Day 545 - Migraine.

Not much to report. Got a migraine. It sucked. Went back to bed. Slept all day. Now I'll try to sleep tonight.


Lights out...
xxxxMaria

Sis likes to hang out the window when Jaco drives.

Day 424 - Sleep

And that's about all I did today! Maybe I ate a little, unpacked a little... That's about it! I LOVE days like this!

xxxx MVO&A

Day 418 - Post Grad Night

Today the Home Care Nurse came & flushed the line & changed the stat lock & dressing. Looks like I'm going to have to change the dressing daily while I'm in California. I'm glad I'm on antibiotics (NEVER thought I'd say that!) while I'm away. It will help get rid of any would-be bugs while I'm gone.

I had a different Nurse today. I wasn't too impressed. She REEKED like cigarette smoke. She must've just butted out before she walked through the door. Come on. You're a NURSE! Health=Nurse=No Smoking! Oceana apparently doesn't like smoke. She growled like the dickens at the poor gal! I thought it was kinda funny! I said, 'Sorry, she doesn't like smoke.' To which the Nurse replied, 'Well, aren't you the fat puppy!?' indicating Valentina. Okay. Guess we're even now!

I packed up 2 small suitcases for California & got the dogs ready for Mom2's. I drove in late afternoon & Mom2 & I went to the PB Post Grad meeting. Basically they give us a few days to process & apply what we've learned & then we get to meet up & clarify any of the tools we learned & share our experiences. It was great fun to see everyone again! I'm sad I'll miss the next one, as I'll be in Cuba.

Mom2 wore the Angelina wig & I wore the Rihanna wig. It was fun to see people's reactions. It was so stinkin' cold tonight. I can't wait to leave for California, even if it is Northern California! We got home shortly after 10 & I think it was near 2300 by the time I finished arranging the suitcases & went to bed. What a short night. I had to be up by 0245 to leave in time for the airport. Why do I do this to myself!? And Mom2? She was going to drive me.

I'm so excited for this trip! Not only is it my first time out of the country in 6 months, but I'm going to ask for a miracle! I'm so excited for what will happen! Wish me luck for tomorrow I fly!

xxxx Maria, Valentina, Oceana

Sorry - no pictures - I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off! Soon!

Day 403 - Round 10. Only 2 left! Amen!!!

Thank goodness I had a decent night's sleep! Finally! Mom & I left about 0745 & managed to make it to PLC by 0900. I had my blood drawn & we patiently waited. While we waited, I went to Second Cup to get a hot drink & some pastries. Lo & behold Mom accidentally spilled the hot chocolate EVERYWHERE. Yes, on my black leather purse, my fur mittens, on my book, on my wallet, inside my purse on every item possible, on my blanket, the Lulu bag, on the pastries I hadn't even bit into. I was furious. Yes, it was an accident, but who is going to replace all of the above that are stained & ruined? Sorry sure isn't! Grrr! I'm slowly getting over it... :o(

Chemo went fine. I managed to doze off & on throughout & listened to some classical music to stay chilled out. We left the hospital just before 4, although it could have been 1/2 an hour earlier, had Mom picked up the prescriptions & made the appointment rather than slept. She's not as well trained as Jaco, but I guess she hasn't been there that often, either. If there's one thing I can't tolerate is sitting & waiting in the hospital after I'm done treatment. I need to get out of there & NOW!

We drove home & had a quick bite to eat. I noticed, while having dinner, my Picc line had some blood in it. Oh dear. I called the Health Link, no luck. I called PLC, no on call Oncologist. I called Yup... back to bed again. This time I went to bed at 1800. I woke up at 2100 when Jaco called. I spoke to him for a bit, but I was so exhausted that I started to fall asleep during our conversation! Whoops! I fell asleep straight after we said goodbye!

I managed to wake up at 0000, 0330 & then at 0530... And so the following day started!

xxxxMV&O

Meet Rihanna (& my new passport photo - with a white background & a lower eyebrow!)

Day 402 - The Doctor's Appointment That Wasn't

Last night found freezing fog in our area. This meant that Mom couldn't get back in time to take me to my appointments in the city. I called at 0800 to cancel & wanted to make sure that I could still come in for treatment tomorrow. The receptionist said she'd call me back as soon as she heard from Dr. Daly. By 3 o'clock I still hadn't heard back.

