didn't win anything.  It was a happenin' place, too.
Competition was stiff.


J. does not like it when I yell at her.  Note to self:  Stop raising voice to stop her from doing something.  This time it was coughing while the pantry door was opened without using her elbow or hand to stop the germs.


I am scrapping like crazy these last couple of days.  I am really excited about getting my book up to date.  I'm already into July for 2006.  It is joy to my busy hands.  I do have our trip out west in 2006 in its own book.


I love scrapping the birthdays, Halloween and Christmas in particular.  I think I'll include cousin J.'s baby shower, too.


And having a good cup of Just Us (medium roast) sure does help with the energy boost.  I know I need to exercise my endorphins more often the natural way.


So, off to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Now they're saying that Scott Brison has a fight on his hands to keep his seat here in Kings-Hants.  David Morse has Stephen Harper coming to boost his standing here.  Bob Rae was with Scott today, and Joe Clark wrote a fine letter recommending him.

Jumpins'... it can be so uncertain.

A pollster has the CPC taking 130 seats, the NDP 92 and the LPC 63 and the BQ 21. (from ReutersLjungg)

We'll all know by 2 May won't we.

MORE RANDOMS ON A RAINY DAY

I know this twice in one day.  A new record for me.  But I've been thinking on this rainy day.  I think it's great that people got out to vote at the advance polls.


I also think the youth of this country will surprise us in a good way.


I think seeing the fog on the distance settling within the landscape is a work of art.


I think it's high time we made a difference and get out to vote on 2 May if we haven't already.


I think we're in for surprise on 3 May.

Wow. I can not believe I left this blog for so long.  That's what happens when you feel u have nothing at all to contribute. I don't feel like I have an active voice in anything.  Part of that logic is from the fact that I am always tired and sometimes apathetic.


I wish it could be better.  


I am busy with a five year old.  I am 52.  I have a difficult time keeping up at times.  She goes to a lot of appointments for speech and lately occupational therapy.  Sometimes we go to the IWK.  She has an assessment in May which will take all day.


All I can think of is 'O, joy, here we go again.'  Sometimes I wonder if the assessments are of any worth to anyone except to the professionals.  I know I would like to know quantitatively where she is developmentally.  That means we have to jump through these hoops.


I know too it is exciting to see her improve and grow.  She surprises us with her abilities each day.


I know J. is enjoying her planned visits to the school where she will be in the fall.  She liked it so much that we were actually an hour and a half longer than planned.  I am very happy about that.


Maybe in the fall, I'll be able to take care of myself and do things to improve upon my own state of affairs.


That would be nice.


I love my daughter and I am happy with this opportunity to be her mom and her protector.  We love her dearly.


J. is pure joy.


In addition, I live in a wonderful part of the country.  I am enjoying the rain this morning and listening to the CBC  What could be better!!!

Time Flies , Flies, Flies

Time sure does fly.  Here it is the end of the month of October.  Life has been busy.


Jo has been busy with a seven day schedule: Play school, speech therapy, S.M.I.L.E. and church!!!  It's a busy schedule.


I sure wish my energy was up.  I know what I have to do to get it back.  Walk and walk and walk.  Eat nutritionally.


SIMPLE!!!


But difficult at the same time.


Paul and I and Jo of course went out yesterday and I finally came home with a new cell phone.  It's great so far even tho I don't get many calls or texts.


I'm glad I have it though.


Jo is wide awake at 9:22 pm and relocated to our bed and is watching TREE HOUSE... she is busy tomorrow morning first thing with S.M.I.L.E.  We'll see.


We got our flu shots yesterday.  Jo didn't know what hit her until she felt it and then she moved.  Her arm is a bit sore as a result.  My arm is sore anyway.


She had a headache this morning in play school.  I went to play school to build eatable spiders.  The kids liked it.


Jo was feeling better by the end of the morning.  She was fine for the rest of the day actually.

That girls eats a lot throughout the day.  I'm glad she is healthy.


Halloween weekend.  What a busy schedule she has.  Costumes tomorrow for S.M.I.L.E. and then Sunday morning as a Bible character and then Sunday night for the trick or treating.  Life is full.

Wednesday morning

I should say THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING has hit me square in the face.  Jo had us both awake at about 4:30.  She needed a bathroom break and then she slept with us.  She slept and I barely slept.  


I barely got out of bed by 8 am.  The alarm is set for 7:30 and I am usually awake a little before.


We were tired and crabby with each other this morning.


I didn't get the blood rushing to my head until I bent over to get Jo`s outdoor shoes off and her indoor shoes on.  It felt good.  I was alert enough then to go get a coffee.


