On The Move - Teddy and I Go Looking For Spring

Okay. You've forced me into it. Today I decided to brave the cold spring-time winter temps, and head outdoors. The temp actually warmed up one degree since I left, hence that 12 degree is a bit misleading. It was actually way colder than that.

However, I dressed appropriately. Just because we live in the Lower Mainland of God's Country, doesn't mean we don't have snuggly winter gear. We just don't have skidoos and ice-fishing equipment.

So off we go, my little dog and I, looking for signs of Spring. We didn't have to go far up the street to find these lonely little daffodils sheltering by a wall. I bet there is a furnace inside that wall, and that is what the flowers are leaning towards. 

And finally, a dandelion. We were walking for about an hour - well, meandering is more like it, with a bit of loitering and marlin' thrown in, and we only passed two in all. Two little measly dandelions, who were brave enough to open their little heads to these climes. You notice how this little guy stayed close to the ground?

We walked to Queen Mary's Park, which has been highlighted on this blog before. In the summer, it's a nice place to go to get out of the blistering heat, as it's made up of old-growth forest. Today the trees were pretty bare, though the creek was bubbling along.

A tiny little beach, perfect for fairies. The troll bridge is just up the way a bit.

Teddy wasn't sure about the water, so I guess he doesn't have any Labrador Retriever in his blood.

 

Oh ... maybe he's got a touch of mountain goat. (Only kidding. I put him up there for this little photo shoot.) 

Some trees are popping green - I imagine they're the young ones who are raving to go ....

And there was some pretty blue sky overhead. The big old black clouds were in the other direction, and for once they didn't bring us any rain.

We headed back on the Hydro path, and lo and behold - we met another daffodil plant trying to pop open. Soon, pretty little daffodil, soon. You'll make Robert Frost proud.

And what do we have here? A bit of star-shaped fungi? I've never seen a mushroom like this before, so I wouldn't touch it in case it spored alien germs all over me. I'm pretty sure it sat on a stem that was implanted in the ground.

Of course, we couldn't go for a nice nature walk with coming across some garbage that some piece of sh.. garbage threw out.

Getting closer  to home, more signs of the long awaited season ... Steve said these were related to Lilies-of-the-Valley, without the scent. They are very pretty, though.

Back home, our little daffies are blooming in the front yard. These are teeny tiny ones, so I zoomed in to make them look bigger.

And in the back yard, Teaser's Lilac Tree is coming along. Steve planted this tree the day my Teaser Cat passed away, and I thought that was a lovely tribute. I'll have a purple Lilac Tree, please. And a Rhubarb Plant. Thanks.

These raspberry leaves just popped open over the past few days. I still have raspberries in my freezer from last summer, this plant was just pumping them out hand over fist last year, and we got tons. Can't wait.

The rhubarb plant is also counting on no more snow. You can see how wrinkly its leaves are - that's because it got caught in a massive shivering fit during a late frost. (No - only kidding. That's the way rhubarbs are. Makes me feel better about the mirror thing.)

And finally, my honeysuckle. It's gone mad with growth this year, but hopefully it can find a scent when the flowers bloom. Last summer there was absolutely no honeysuckle aroma, no matter how close to the flower your nose got. I really felt gypped. Because no matter how pretty this plant looks, you buy it for the smell. Because it reminds you of growing up in Scotland, where honeysuckle abounds.

And that's it.  I guess there's a lesson to be learned here - sometimes you can travel far and wide, but it turns out what you were looking for was in your back yard all the time. Or in the front. Whatever.

Another Test I Forgot To Study For, and We Really Heart Our Kitchen!

It was yet another rainy morning, and I had to go out in it, as I had an appointment to have my picture taken. Now, this wasn't any ordinary picture, so I won't be posting it here - this was an inside job, also known as a CT Scan, so I don't even know if I was smiling on the inside or not. I'm sure I will be told I have more healthy organs in a couple of weeks, and will continue to be a mystery wrapped up in an enigma. 