My picc line has been giving me issues, so Mom drove me over the the hospital in the afternoon. The Home Care girls took a look at it & said the adhesive was causing a reaction. They changed the bandage, but covered it in more adhesive with gauze underneath. And thank goodness the picc line isn't infected - I don't want to have it taken out with only 3 rounds to go!

Mom & stopped at the pet food place in Black Diamond & I picked up some more food for the girls. Mom was complaining about Valentina's squeaky toy on the way over, so I picked up 2 salmon skin bones for the girls to chew 'silently' on. Well. Mom had a hissy fit about the smell! She had to roll the window down the entire drive home & was paranoid her car would smell of rotten salmon. All I could do was giggle & roll my eyes, because I knew how much the girls loved the bones. And naturally the smell went away as soon as they devoured their treats.

I was getting pretty tired by the time we arrived home. I'd been up since 0530 with only 2 hours of sleep. I managed to eat some supper & then Jaco called. He was safe on the ship & finished his first day back at work. We had a good chat & I'm anxious to hear from him again.

I collapsed into bed about 0730. I can't remember being this tired. Ever.

G'Night!
xxxxMV&O

Meet Britney

Cuddling with Mama 

Um, there's something on the end of your nose!

Day 392 - Brrr! Cold Photos & Sleep

I had breakfast with my Mother! That NEVER happens!!! We had poached eggs on toast. She was off to Ken's for the weekend, so I was looking forward to a weekend with the girls. Although it was beastly cold out! She was outta the yard just before 0800.

Hmm. What to do now? I had skyped briefly with Kim last night & she had encouraged me to go outside & take some 'snowy' photos, after she listened to me lament about how much I loathed winter. So, I decided to head outside, camera in mitten. I wandered around through the snow. I was so cold by the time I got to the barns, I was uncertain I would make it back without frostbite.

Since I've been doing chemo, I've lost all my nose hairs. What a glorious thing you say? Well, yes, for obvious feminine reasons, but no for other practical reasons. Your nose hairs do a fine job of filtering the air you breathe & I'm not exactly sure why, but my nose runs a lot more without the hair. And, since today was freezing cold, I couldn't even feel my nose running. Yep. It was dripping half way down my body when I realized... Eew. Gross. Thank goodness for Kleenex!

I came back in the house, called Jenn, told her of my plan to stay up all day to 'right myself out', then skyped Jaco, then got REALLY sleepy. I fell asleep at 1000. I woke up at 1800. I ate a bit, talked to Jenn again & skyped with Kim again. Then I slept again. I went to bed at 2300. What a day.

I think cold impacts my body differently while I'm on chemo. I haven't googled it, but man, my bones & joints were aching like CRAZY after I came inside. I thought I was getting sick or something - although they told me I would have no other symptoms besides a fever, so??? Anyhow, one more reason to avoid the cold!

Even the dogs don't like it. They really don't want to go out to go potty. Their little legs freeze up so quickly. They become like little paralyzed creatures. Oceana often puts one leg up in the air like she's found a giant fire hydrant. Then when she comes in she walks all bow-legged & crooked... I shouldn't laugh, but it's kinda funny. I go outside with them to make sure they get 'er done.

Alright... Stay warm! It's far too cold out there!

xxxxMV&O

(I'll post snowy photos later)

Meet Eva

Day 390 - Up For Half A Day.

Today was pretty much a write-off. Seeing as I didn't fall asleep until 0600, I slept until the afternoon, upon which Jaco called & told me that he was sorry he didn't call earlier. Didn't matter to me, as I was dreaming of him! He is having internet & phone card difficulties, so he couldn't get ahold of me that easily. Oh the joys of being half a world away. The dogs cuddled with me to stay warm, they don't like the winter either. Oceana is enduring the trials that Valentina endured last winter. Going potty fast enough before her limbs start to seize up. As if she doesn't walk bow-legged enough already - you should see her once a leg starts to freeze up! She'll learn quick enough what she needs to do when she goes outside! Bless her little heart & short legs!

I finally took the time to catch up on the blog, although it is driving me a little crazy right now with the video editing. I just don't know how to get the clips small enough to load quickly, but yet stay a decent quality. Any suggestions? I'm not too experienced at loading videos, but I don't have the right software, either!