I am here now almost sipping it... at least drinking it slowly... it has a bitter `wake me up`taste this morning.

Another Day

Time flies.  It is a beautiful morning here.  It is mild and calm.


I have a load of clothes out on the line already.  It is 8:25 am.  I am waiting to get the second load out there.  Anytime now.


Jo is up but not at it.  She has been out of sorts since last night.  I do not know if she is tired or if she is not feeling good.


Sophie is coming along really great.  She was out for a little this morning with me when I took the garbage and recyclables to the curb.  She bounds around.


Her cut still bleeds a little.


Paul is almost out the door for the day.


I have an open morning just in case Johanna ends up staying home from play school.  Time will tell in the next 20 minutes or so.

WOW -ee!!

Here it is October 1st and it was 27 degrees Celsius and humid and very windy.  Mom thinks it is a sign of things to come.  It could very well become the new normal.


The girls were hot and sweaty.  We went for an ice cream at Hennigar's today.  It was not my first choice as their ice cream is expensive.


The girls liked it though.


I am tired.  The girls can be high maintenance.  Kaylee had two spills of milk and then juice within 10 minutes of each other.  Later, outside, Jo was spitting or what sounded like it, so I had to give her a 5 minute time out when she wouldn't stop doing it.


On top of that, I had to see to Sophie.  She went to the vet.  They put her under and sutured her.  She has quite the wound.  Now I have to make sure she stays in the house and gets meds two times a day.  The poor thing is lucky she survived this attack.


We don't know if it could have been a skunk, a raccoon, or even an eagle.  The poor thing.  I have to make sure she is in the house at night.  Paul reminded me that there are coyotes in the back of the house.  They go to the gully to search out food stuffs then move on to their next locale.

I am not sure I like the coyotes so close.  When he was in the field this summer with the plow, he saw a coyote in the field about 150 feet from the back yard savaging for food as he cut the crop.


When Peter was harvesting silage on the east end, there were four coyotes around the plow trying to get the mice and whatever else.  It made the hairs on the back of Peter's neck stand up on end.  Seeing four is quite a lot.


I don't trust these animals.  I think about the number of people who walk or run or bicycle the dyke on a regular basis.


As long as they stay away from my back yard and patio and from what is mine, I will be fine and so will they.


Sophie was hungry when she got home at 4 pm.


Johanna is tired.  She just got to bed at 9 pm.  She has a busier schedule this year.  I am glad that she does.


She was up at 7:15 am and opened the door for Ian and Kaylee.

what a hot day

What a hot day it has been.


Jo had speech this morning and did really well.  She was cooperative and really trying.  She also spontaneously responded to Carla.  That was great to hear and see.


Barb came at 12:30.  They had a good hour of play.  Jo has learned so much in the last six months.  She tries with the puzzles even though they are hard for her to manipulate.  She took turns.  She was great.   She is also using more sounds and words.


It is very warm here today.  Summer temperatures.  


Sophie was out all night and came home with a gash on her right side.  I know she will need a vet to look at it.  It's bad and opened to her muscle.  Poor thing.  It was the only time she's been out all night and some night critter attacked her.  The poor thing!


Paul is not happy with her injury.  He will pay a vet to get her better.  He really likes that cat.


Carla had a form for me for an all day work shop with Jill Hicks.  It's scheduled for 6 Nov and will cost a couple hundred dollars.  I am planning to take it as I believe it will help me teach Johanna to talk.  That is my most important goal for her.  I want her to talk so that people understand her and so that she is understood.

Pole walking was hard today.  The wind was blowing really hard and it made my walking really difficult.  I was tired out at the end of it.


I had the two girls.  They were pretty quiet.  They watched Toy Story 3 and at 3:30 K's mom came to get it.  That was a nice surprise for all of us.

Holy Cow

What a night!!!  JO had a mid afternoon nap unbeknown to mommy and as a result was awake until after 1 am.  She came into my room and slept with me.... o pain.


She WON'T BE doing this tonight.

Too Tired

Too tired to write much.


Speech was cancelled this morning.  We went to Dartmouth and met up with Nanny B.  We went to Spring Garden Place Mall to My Mother's Bloomers and I used $30 of the gift certificate.  I bought a bunch of freshly cut flowers for Oma.


She couldn't believe they were for her.  What a woman. They were from Johanna.


I very rarely take Johanna with me to the city  because she is too busy and she definitely does not listen to me when I speak to her.  We were at Happy Harry's looking at wall paper.  She and I ended up in the van because she refused to stay with me and to listen to me.