At least this one wasn't as horrible as the last test, where I had to spend the day before gulping and retching the most awful concoctions, then had to spend some time with my butt offered up to the wind. Well, yes, it was in a hospital room, but you know what I mean. Thank heavens I was asleep for the most of it, and if they had been a bit more generous with the pain and sleep meds I probably wouldn't have woken up several times whimpering. However, all done and in the past, and I'll have another one in ten years if they can catch me.

After the CT Scan, we headed to Guildford Mall, as there's not many outdoor places we wanted to visit in the rain. We didn't buy anything, except lunch at the food court, which wasn't my choice. My choices always cost a bit more than the food court, because I am a diva who would choose a nice bowl of White Spot soup over a Chicken Buddy Burger from A&W. After that mall, we drove to Surrey Centre Mall and strolled around there, then went home, finally. For a nap. 

When I woke up, the sun was shining, which was a really nice surprise. I'm hoping it will shine again soon, so I can go around and get some nice blue-sky pictures with signs of my long-awaited spring.

To round up the day, after supper Howard suggested we go to the Super Store as our cupboards were a bit like Mother Hubbard's. I don't mind shopping, as we usually end up at the kitchen stuff - we both love kitchen stuff. I told him we were becoming kitchenholics, which is better than alcoholics and yarnoholics, and on his part, Home Depot-holics. I got a nice stiff spatula, as the one I already had was too soft to completely scrape out my cake batter, and a really nice masher, so now I'm ready to tackle Duncan Hines, turnip and pease puddings. He got a glass 'bread' pan, so now I bet he's going to make a meat loaf in the near future.

If Anyone Says, Well At Least You Don't Have To Shovel It, One More Time .....

It's been raining all day, coming down in buckets. The weatherman said we've had the rainiest March in 10 years, and I do believe him. However, I am beginning to see signs of Spring in my backyard, and even though I haven't set my eyes on the elusive dandelion, there does seem to be hope for a colourful April.
Howard suggested we go to a Mall, so we ran through the raindrops to the car. I had the bright idea of parking in the parkade, so we wouldn't have to run through even more raindrops. I was careful to remember where he parked the car, though, as I know how frustrating it can be when you lose the car in a parking lot.
Seems like many many people also had the urge to shop, so we had to head up to the third level before we found a spot!
We shared a sandwich and fries (well, I had the sandwich, he had the fries) for lunch, did a little bit of shopping, and headed back to the car. On the third level.
Hah. I don't know if we were the only couple walking from third to fourth back to second level before we found it. I'm sure somebody moved it just to prove me wrong, because I'm sure it was on the third level when we left it. I guess by now Howard should know better than taking my direction.
I was in a pretty good mood though, at least until I tried to order a Swiss Chalet delivery for supper. Two attempts - talking to someone whose accent made it difficult for me to know what the hell she was saying, along with what she called 'trouble on this line.' I got so frustrated I finally hung up and cooked supper. Well, to tell the truth, I cooked the chicken drummies I had already defrosted and warmed up the leftover veg from last night, Howard cut the fries and Steve cooked them. So it was a team effort, and although it caused a few more dishes than a home delivery, it was fine. Especially since I didn't do the dishes. Yet.
Tomorrow is going to prove to be yet another exciting and fun day, so I'd better go get my beauty rest. After all, one should look one's best when it's yet another picture day!

If Anyone Has Lost 20 Pounds - Look No Farther. They Are Here ....

