Parent Teacher Interview tonight

The one warm day this week we spent indoors tiling the hallways. Well, it was warm by Saskatchewan standards - five degrees above zero celcius. Bob is still hard at it finishing the finicky bits in the closets and then he will be ready to grout it all. It looks absolutely beautiful and I will post photos of the finished product next week. Last night Dylan went down to the arena to watch his buddies play hockey. They won and he came home with very red cheeks. The temperatures have slipped down to around minus fifteen with nasty strong winds, but he doesn't seem to mind. I mind! I'm back to driving the block to mom's though I try to do a downtown shopping and mail run to justify it. Milkshake thinks he wants to go out then turns right around and comes back in when he hits the cold air. Bob takes him for a run every morning early down along railway avenue when he absolutely needs to get out.

Remembrance Day at Kerrobert Legion

Would that be the Bow River in Calgary? At the end of October on my way back from Mexico I met up with my long time buddies Alicia from Vancouver and Annabelle who was in town from Scotland visiting her daughter and grandson.

Remembrance Day:
It was a nice ceremony with a special presentation by Bobbi Hebron via computer projected slide show/movie clip with the music 'A Pittance of Time' by Terry Kelly.

Marj continues to improve slowly and manages to wash herself and heat meals in the microwave. She tried sleeping in her bed with the new SaskAbilities pole but found it too painful, so hopefully that step will come in the near future. Meanwhile the automated chair works very well for her though she spends about 23 hours a day in it so gets rather stiff. Some days she has meals from three sources but I fear that one day I will assume she is covered when the fridge might be bare. I try to keep easy to heat meals there for her and the K-40s had their stew supper for seniors and Pete and Bertha brought her enough for four meals-she froze some.

Our living room is slowly taking shape with laminate flooring looking quite spiffy covering about two thirds of it. Now we have to stop and put the ceramic tile on the fireplace hearth. Its only been about four or is it five years since we bought the gas fireplace, but since its worked fine just sitting on plywood that is how it has stayed.

A blustery day in Saskatchewan

This is not a day to brag about -tones of black, white and gray with snow falling, but complaining never changes the weather. Am sitting in my mom's toasty warm house with muffins in the oven emanating heartwarming smells, coffee at hand and The View on the teley.

My living room is crying for attention-the floor still ripped up from September, but at least the walls have been painted a warm ginger jar and look great though I'm going to miss my bright Mexican sponge-painted space. Its hard to find the time and energy to get that flooring in place though its stacked in the dining area and needs putting down badly. No more excuses-its time.

It didn't take long to get involved in community projects. Communities in Bloom meeting to decorate the new flower containers around town with a Christmas theme was postponed, however, the last two evenings have been devoted to meetings concerning fundraising for the new district hospital and longterm care facility to be built here in town. Next week will be devoted to canvassing and I foolishly offered to drive around our rural Avoca district-what was I thinking?

Mom continues in good spirits despite having to sleep in a chair and not being able to eat soup with her left hand. She is quite an amazing inspiration when I get the notion to complain. She still takes pleasure in her mail order surprises-mainly books for gifts and lotions and potions to stave off winter dryness.

Travel now is contained to a few blocks down to the post office, drugstore, grocery store and often to Audrey's cafe for coffee and a chat. Hope you are all enjoying life. Drop me a line.

What to believe

Striking teachers:
News from Oaxaca isn't as frightening as the fact that our government has issued warnings against travelling there. Why don't we have travel warnings about Edmonton where there were multiple murders this past weekend? If someone was murdered in Kerrobert would you advise your family and friends not to go there? The fact is that this media scare has decimated the economy of an already very poor state in Mexico where the people who depend almost entirely on tourism, couldn't be more kind and friendly - at least that was my experience and continues to be Sally's experience as she continues to live there. My friend Sheril Barker met me at the Salt Lake City airport and wisked me away for supper and a nice visit.

I made it back to Canada late Thursday October 26 and the weather wasn't very welcoming, but family and friends made up for it with their warmth and hospitality. It was great to spend a couple of nights with Bill and Dianna and to see Renessa and Wiley's new house in Airdrie. On Saturday morning I met Alicia at the airport and we taxied down to the Radisson hotel in Calgary where we met Annabelle here from Scotland visiting daughter Shauna and grandson Matthew. After a wonderful brisk walk along the riverbank, lunch at our favourite Vietnamese restaurant and shopping at Manana's where I bought a lovely wool sweater in warm coloured stripes and wooly socks, we had a great home cooked meal at Annabelle's sister Doreen's where two other sisters were gathered - Isabel and Marlene-a Rolheiser reunion. Sunday morning I enjoyed an early breakfast buffet before heading for the airport and Saskatoon where I was met by my sister Cathy. She had lots to tell me about mom's accident and condition and care but had made detailed notes for me. I drove Marj's car back home and Dylan was nowhere in sight until a couple of hours later he returned from the arena. He's been enjoying having mom make meals and snacks though he is quite capable of looking after himself and dad too. Mom continues to improve and do a bit more for herself each day. She insisted she could stay overnight alone, but I figured I could put in a shift or two then too. Clem stayed Sunday night and Adam stayed over Monday night, so last night was my first overnight with her. I'm being a wimp about the cold and snow and using mom's car for running back and forth even the short block - my wee foot problem is my excuse.