At the Golden Arches today, she went outside with us. We were standing a part from her.  She pushed the automatic door button.  The door opened.  She stepped out.  She stayed planted.  I told her to move before the door shut on her.   Sure enough it did and the handle clunked her on the back of the head.  She didn't cry but it hurt.  


I didn't feel sorry for her because I tried to tell her.  I think natural consequences are sometimes the better teacher.


We had lunch at the McDonald's just off the Dartmouth  MacDonald bridge.  We met Amber Munroe there.  She is Bobbie's granddaughter.  She is 17 years old.  She works there.  I suppose part time.


She is very pretty.  Bobby had just dropped her off.  We missed him because we were inside.


Johanna had a full day.  She is upstairs in her own bed asleep.


Jo and I dropped in on Roy for a half hour.  He is wanting to go to Community College.  I had a serious talk to him about his finances.  I don't know what has sunk in.  Probably nothing.  He is too busy spending money he doesn't have and not saving money he has. 


I hope he soon realizes the importance of putting away for a rainy day, and I hope he realizes the value of hard, honest work.  I also hope he realizes the importance of perseverance and patience and keeping your mouth closed at the right time.


Joanne and I mused about 'organic' tonight while we visited at the farm.  Peter came in and gave us two potatoes out of his garden.  They are definitely organic.  Joanne and I smiled when he came in with the potates because we had just finished musing.


Good night to the lonely traveller out there in cyber space.

It doesn't matter

It doesn't matter what I say or think, everyday is indeed different from the last.


Kaylee was here at 7:18 or so.  She and I chatted.  She doesn't eat the crust on her bread and she wastes food just a little.


She helped me to get Jo out of my bed and going.  Jo was sleepy this morning.


I read a story to them about Dora the Explorer before we got our shoes and jackets for play school.  I got them there before 9:30 am  It seems to take time to actually get them from the house to the van.  Usually about ten minutes from the time I say we are going.


I took my morning walk.  I did it in 40 minutes.  I think last week it was averaging about 45-50 minutes.  I see an improvement already in the time.


I am not as sore as I was last week.  The legs are not so bad and I am not nearly as stiff as I was on Saturday.  Hallelujah!!!


Jo had some sort of spill in the TV room and hurt her leg.  She cried and cried.  I think though it was because she was also very tired.  It was so hard to find out the story.  Kaylee didn't seem to know anything and poor JO couldn't tell me.  I think I understand from her that she hit her leg on the coffee table or it was pushed against or squeezed against it. I don't know the context of the hurt though. 


That bothers me because what is she to do when kids hurt her at school.  How will she tell us who it was that hurt her.  Or when she hurts herself how is she to tell us exactly what happened.  I get scared thinking about it.


I was a half hour later than I wanted to be getting her showered and to her OWN bed.  She thought she was going to be in my bed again tonight.  Fooled her by turning out all the lights and putting her in darkness.  That did it for her.  She was in her own room in no time.


She was wanting her soother but I am delaying getting it to her.  I am hoping she will go to sleep without it tonight.  It really will do damage to her teeth.  I wish my dear thick-headed husband would get that information to his pea-sized brain.  :D


Mom and I are meeting up tomorrow morning and we will spend most of the day together.  I am looking forward to it.  I will have my dear girl Jo with me, too, so that will be a treat for Ya-Ya and Jo-girl.


I hope to see Roy, too.  He is working part time for Shoppers Drug Mart on the corner of Victoria Road and  Albro Lake Road.  I hope this one works out for him.  He said he is going to look for a second part time job.  


Part time jobs are not what they are cracked up to be for people who need to make a living in order to live.  Rent, car payments, car insurance, food, entertainment, clothes, credit card payments, cell phones, desktop with internet, itunes, etc etc all take money and a fair amount of money.  I guess it depends on the standard of living to which one becomes accustomed.


Zackery Dewolfe is getting chemo treatments for Hodgins Lymphoma in his throat area.  He's only twelve years old.  It's a real shame.  My thoughts have been with him ever since I found out a week ago.  I will say a prayer or two for him, too.

Holy Sabbath

Holy Cow I'm feeling very good at the moment.  I have since about 3:30 this afternoon.  I'm not stiff.  I'm not achy.  I'm feeling pretty good.  What in the world is going on???  I was feeling miserable yesterday.  If I didn't know any better I'd say yesterday I was on the menses.  But I wasn't.  This afternoon and right now it's totally different.


I can go up and down the stairs really spry without stiffness or pain.

My heels are bothering me a bit right now but not like yesterday.


Jo is in bed but not asleep.  Her father bought her a soother because she's been wanting one to suck on for the last six months so he says.