After a chat with Nikkie, where I said I didn't have enough ideas to blog something witty and/or enlightening every night, she reminded me of a couple of years ago when I actually blogged every single night for a whole, long 365-day year. That was when I kept track of every thing I ate that day, and now Facebook reminds of these days, and the posts where I was either complaining about how tired I was, or how sick I was, or how I hated travelling on bus and sky train to and from work.
That year, I lost 20 pounds in the first couple of months, and kept it off for about that year. So keeping a public diary kinda helped, a little bit. However, the year later I gained most of it back.
So I tried a different diet path. Not keeping track on a blog, but on an app, which one I can't remember, which kept me truly in line. There went that 20 pounds again .... until Howard got sick.
He spent so much time in the hospital between spring and autumn, and I burned so many calories walking to and from his bedside and my bed. On hot summer days I sweated my heart out - I'd walk home in 30 degree heat, hop in the shower, put on clean clothes, and walk back again. On rainy days I'd get soaked so wouldn't necessarily need a shower when I got home, just a change of clothes. You'd think I would have lost weight then, wouldn't you? Well, I probably would have, if there wasn't a Second Cup in the hospital lobby, and that is where I got hooked on carbs again, especially the ones baked in the cranberry scones.
So, he came home 40 pounds lighter, which actually made me glad I had kept off that 20 pounds or he would have weighed more than me, which wouldn't have been a good thing. So, for almost a year, he sat in his chair watching TV, or lay on the bed, just getting back his strength and stamina - and I sat in my chair, or lay on the bed beside him, scared to leave him for more than a bathroom break, which led to that blessed 20 pounds finding their way back to me.
I guess I should be glad it was only 20 pounds.
Maybe some day, I'll get rid of them again, and I probably will pretty soon, as I'm doing a purge of stuff I really don't need and just took a bag of too tight clothes to Value Village.
And hopefully, I'll soon get some motivation back, so I won't have to revert to boring with my food lists - yes, in case you're wondering, it's still toast and coffee for breakfast.

To Sleep, Perchance To Dream? Not Effing Likely ....

Is anybody (besides Howard, that is) lucky enough to go to sleep the minute the head touches the pillow? Because I don't do that. I know you are wondering why I don't do that, so I'll satisfy your curiosity. I'll even use bullets.

1. I crawl into bed, and if I'm lucky, I'll get there before my cat. If not, I have to lift/lug that 20 pound beast off the bedspread so I can turn it down enough to get my legs in.
2. I rearrange that cat's tail so its tucked down around its butt, so when he lies against my head there is a buffer between my hair and his ... well, you know what I mean.
3. My feet  wiggle around to get some room between the dog who lies on the foot end of the bed and the hubby whose feet lie in the same area. If I'm lucky, I can keep my feet, which are usually icy cold, next to his feet/legs, which are usually warm as toast. 
4. My throat starts to feel a bit dry, so I have to get up for some Halls.
5. Steps 1 - 3
6. The Halls give me heartburn, so I have to get up for some Gaviscon.
7. Steps 1 - 3.
8. The Gaviscon takes away the soothing of the Halls and I start with my hacking cough. I have to get up for some Buckleys, which tastes like crap but usually works.
9. Steps 1 - 3
10. I finally settle into my pillow, manage to get my feet on somebody's warm legs, and ...... hubby wakes up. He wants to know why I'm so late going to bed (by now it's after midnight) and I have to persuade him I just got up to use the washroom and actually went to bed at 10 o'clock. He never believes that, but just turns out and drops off, serenading me with those just-dropping-off snores for half and hour. 
11. My eyes, which were drooping with sleep a mere 20 minutes ago, are now popped wide open, and my mind is dashing madly around everything I did/saw/said/watched over the past week. 
12. I finally drop off, around an hour before his alarm goes off at 5 am. Shortly after the alarm goes off, the light comes on. That is just in case the alarm doesn't wake me, of course. I do manage to drop back into dreamland when he leaves for work, however ......
13. He will shut the door when he leaves the bedroom. No matter how many times I tell him to leave that door open, he will shut it. So ...

The furnace cuts in, turning our small bedroom into a hot box in about 10 minutes. The fountain of sweat sprinkling off my brow wakes up the cat, who starts scratching at that damn door, as he's not smrt enough to open it himself. When I roll out to open the door, the dog thinks it's time for him to go pee. Even in this so-called spring, it's not very warm outdoors at 5:30 in the morning, and Teddy won't do what he needs to do without turning around every 20 seconds to make sure I'm there shivering in the rain/wind/snow/hail, whatever, waiting for him. So by the time we go back indoors, and it's back to Step 1, the sheets have lost their warmth, Howard's hot legs are at work, and my body is screaming for coffee.
Rats. I know it's bedtime now, as my eyes are starting to blink and I'm yawning like mad. However, I'm wondering .... is it really worth it?

How Come There's No Such Thing as Sitting in Babysitting?

