Happy Birthday to my Sweetie!!

Today is Dave's birthday.  Don't tell anyone but he's 65!!!!!!!!!! He can start getting his pension in January!! That's what happens when you marry someone older than yourself!! Hahaha!!



Awwww--Dave's about 3 months old here!!



He's a creative and inventive kind of a guy!!



He's handy around the kitchen too!!





He loves Duffy and Duffy loves him!!



Hey, save your smooches for me!!!!!!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVEY!!!
XXXXOOOO

Our Last Snow Storm of 2010?

Well we can only hope!! That 2 inches that fell Tuesday night was nothing compared to what Wednesday had in store for us!! It started snowing and blowing in the wee hours of the morning and kept up all day and into the night. I shovelled out the front and the back up to the gate Wednesday and did the back 2 more times that day.  Thursday I spent 3 1/2 hours outside shovelling and using the snow blower for the driveway and the drifted in city sidewalk.  What fun!!




Wednesday morning

Thursday morning

The beginning of an over hanging snow drift

What it looked like 24 hours later

BBQ anyone?

Even blowing snow can produce art!!

Hmmm, have I got some major packing down of the snow to do!!

Is that a chiffon cake????

Christmas Party

The Christmas party for Unit 7Y (where my dad resides) was on Tuesday evening.  It was great to have Christmas parties again as we didn't last year due to that phoney baloney H1N1 so-called pandemic. And no I won't start a rant on all the stupid people getting their flu shots as usual!!!

As I still don't have my truck, I had to bus it to the EG (and it's a 2 bus each way trip!!).  It started to snow as I left the house with my containers of Christmas cookies that I baked earlier in the day. And by the time I was waiting for the 2nd bus downtown, it was really coming down and blowing as well.

My dad was happy to see me and was having one of those rare days where he doesn't say stupid things and he acts like he does have a brain!! And no, he doesn't have any dementias--he's always been like this!  There was entertainment from 2 oldtimers--one sang and played the accordian and the other played the mandolin. There were lots of goodies to eat and many family members in attendance sharing the party with the residents. The highlight was a visit from Santa Claus--every resident has their picture taken with him!! Cutbacks had kicked in--instead of little gifts being given to each resident, as in the past, they got a candy cane!! Whoo Hoo!!  Santa came up to the unit after the party, which was really nice for the residents who are bedridden, or couldn't go down to the auditorium.

Here's Santa!!!






The evening's entertainers with one of the chaplains--turns out she has the most beautiful voice and sang several carols for us.

I missed my mother being there--she loved music and would have enjoyed the evening. And she would have loved eating my cookies--even when she didn't want any other food, she always ate my baking.



It had stopped snowing by the time my 1st bus came for the homeward trip, but I was wearing shoes and not boots, and all that cold snow got in my shoes--brr!! I shovelled the walks when I got home--I shouldn't have bothered as the real blizzard blew up in the early hours of Wednesday morning and it snowed and the winds howled and piled up drifts all day and into the evening.  More pictures of that to follow!!

December 12

Lots of birthdays today!!!Here is a sampling of them: Jennifer Connelly (turns 40); Kirk Cameron; Cathy Rigby (my age!); Mike Pinder (Moody Blues); Connie Francis; Mayim Balik; Bob Barker; Frank Sinatra; Steve Podborski (Canada's first World Cup Downhill Ski Champion); Dionne Warwick (turns 70--can you believe it?).  Lots of actresses, actors, singers, and sport figures born on December. Oh, and someone else--who can that be??? Hahahaha!!

It's a snowy birthday this year.  Last year Edmonton broke all record temps for the coldest day and was the coldest place in the world!!! But the sun was shining--I prefer cold temps and sunshine over warmer temps and snow, any old time!

I am just going to relax today--well sort of.  It's been a difficult couple of weeks.  One of Dave's very good friends (and mine as well, to a lesser degree) died suddenly 3 weeks ago (blocked artery aggravated by several epileptic seizures); another friend had to be flown from BC to Calgary and was near death.  They performed a gall bladder operation, but he has cancer of the colon. And one of my aunts-in-law had to be rushed to hospital in Penticton. Something has been going on with my dad this week--Tuesday he fell off his bed, has bruises and probably bruised ribs, and he was very confused. I was very worried that it was another TIA and to be having one so close to the last one, would not be a good sign.  However, it could also be a UTI--I sure hope so.  We're waiting for all the test results. UTI's in the elderly usually present with symptoms of confusion, making the person appear like they have a dementia. My dad has never drank enough liquids in his whole life, so it's extra hard to get him to have water or juice.

Dianna, Kay, and Edith

We had our Second Wind Dreams 50-50 fund raising sale this past week, for 3 days.  We made a little over $200.  But between manning the table and running up to check on my dad, and having to take buses there and back, it was hectic. But we have a new recruit!! Her name is Dianna, she's a friend of Kay's, so we have another Greek with us!  She was fantastic at drumming up sales and the 1 day she wasn't there our sales were way down!!The rest of us are on the shy side!!

In terms of dreams, I took Homaira to Marvel to have her hair and nails done and to have a facial; there are several presents of clothes to deliver to residents; might be able to get 2 residents to the Winspear next Sunday for an Edmonton Symphony Christmas concert; there will be a gift basket delivered; and boxes of oranges for the units.  This is all before Christmas!! I have 2 meetings on Monday and 2 Christmas parties on Tuesday!! Whew!! And I put up the Christmas decorations and little tree yesterday--with Duffy's help.  He was in Olds last year, so the ornaments and garlands, etc. were all so interesting for him!! And this is his 3rd Christmas--already!!

Homaira and Amy the hairstylist. Homaira is one of the younger residents--she has 2 daughters-6 and 10.

Eliza doing the facial and another student putting on the nail polish



Vanessa, the instructor in esthetics, Homaira, and Eliza after everything was done. Homaira was tired and happy to get back to the EG after all that pampering!



So back to today.  I was going to go downtown, maybe see a movie and try some shopping.  But it's blowing and snowing, so I don't really feel so much like it now. I am still trying to shake this cold I picked up--must be those Southern Alberta germs--I'm not used to them!!! I might just go to 7-11, get a paper, and stay home!! It's just pretty great to have my Duffy for company too. Oh, and if you are wondering where Dave is--well he's in Olds!! He was hoping the truck would be all ready and he could bring it back to me today.  But the hood painting and curing is taking a little longer ( being done by an autobody painter), so both husband and truck are delayed.  I wouldn't want them to be on the snowy highway anyway!

Duffy's Christmas portrait!!

Happy Birthday to all the other December 12th birthday people out there!! We rock!!!

So true!!

I LOVE my messenger bag!!!