In any case, I'm attempting to retire early tonight & try to straighten out this terrible sleep pattern I've got rolling! Sleep well & stay warm! xxxxMV&O

Here's the personality of the day:

Meet Xtina

Day 367 - Hello Home & Laundry!

Wow. That was one comfy bed. A great mattress & a fabulous duvet. It was like a little taste of heaven. Can you tell I'm sleep deprived? How do these Mom's do it? Ugh. I'm exhausted & I don't even have a kid!  Let alone 2 or 3 of them!

This morning we had a delicious breakfast of bacon & pancakes, along with toasted walnut tea (two thumbs up!). We packed up our things, helped tidy up the house & away we went!

Thankfully the roads were clear all the way home. Much to our surprise, there was hardly a speck of snow when we pulled into the yard! I was expecting a good six inches!

I am absolutely exhausted, as for the rest of the afternoon until the wee hours of the morning, I unpacked, cleaned, tidied & did laundry. (And now I'm trying to catch up on 2 weeks of missed blogging!)

The dogs are happy to be home & so am I, even if I have to jet back into the city tomorrow for my acupuncture appointment. I'm actually looking forward to a few down days to recover from chemo & from trucking all over the place!

I did my neupogen shot tonight. I think I nicked a blood vessel or something, as blood came gushing out when I withdrew the needle & my leg hurt like the dickens after I was done. Whoopsy. I know, I know. Jaco was busy, so I did it myself.

Jaco is peacefully sleeping while I type this in the light of the laptop screen. I think I'll join him, as you don't really need to know how many missing socks I have, nor which items I most likely shrunk (either from the dryer or too much ice cream!). Lekker slaap & see you tomorrow!!!

xxxxMaria

Day 357 - Sleep.

Finally! A day of nothing but rest. We didn’t go anywhere or do anything. I thought about cleaning up the house, as it is quite messy, but decided against it. Cleaning can wait. Sleep is needed. Gotta go! Cuddling with the dogs & my hubby are mandatory today! :o)

xxxxMJV&O

Day 345 - Lazy Sunday

Today was quite possibly the most 'rested' day I've had in a very long time. I didn't go outside for more than a few minutes & the rest of the day was spend lounging around the house. My body must be loving the relaxation! 


I downloaded some tunes & the never ending download of Season 3 House continues to soak up our measly 10 gb limit of bandwidth per month. Jaco surfed on his computer & I had intentions of catching up on the blog, but it didn't really happen! 


We watched The Back-Up Plan with Jennifer Lopez. It was funny & cute, but quite predictable. I'm not sure I'll ever have children. That scene with the birthing pool... Oh my. I thought that was supposed to be the 'good option'. Hmm. I'll have to talk to my Doctor about that! ;o) 


We watched more of The Office - many more episodes & I'm going to feel like part of the family! Ah well, what can I say? I'm a ridiculous convert. I hated it, now I love it. I used to be like that with green peppers. No onions yet - don't hold your breath on that one!


A bit of laundry & cuddling with the dogs... all in all, a perfect day! Tomorrow we have dinner booked with some fantastic friends...


xxxxMJV&O

Having a cuddle with Tweet Pea - Isn't life grand?

Day 341 - R&R

Today was a quiet day of R&R. We slept in, watched some of The Office & that was about it. Sorry! Nothing exciting here! Check back tomorrow! 


xxxxMJV&O

Day 328 - Snow. Are You Kidding Me?

Bah. What a day. It started out pretty good. Jeff arrived the previous night & him & Mom were leaving for BC today for a wedding this weekend. Mom wanted to have a big breakfast & of course, Ken came over to meet Jeff. We had bacon, eggs, pancakes & all the fixin's. Ken stuck around to fix the internet - the signal has been dropping as of late - I think he's got it fixed now! Mom & Jeff left just before lunch, Jaco did the dishes & I had a rest. 