There's nothing that makes you feel your age more than looking after a 2 year old, unless of course it's the bathroom mirror first thing in the morning. This particular 2 year old, though he still pees in his pants, can go on his mother's iPad and play jigsaw games with great skill ... the only things he would rather do than that, is anything that causes his old granny to run screaming towards him shouting NO!
Well, it's not all bad. He's full of hugs and kisses, and has the cutest habit (which I'm trying to break him off) of running up and hugging you from the back. Which is an unfortunate position for him, seeing as how he's pretty short.
Today was a babysitting day, for him and his brother and sister who are home on spring break. I have no idea how I kept my own little boys happy, as we had no electronics or Netflix in the ancient days. I guess this is why they did fun things like copying ice pans and zooming down hills on their bikes, things that their mother swore they would never do because they were such good boys. They still are.
Babysitting entails much more than sitting with a baby, in case you've never had the pleasure. You have to sit them on the potty, and listen to them scream for approximately 14 seconds, then whap a dry Pamper on their butt. While they're supposedly watching Paw Patrol, you have to take a few minutes to wash dishes, knowing you'll only have about 2 of these minutes to speed wash as much as you can before a chair comes zooming towards the sink with an enthusiastic 'helper' behind it. Which would be fine if it were a bigger sibling with the ability to do a half decent job, and not a toddler who loves to grab onto the hot water tap with one hand and grab the sharpest knife in the drain tray with his left. This ambidextrous stuff isn't always to one's advantage.
You have to make lunch. One will eat lots (the 10 year old on a growth spurt, for example), one will nibble like a hamster (the 9 year old who thinks everything is yucky), and one will grab a bite here and there between his travels between the living room, the patio, and the table (the 2 year old who thinks all food comes on a Grab and Go basis.) He's not allowed on the patio, but he can travel pretty fast, and he's real sneaky about opening that glass door and zooming off as fast as he can.
And of course there's his bae. No, not what the Hollywood girlies have - his bae has two wheels, a seat, and no pedals.. His grandfather bought him a balance bike, and by the way he careens around the house on that, he would have no problem travelling 20 km with Breehy and me.
One good thing, no matter how tired or sleepy you are, having a front wheel ram into the back of your legs at 10 miles per hour sure wakes you up.
So now it's time for Nanny to go sleepy-bye. I do believe baby's still going strong upstairs - he was playing drums for Steve and Richard's jam session last time I went upstairs.

From Home Depot to My Dog's Butt ... if anyone finds my life, please return it ....

Today I asked Howard to go to Home Depot. Weird, I know. I have spent more time in Home Depot in the last three months than I have in any store, even Walmart on Pension Day. Usually I'm the one pacing up and down the front aisle where they keep the home improvement magazines, sale items  and candy bars while he spends hours walking up and down the power tool aisle or the 2' x 4' aisles ... any aisle that has absolutely no power over me ...   however, when he finally has the packet of screws he came in for in his hand, he asks me if I'M ready. Right.
But today, in keeping with our home improvements, I wanted to get a piece of white stuff so he could build me a cool desk in our TV room nook. Because I think it would be easier for me to come up with ideas for this blog if I were sitting at a nice compact desk instead of a little patio table that might just be a tad too high, causing reddened welts on the downside of my arms.
I did do something new today, though. Two somethings new, actually.
I made mushroom soup, although I haven't tasted it yet. It looks like mushroom soup, I only hope it tastes like the best mushroom soup I ever had, and not the worst. The worst was in Scotland when we there 20 years ago celebrating my mom's 74th birthday, and I had to let about 18 years pass by before I got the nerve to try that particular kind of soup again, at a quaint little cafe in Sydney a few years ago. That's when I realized that the mushroom soup I had in Scotland was basically just the dishwater they washed the pot in.
The second new thing I did- after supper, thank goodness -  involved cleaning Teddy's butt. The little bugger sneaks upstairs and steals the cat food, causing him to have .... let's just call it, loose bowel movements. Let's just say today was particularly bad, and Howard warned me not to let him in our bedroom tonight, so I had no choice. I do need that nice warm body curled up at my cold feet at night, especially since Howard doesn't really enjoy my planting them on his shins. So it was in the shower for my little white dog, and as usual the hand-held spray ended up soaking me as well as him. But now he has a squeaky clean bum, and all is good.
Except, of course, for the dandelion shortage.

