He's Home

Dad came home today. Cranky as usual - so he must be feeling better HAHA. I have to say, the nurses at the hospital were amazing. I have a new respect for nurses. Those ladies/men worked 12 hours and had a smile for each of us every time they came in dads room. He had a 5 valve bypass on Friday and right from the start Pam, the nurse, talked to us and to him. She would talk to dad even when he was unconsious and tell him what she was doing to him. She took care of dad 3 days in ICU and then we moved to another floor where Afton, the nurse, gave us just as much pleasure with her pleasant smile. The doctor, even with hairy ears, was amazing, explaining everything to us, including the whole open heart operation procedure. Of course, I had to go sit down so I wouldn't faint.I do have a weak stomach. We met lots of wonderful people in the waiting room going through the same thing as our family. Each family sitting waiting until we were allowed to enter the room 2 at a time, just for that 5 minute visit to say "we are here" or "good night". What a relief when I was out today, during our lunch break (visiting hours stoped from 1 - 3:30) I took mom to Sears Bargin Basement for a look around (got a dress for my friends wedding) and we got the call telling us dad had been discharged. We rushed home grabbed his close and went to the hospital. It only took 2 hours to get everything organized and discharged. I am happy not to have to put anti-germ hand cream on my hands.

ALIVE

This is a sad but great blog. My father took a heart attach this week.My partner in crime B and myself hoped on a plane and headed out to assess the situation. My brother and his wife did the same. My father needed a 5 valve replacement bypass. The doctors are in awe that this man is still alive. We are very greatful to God that this man is alive. It was the hardest thing to walk into ICU yesterday and see him lying in a bed so hopeless. This man that has been the rock of our family for 70 years was now lying in bed with so many tubes and iv's hanging out of him. Well, let me tell you, we just got back from our Good Night visit and he is 1000% improved from yesterday. It is a wonderful day today. Yesterday was the scarest day of our lives and today is one of the best. We made the family decision that our 2 other sisters will come out during the next few weeks and to spend time with mom and dad when dad gets back. I know that is hard for them not to be here but because we all live so far away from our parents we have to come in shifts. It does not matter that we have to sit all day just so we can go in and see dad for a 5 minutes. He is back to himself today as he is bord. Just gave him a new book and his flashlight. He needed the light so he can see the clock during the night.

Sunshine and Lunch

Just got back from lunch with my partner in crime B. She was out my way on business and dropped in and we went for salad. I miss lunch with B. We worked in the same office tower for years and went to lunch every day with each other. Now it is only once every "blue moon" that we get to eat lunch together.

The sun is shining out there today. The humitity has been so bad the last few days. 24 deg but if feels like 31. My husband had to take 3 showers yesterday. Hard enought to get him to take 1 a day let along 3. He is of for 2 more weeks of vacation. He has a long list of things to do around the house but put all those aside so he could finish my craft room. That man can be funny. Not sure why he is putting of the things that need to be done but he is. He enjoys manual labour so much. At least someone in our house does LOL.

The vacation is over but we have funny memories

Our vacation may be over but we have some funny stories to share with our friends. Like the guy who was hitchhiking one way but walking the other way. He didn't look like the "sharpest tool in the shed".