I haven't quite recovered from yesterday. I still feel rubbish from the walk yesterday. I slept until 1630, laid on the couch with the dogs, did my best to sort out the laptop & listened to Jaco chuckle while he watched his episodes of The Office. I am still awaiting my turn to watch House... *Ahem*


So, today has been a very lazy day. Add to that, it started snowing. Yup. It's the 16th of September & it is snowing. I don't like winter & I despise being cold, so I'll be dreaming of Bora Bora tonight... Here's hoping I feel a bit more 'human' tomorrow. 


Sleep well... MJV xxxxx

Contemplate is NOT lovin' this. Nor am I. 

It's too early for snow! NO!!!! 

Little salchicha footprints

Day 294 - Arrivederci Hair.

Well, it's official. My hair has officially started to fall out. Yesterday I counted 5 on the edge of my plate at breakfast & this morning after my usual moisturizing application (on my head) I counted 37 (!) little hairs on my hands. Sigh. I was hoping I would be lucky & not lose my hair. Yeah, I shaved it & I liked it, but I was hoping it would stick around. Oh well... Talk about a humbling experience. Vanity sucks.


Speaking of vanity, I had Mom take a few photos of me before it gets any thinner! See below...


I was up at 0100 to take my pill. Actually I woke up at 1247 to the sound of my husband snoring & his elbow grating my spinal column. Oh it's bliss, alright! I looked at the time & knew I'd have to take my pill in 10 minutes, so I used the loo & 'pee'ked out the window to see if the stars were out. 


I had seen on Facebook something about a meteor shower, so I was pretty excited to see that it had cleared of enough to see the stars. Since we only pass through Swift-Tuttle comet trail once a year, I thought I better get out to see it (& since I was already up!) I thought I'd sit out for 10 minutes & sneak back in before my alarm went off in order to avoid waking Sleeping Beauty. (Okay, fair enough, I'll be gentle on him - he did go 44 hours without sleep) As my luck would have it, the meteors were pretty awesome & I didn't make it back in before the alarm went off. A very confused Jaco came to the door to see what on Earth I was doing. He didn't share my love of the Cosmos at that particular moment. 


I sat outside & counted 12 or 14 meteors. I lost track after awhile. They were beautiful & lit up the entire sky! I wished I could have photographed it & captured it in the memory books forever. I've already forgotten what Hale Bopp was like! In any case I went back inside to try & sleep again & Jaco was NOT impressed that I had woken him up. Whoops. My bad.


Of course, then it was the dog waking me up every few hours. She was in her 'big girl bed' & didn't like it much. She kept jumping up onto the bed, even after I'd moved the bench a good foot from the end of the bed! Then, at 0730, I woke up to the sound of her ripping all over the place. She was running & tearing around like a house on fire. I let her out of the room.


Then Jaco woke up. Then Mom stormed around. Then the dogs barked. Then Jaco hammered away on the treadmill, shaking my room. FINE! I'll get up! 


I visited Joe at EVIC for awhile to help him out while Shauna is away, but it wasn't busy, so he sent me home to see Jaco. 


When I came inside, there's my jet-lagged hubby hard at it on the treadmill. I guess he's sticking to his routine. I should take some lessons! I took the time to type up a bit of the blog (behind again!) while he worked hard. 


After he finished up, we took at drive to town for some groceries, as he wanted to pick up a few things. We decided to stop for ice cream afterwards. Scoops & Snacks was closed :o( but Frontier Candy was still open. I don't enjoy Frontier as much, because their scoops are smaller & more expensive. Yes, I'm an ice cream SNOB. Five summers of scooping ice cream & you would be too! 


When we walked up to the shop, the only clerk was outside having a cigarette break. Jaco & I walked in & looked at the flavours. I watched the clerk come in, grab a bite of a broken waffle cone & then make eye contact with us, asking us if we wanted anything. I was waiting for him to wash his hands. Sick. He didn't. I told Jaco I would ask him to wash his hands if he wouldn't do it after I placed my order. I placed my order. He picked up my spoon & dish. He proceeded to head for the ice cream buckets. WITHOUT WASHING HIS HANDS!!!! Call me crazy, but that's disgusting! So, I said, 'Sorry, but would you mind washing your hands, I have a compromised immune system.' He looked at me & said, 'Yeah, sure.' I watched, in horror, again, as he RINSED his hands under the water, WITHOUT SOAP. The dispenser was directly to his left. He then proceeded to dry his hands on his apron. GAG. I suddenly didn't feel like an ice cream anymore. 