Third Monday in a Row - It Must Be Wednesday

I think I've finally got the days of the week down pat. I hauled in the garbage bins this morning, so I know it's Wednesday. However, I'll have to keep checking the calendar until Saturday - I'll know when it's Saturday because hubby won't be waking up at the ungodly hour of 5am to go to work.
Don't get me wrong. He'll still be waking up, just not to go to work. And unfortunately he'll probably wake me up too. I'm not at my best at 5 am, let me tell you.
I never was an early riser. In fact that was probably one of the only things that my peers and I had in common as teenagers - getting up to go to school was really tough. When I graduated, I went to university, where I didn't have a mom to haul my lazy butt out of  bed, but if I remember correctly, I didn't miss too many morning classes. Unless these were the ones for the administration course that I flunked. I don't think I ever told anyone I flunked a university course. However, I'm still broadcasting the A+ I got on an English paper. Oh well.
After university, I went teaching. Again I had early morning rises, and this time I couldn't be late, because there would be a whack of grade 5 Energizer Bunnies in a teacherless classroom. This was in Eastport, Newfoundland, where I spent some serious time in front of the chalkboard spinning yarns about an overly obese uncle with a tiny car, yarns I illustrated along the way on that chalkboard. Seeing the Principal's face stuck in the door window, however, really cramped my style, so history it was.
I taught for 23 years, but the stories kinda ended that first year. Thanks a lot, Mr Principal, sir.
When we moved to BC, I started working in retail, so that would have halfway ended my early morning rises, at least days when I started in the afternoon, except I had still had kids that had to be called for school. And by the time they  grew up and didn't need a mom to call them, I was spending more time opening the store than not. It didn't get really bad though, until we moved an hour and a half away from the store where I worked, and on opening days I had to get up at the ungodly hour of .... you got it ... 5am.
Sometimes you have to deal with vicious circles, don't you?
So .... let me see. If today is Wednesday, then tomorrow is Thursday and the next day is Friday. Two more sleep-in mornings until 5am Saturday.
Yawn.

A Tuesday in the Life of Me ... anyone want movie rights?

It's really hard to write about your day when you haven't done much, so now I have to make sure I do something so I have something to write about. Sort of sucks when you think about it. Gone are the days of lazing around in my big old chair playing word games on my iPad and watching the news channel, and dreaming up stuff to tell hubby I did that he wouldn't notice if I did  or not.
So today, for your reading benefit, I:

• cleaned the guinea pig's cage. Lola (or as William refers to her, Dog) is a rescue, so I don't know how old she is. Therefore I don't know how long I'll be cleaning out her cage. It's huge, but she seems to like it. However, it would be nicer if she was a more consistent user of her bathroom. (Yes, she has a bathroom. But she doesn't have a kitchen. I do. We were sitting in the TV room a couple of months ago, and I said to Hubby - I sure wish I had my own kitchen. So he got up and made me one. Really. I must be a terrific wife. However, I digress ....)
• rearranged the TV room. Moved the TV, brought my Stephen King bookcase through from edge of my new kitchen and replaced all my SK books in chronological order. That took quite some time. And I realize I'm missing one of the most important ones of all - The Gunslinger, the first book in the Dark Tower series. If I happened to loan it to any one of you, please bring it back RIGHT NOW.
• found a bruise on my arm that's exactly the same colour as the bruise left by an unsuccessful attempt at an IV on my wrist from a week ago, so I assume this arm bruise was made the same day. I wonder what they did to me when I was on that colonoscopy table. I do remember waking up several times whimpering in pain, probably when they were near my sore side parts, but before I could say anything they had me knocked out again. So I think this must be a thumb print. Maybe I was going to attack the person that was attacking me with a 5' hose, who knows.
• finished the licorice All Sorts Steve and Nikkie gave me for Christmas. Thank goodness. Now I don't want to see another black and pink candy until next December.