I prefer SHE NOT BE GIVEN it, but I'm at a loss.  Paul likes to get his own way even in the stupidest of things.  The soother is one of the stupidest things.  Jo lives well without it.  She doesn't need it.  It also makes her teeth crooked.  Her two lower front ones are as a result of earlier sucking on it.


Damn the man!!!


I am feeling more energetic and more mentally alert.  I was so impatient yesterday and things bothered me, i.e. got on my nerves.


Tonight I think I could conquer anything I set my mind to do.  What a change.  I wish it would last but I know it won't.


Life is not like that.  I no longer depend on good days every day.


It must be horrible for those who live with chronic pain and discomfort.  I have trouble getting my head around managing such pain.  I know yesterday I was sick of being sore and stiff and not feeling good.


I hope I can find a solution to my aches and pains.  I wish I knew what did it for me today.


I am wearing a magnetic bracelet but surely that wouldn't be making this difference in me tonight.

Even today is different

Even within the sameness, it's different.  Today was no exception.


Jo loved S.M.I.L.E. (Sensory Motor Independent Leadership Experience).  They have a student from Acadia who works one on one with them.  The went to the gym and did group things and then for the last hour she was in the pool and SHE LOVED IT.  I am so proud of her that she has found something she really likes.


Nicole, the student leader, was great with her.


Also, throughout today I have been very aware of my physical body.  Note to self: I don't think that what is happening is normal.  I have constant stiffness in my lower limbs from my heels up to and including my calves.  My two hips were bothering me today.  My lips had tremors through them off and on today.  This started yesterday.  I feel like my body is breaking down and I don't know what's going to be left.  I think it won't be good.


I plan to call for a doctor's appointment on Monday.  I felt awful all day.  I was in bed by 8 with JO who was watching her Treehouse.  I could have fallen asleep but she was moving about and putting her feet into my back.  


Then Paul came home, she heard the tractor and that was the end of any sleep time.  Right now she's in the TV room eating and watching her Treehouse again.


I need to find out what's wrong with me.  I've been getting this stiffness in my body for over two years now and it's not getting better.  It's there and I think it's getting worst.


I was cranky too today.  I think it's because I still feel sluggish and can barely get up and down stairs which I had to climb today to get out of the pool area.  What a pain the neck for those with disabilities and other problems.


The important thing is that JO loved her experience.  It freed me up to do things.  I was at a loss so took a walkabout to the Farmer's Market to get Just Us coffee and also to tbs just to window shop.


I took in the rummage sale, too.  I bought a hat that was  supposed to be 50 cents.  It cost me 2.50 in the end.  The poor lady at the table taking the money just did not understand that she owed me a dollar.  I made a comment and then she took another dollar from me.  I promise next time I will have small change.

Busy Busy Busy

Another day just about done.  Life is busier this year than last.  Johanna is busy every morning of the week in some activity somewhere.  Since I am her mom and primary caregiver,  my mornings are thus filled too.  I also have Kaylee here.  That adds to the responsibility.


Jo loves to splash cold water on herself when she takes her shower before she gets out of the bath tub.


I have run a number of errands this week too.  It's been busy and tomorrow is not much better.  I have the rummage to take to the church, my urban poling walk, maybe some cleaning in the house and maybe even a snooze.


We'll soon see.

What a Busy Day

What a day.  Kaylee at 7:15 am.  Jo up by 8:03 am.  Play school at 9:30 am.  Did a half hour of Nordic Poling - feeling it tonight.  Ran errands for 40 minutes.  Enjoyed a cup of Licorice lemon tea with Bernadine.  At 12:15 pm I was mashing eggs to turn into egg salad for the girls' lunch.  Pick up at 12:30 pm.


And the day did not stop there.


They played here in the house for a little bit.  Then we went out back where they chalked up the walk way with their silhouettes and they swung on the swings.


We had popcorn for a late afternoon snack and were just getting ready to read a book about Biscuit the dog when Kaylee's mom arrived.


They left and then came back because Kaylee had some kind of a conniption fit in the car.  She forgot to hug Jo good bye.  That done they left again.  We see her on Friday.


I fell asleep during the evening news at 6.  Woke up to see the finish of it and to watch Coronation Street.  It was good tonight.  


Now I am waiting for Jo to finish with her cheese and crackers which I know she has already so I can get her upstairs for her evening bath and good night.


I wonder how it is going to go... lol.


Tonight is the premier of The Tudors.  It's wife number five tonight with Catherine Howard.  Poor woman lost her head too.  That Henry was something else.


Fascinating but something else.