As soon as we arrived home, I googled 'Health Inspector Calgary'. I managed to find Alberta Health Services with a listing of cities, restaurants, & best of all, their inspection reports & findings! Click Here, but be warned, you may NEVER eat out again! 


Jaco & I made our first meal together. Well, he cooked & ate chicken & I made tacos. It was an interesting experience as he helped me clean up & unload the dishwasher. Wish us luck folks! It's going to be a journey!


We walked the dogs down to the barn to let Mom's horse out & then it was time to hit the hay. Tomorrow's an exciting day with Drayton & the Dinosaurs! Rrrrrroar! 


xxxxx
Maria, Valentina & Papa

Leaning on a tree

Leaning on another tree.

Leaning on what used to be a tree

Thinking about leaning on a tree

Smiles

Mother tries to make me laugh 

Jaco liked this one 

 Adios joined us at the end of the shoot

Tall Timothy

Day 285 - Death By An Ice Cream Cone.

Oh there is nothing like an alarm clock ringing at 0600 to bring your peaceful slumber to a screeching halt. Ugh. I think I must have been a koala or a sloth in a previous life, as I am NOT a morning person. Apparently neither is my dog. I let her sleep with me last night & when I woke up this morning, I couldn't see her. Usually she is curled up under the covers with me. I lifted the covers & she wasn't there. 'Valentina?' I called. The pillow next to me started to move. I lifted up the corner of it & there she was, completely outstretched the length of the pillow! What a girl!


I didn't have a very pleasant sleep. I had been up until 0130 frantically looking for my requisition sheet & also the little card with the time of my appointment on it. No luck. I couldn't find it anywhere! I looked through all my papers, my binders, appointment books, books I was reading (in case I'd used it as a bookmark!), the car, everywhere! I finally resigned to the fact that it was gone. Of course, as soon as I laid my head on the pillow, I had the 'flash' in my mind that Mom had it. She did. It was in a pile of papers in her office. (From 2 weeks ago!) ARGH! 


Naturally, after I finally decided to go to bed, I couldn't fall asleep. My feet were FREEZING! I don't like to wear socks to bed, as I get too hot. But tonight was an exception. I turned on the light & put on a pair of fuzzy socks. Ahh, much better. 


As I laid in bed, trying my best to get the most out of the 5.5 hrs I had left before I had to wake up, I hear this little 'Brrzzzzzzz' noise. It's a mosquito. ARGH! I turn on the light & try to find the pesky little critter. I find him, but I can't reach him. So, I spray him with my room freshener. Apparently they don't like lavender or peppermint (so Yahoo! News tells me) which is perfect because my spray has both of those in it. Sure enough, he disappears. I don't know if it's the heavy coating of spray on his wings or the smell, but either way, I can peacefully go back to bed. I turn out the lights & settle back in, warm under the covers. I'm starting to get sleepy, very sleepy, when... BRRZZZZZZZ... AGAIN!!! Another pesky mosquito, or the other one dried off! Lights back on & spray in hand, I find him. I douse him in more room freshener, cursing with every spritz! Ahhh... Silence. NOW I can finally get some rest. I turn on the fan to deter them from landing anywhere near me. Yes, I'm still freezing cold, but rather cold than bitten. Priorities, you know? 


I finally fall asleep, only to wake up half an hour later dripping with sweat. Yes, dripping. Running down my back, shirt soaked sweat. Gross. Is this what menopause looks like? Have I hit the chemo induced menopause? Great. Apparently night sweats are one of the symptoms of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, but why would I START getting them after I have started treatment? Whatever the case may be, I'm not excited about that! (Yes, I took the socks off after that!)


Now you understand why I wasn't tickled to hear the alarm! Regardless, I get up & into the shower, dressed & out the door, only a 1/2 hour late! We made it to the hospital in record time - 45 minutes - and we even took 16th Ave! It's shaping up to be a great day!


I head straight for the lab, nervous that I'm going to get the same 'Fisherman' to take my blood today. Luckily it's a gal & she was great! I only waited about 10-15 minutes today. They're getting better! 