We had finally left my husbands family and were heading back to my friends house for a few days. We were a little tired and found the 3 hour drive very long. We decided to stop to stretch our legs and have a washroom break. I told my husband there was a large gas station/restaurant just ahead. We come to an over pass and he says "up this way" I say no but of course he didn't listen and turned of. I am looking at him with my usual "where are we going now" look. He sees me and says that I am the one who should have told him. Lets back track here, my mother has a habit of pointing to where she wants dad to turn even if he has been to that place 1 thousand times. Well I do the same thing. I always point. I am trying to stop it because it annoys my husband when he is driving. Well I didn't do it the other day and look where it got us - on the wrong highway. So we backtrack (which takes a while because there was no easy exit back to our highway) We get on the highway and pull into the gas station. We all get out and walk around. Times are sure good - we all get slushies. We feel refreshed until my husband realizes that he has left his sunglasses on the slushie machine. I run in and grab them and run out just to discover that some lady has opened her car door and we can't get of the parking lot. We stear, glear and finally she realizes we are there and closes the door. Seems to be a habit in the parking lot because as we were pulling in some lady was doing the same thing, only to discover she was changing a diaper (ha). Anyway, we start to leave the parking lot and there are 2 travel trailers pulling car's in front of us. So my husband decides to out run the trailers, spins around and takes of across the parking lot to another exit. He is so proud of himself, he sees me laughing uncontrolable, figuring that I am laughing at his smart move. Then he realizes why I am laughing -- WE ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY, back towards where we just came from. He wasn't impressed, we had to go up around an overpass and back down the way we were lost the first time. As we go under the overpass, the 2 travel trailers are going overhead. I say "you outrun them all right if you were going back the highway we just came from" He growled.

We get to our friends house, finally, after stopping to watch some boats go down a river rapid, and watched some men salmon fishing. I have to say Newfoundland & Labrador must be the most beautiful province. So much natural beauty. We decide to take the kids back to their swimming hole they have found. Our husbands decide to go in. Not a good idea. The kids didn't mind the cold water but the men almost died. I thought we would have to call for a medic at one point when my husband was getting in. I sat and took some pics. It was to funny. My husband actually went down some rapids and got stuck. He was holding a rock for dear life hoping not to be swept into the sea. We thought he was joking at first but no, he was stuck. One of the girls walked out to him and helped him get safely to calm waters. Why is it that men have to be courious and explore dangerous waters.

We left our friends house at 4am to drive to the ferry. We see one moose on the way, everyone is very excited about that. We get to the ferry terminal just to find out it is delayed by 5 1/2 hours. Then the terminal made the misteak of offering free meal vouchers to each person. My husband never moved so fast in his life. His little legs ran across the parking lot. He came back with one for each of us. We had just had coffee and muffins so we decide to wait a little longer before going in to eat. At around 9:30 we went in and the girls were planning to have small breakfast each but my husband wouldn't hear of this. Everyone had to order a big breakfast cause it is free. We all order and then one of the girls asked if she could get a muffing. The lady at the counter made another big misteak, she said we could have what ever we wanted because it was free. Well by the time we left the cash registrar the lady had to give my husband a plastic bag to put all his cookies, muffins and yogarts in. Never tell my husband it is a free. That man loves to eat. Of course while we are waiting for our breakfast my husband made tea and threw the milk and sugar containers in the garbage along with OUR FOOD ORDER NUMBER. I told him not to worry about it as they would remember us and our order when time came to pick it up and I had also noted that when they sung out a order number they didn't take the slip of paper with the number from the customer. Well this wasn't good enough for him, he went to the garbage and had a look inside. The girls and myself told him to stay away from the garbage as we would be embarrassed if he dug into it. But no, he kept walking over and looking inside. At one point he saw the number and reached in to get it, pulled it out and it was the wrong slip. Leave it to him. Our number finally got called and he got our meals and all was good. We finally borded the ferry and got home safe and sound without any more incidents.

Home made bread and a fire

We are coming to a close to our summer vacation. As of right now the visit to this island may be extended by hours or days - not sure. Our ferry caught fire a few nights ago so the ferry service has been delayed. They have put extra boats on and have scheduled extra crossings to get the backlog cleared up. I have been calling for updates as to our schedule. So far nothing so in 10 minutes time I shall wake the troups (at 3am) and head out for a 2 1/2 hour drive to the boat. It really does not matter because I am more than willing to stay here and eat home made bread. This island is crazy. Everyone sells home made bread. We have been eating so much of it that I think I have gained 10 pounds. My husband sure has. The girls have been eating it for breakfast, lunch, snacks (many of them). IT IS SO GOOD and some times you luck in to walking into the the store and it is fresh out of the oven. Sure who could resist a full loaf of bread at 4 in the afternoon. Talk about ruining your supper. Oh who cares, we will eat our supper at 9 pm instead.YES WE DID. No wonder we are rolling home. Sure who needs a boat when we have both grown personal floation devices on the front of our bodies.