I did walk around a bit looking for a dandelion, but once again was not successful, although I did see what I think was a woodpecker pecking in the grass in the back yard. It flew into our huge back yard tree and started walking up the trunk, so I guess that what it was. Maybe that's a sign the dandelions are on their way back. One can only hope.

They Call This Spring .... ?

For those of you who don't know it, this was the first day of Spring. You just got to love these warmer, tee shirt kind of days, when you can romp through a field of dandelions under a sunny blue sky, avoiding the presents flying down from the robins and eagles and hummingbirds, and basically just soaking up that Vitamin D and pollen.
Well. That didn't happen this year. I know my poor East Coast people were once again given the gift of Spring Snow. I don't know if March snow is good for anything - at least if it came in May it would be good for freckles. So they say. Whether its good for increasing or decreasing freckles, I have no idea. But I think if you get snow on the first day of Spring, it should be good for something.
Don't be too jealous of us here on the West Coast, though. It may have looked like spring at a quick glance through a dusty window, but one step outside at 7 in the morning wearing a nightshirt so the dog can go poop can certainly take your breath away. As can the sight of me bending over picking up dog refuse, if you happen to be a neighbour up that ungodly time looking out the window.
There's not even one measly little dandelion following the sun in my yard, although the rhubarb, I must say, has finally popped out a little green, and my honeysuckle is sprouting leaves like its going out of style. So I'm not giving up hope.
It's just that .... all this is supposed to be happening in February. I was supposed to be posting pictures of daffodils and cherry blossoms in February, damn it. (Sorry.)
I'm not complaining. (Yes, I am.) Some day I will wake up and my winter allergies will have given away to my spring allergies, and all will be well. Well, except for my runny nose and sneezing, all will be well.

I'm Baaaaaack .... sort of, maybe. We'll see.

After many months (years?) of not blogging, nor writing, nor doing much except crossword puzzles and watching the news channel, I'm going to jump feet first into my pool of words and see what bounces up.
My life has changed. One doesn't expect, or even want, that to happen when one is old, and getting older every day, but I suppose it happens, regardless. It started when hubby got sick, and spent a whole summer and part of the autumn in and out of hospital, and I spent that same time wondering if he was ever going to get better. That changes one.
Even if I had been blogging every day, I would have stopped then. My life consisted of him - either worrying about some grim news from the doctor, or hearing his comments regarding the yellow Jello or the nutritionist who kept hounding him to eat.
That changes one.
However, he fought through the septicemia, the infections, the surgery, the pancreas attack that had his life hanging in the balance, and finally, on a cool November day, he came home for the final time. Then it was building his strength and stamina back, and it wasn't until the following July we realized he was almost as good as new. New for a 64 year old, anyway.
That changes one.
And now, over a year later?
I'm not sure if I'm going to find stuff to write about.
He's been sober for going on 2 years, and though being a drinker isn't anything to laugh about, I'm not sure if he's my perfect muse any more. I'd rather have him sober, though. After more than 40 years of marriage, he now laughs at my jokes.
The store where I worked turned into a pile of rubble when the developer brought in the rubble makers, so I won't have any stories about needy customers or crappy lunches or horrible commutes.
Poor old Breehy is locked up underneath the porch, and I'm not sure if she'll ever see the light of day again. I promise her I will try. But as I foretold when Howard got out of hospital - you had your turn being sick, now it's mine.
I don't even know for sure if I am sick, I've had all sorts of horrible tests and nothing shows up, but I have this persistent and growing worse pain in my lower right side. It's been my constant companion ever since it started as a tiny ache last August. Now it's spread, and I don't like it. I've had a Pelvic Ultrasound, which is truly horrid, and I've had a CT Scan, which is not so bad, however since nothing showed up on these, the kind doctor sent me for a Col .... nope, that's not getting caps ... colonoscopy. That was two days of pure misery, let me tell you. I just did. Two days. But everything looked fine. And very very clean.
So, next is a gynecologist. I try to be hopeful that someone, sometime, somewhere, will tell me what's wrong so I can get the pills and get better.

If you've managed to get through this, I promise I will try to do better in future posts. I miss 'seeing' you smile! I've always prided myself in finding something to write about even when there's nothing to write about .... we'll see.