Yesterday all the kids (6 of them) and our husbands took the girls fishing of a wharf for cod fish. D and myself decided to stay home and just do some laundry and drink tea. As soon as the van pulled out of the driveway we rushed to the washrooms and hauled out the hairspray and makeup. Of to town we went. Ok so the town only consist of 20,000 people but you take what you can get. Actually they have all major stores (Walmart). We hop into the car and the radio is really loud. Instead of turning it down we put down the windows down and let SUMMERTIME by Kid Rock scream out our windows. We bob our heads like 2 teenagers. Everyone is looking at us like we are cool (sure). Why do we grow up. We were once cool people who listened to loud music in our cars, screamed when we drove by cute guys and even better if a car of cute boys went by us we would scream. When did that start to grow up. Summertime sure is good

Vacation

We left our home 9:15am yesterday and got to our destination at 5:03 this am. Long haul but sure worth it when my bestest newfoundland buddy was waiting for us with homemade bread and tea for all. This lady and her family use to be our neighbours but moved to Newfoundland last July. Was sure a hard day when she left. Sure was a good day when we embrased this a.m. Of course, me being a softie, had a little tear. We were suppose to arrive at 2 this morning but there were delays and rough seas so our trip got delayed. D and her daughters were flashing lights as we came into their community so that we could see their house. We always called their house THE BOAT because it use to be a boat and was converted into a house but after this morning I call it THE LIGHTHOUSE. I still wonder if M's fingers are tired from flashing that light constantly for 5 minutes.

A funny thing happened on the boat last night. We borded and found some seats for us all. Daughter #1 goes to the washroom to brush her teeth. Daughter #2 and #3 wanted to explore the ship but #1 wanted them to wait for her. #2 & #3 were frustrated that they had to wait. My husband said that he shouldn't have told her she had bad breath. #2 says "#1 yawned and she almost threw up". The youngest daughter #3 came into the conversation and said "bread sticks, who said something about bread sticks" We all look at her like she is nuts and say "BAD BREATHE not BREAD STICKS". I see we are of to a great vacation.

Recycle

At our house we are big recyclers. We have our own compost, we seperate bottles from cans, we have a city recycle/compost box we use. It is a big production. We even have a bucket for bones/meat and one for food/veggie scraps. I have even started recycling bottles at work. I usually get about $3 a month for these recycles. Not much but I give the money to my daughter to put towards things. I keep the bag behind my door in my office (out of site). Our staff know where it is and put their bottles there. Well, last night the new cleaner took my bottles. I was so upset this morning to come in and see the garbage bag left there with all the bottles gone. Everyone here takes such pride in putting the bottles in the bag for E. What a big let down. I called the cleaning company and asked them to tell the guy that he is only suppose to pick up garbage not recyclables.

Speaking of recyclables, when my daughter was about 8 she and her friend decided to raise money for the local childrens hospital. They talked about lemonade stands but we convinced her that when it gets -32 here she wouldn't be selling much. They talked about bake tables, etc. Finally they decided to collect recyclables. Well, of they went with their little fisher price wagon around our neighbourhood. Back they came with a full load and they had only been to 5 houses. So my husband and the friends father decided they would take the truck and follow the girls. It was unreal how people responded to 8 year old girls raising money for such a wonder cause. Each Saturday or Sunday all four of them would get ready and hit the streets of our little town. They would come back and unload the bottles in the back yard and all of us (parents included) would seperate the bottles by price (5 cent for pop/juice bottles, 10 cent for beer bottles) We would spend the good portion of a day. This went on for approx 2 months. Finally the big day came to empty the can and see what the girls had raised. Between recycables and donations the girls had $1,000. We called the hospital and they told us that the childrens hospital telethon was coming up and that the girls were welcome to come on TV live and give their donation. The hospital/telethon gave them each a large cheque as a token of what they had done. Every now and then we find that cheque and talk about what a wonderful thing those girls had done.