I headed for the Outpatient Area & waited with Mom. About 5 minutes after we sat down, the Nurse came & took us to the appointment room. Iny (eenee) came & took my height, weight, blood pressure & oxygen saturation. I find it funny that they take my height, as if I'm going to have a growth spurt half way through my treatment! I always wanted to be 5'10". Sigh. I somehow managed to lose 1.5 lbs in the past 2 weeks. I would have sworn I had gained at least 10 lbs. Things are feeling slightly out of place these days! 


Dr. Daly wasn't at the hospital yet & my bloodwork wasn't back yet, so Mom & I waited. While we were waiting, I thought I better jot down what I needed to ask him about. At the top of the list was Michael Buble. I have tickets to his concert & it falls on chemo day, so I wanted to know if I could bump my chemo by a day. I told the Nurse, Michael & Dr. Daly both give me 'fever', but it a very different way... :o) I was asking Mom what else I needed to ask (don't worry, I had other priorities besides Michael!) & Mom mentioned the tongue thing. After my last round, I had this bizarre sensation at the back of my tongue. Every thing I drank or ate made my tongue pucker. Much like I'd been eating a lemon. It was really strange. I hadn't been able to accurately describe it up until now. I rattled off about 6 adjectives of what it was like. I said I'd better write it down or I'll forget. I grabbed my notepad & said to Mom, 'Now, what did I say?' She couldn't remember. Nor could I! I was mad she wasn't listening & I was even more made that my brain let me down! I went to the car to get my iPod & use the thesaurus (why is it named something like a dinosaur, btw?). I don't have a thesaurus on my iPod. So I dig out my laptop. Not much help. Tingling was the only other word I could find besides the puckering & pins & needles words I was able to remember! ARGH! (I still haven't thought of them 24 hrs later!)


Dr. Daly finally came in & we had a chat. He liked the haircut. I told him 'You guys are onto something. Now, can I keep it?' He just smiled. I asked a few of my questions & then, with a knock at the door, my blood work is delivered. My Neutrophils are 0.7. They need to be 1.4. No treatment today. WHAT?! But what about the shots? They were for nothing? I got eColi for nothing?!? ARGH! So, we wait another week. I asked Dr. Daly if this would affect my success & he said there haven't been any studies done on it. Hmm. That was very vague & nonspecific. Great. Oh well... I've kicked butt this long... Why not a little longer!? :o)


So, we had the day off! Actually, the week off! It kind of messes things up, as now I'll be picking Jaco up the day after treatment & now it will put me finishing treatment on the 15th of December (Merry Christmas to me!), Sylvia is visiting next week & well, I guess Chemo would pretty much cramp anyone's style! :o) So, I'll just roll with it!


We headed over to Chestermere to visit Mom's friend. We stayed for an hour or so & then decided to head home. While we were leaving, Mom commented that she felt like a drumstick. I said, 'Gross!' She replied, 'No, not the chicken kind, the ice cream kind.' I still said gross. There was a Cold Stone Creamery inside the Tim Horton's, so I told her to stop there & I would treat her to an ice cream cone. We both got waffle cones with French Vanilla & Key Lime. Away we go...


And then... It was a near death experience. Thanks to the ice cream cone. Mom wolfs down her cone & I'm slowly enjoying every creamy, cool spoonful of mine. She's gnawing away on the cone when she turns to me & says, 'Remember when I used to tell you kids to never eat the bottom out of your ice cream cone?' 
'Yes' (truthfully no, but anyhow...)
'Well, look what I just did!'
Great Mom, do you want a gold star? I said that in my mind, not out loud. What's the big deal about eating your cone upside down? And then I found out.
'Oh crap!' Mom exclaims, as ice cream drips on her chest, somehow hitting her skin & not her necklace, seatbelt or shirt. 


Then she realizes she needs to lick quick. Both hands are on the cone/wheel, mix in a spoon, napkin & plenty of oncoming traffic on a very narrow road in the industrial area (think Mack trucks) and it was one scary experience! I nearly died in a head-on handsfree dairy collision! This will officially be the last time I treat Mom to an ice cream cone! Additionally, lest we forget the decision to use the other lane, without realizing it ends & we're nearly sandwiched between to big trucks! It was close! 


I often lament about my mother's driving & she jokes by saying she always asks her Angels to keep her safe. I told Jenn about it one day & then shortly after, Mom was driving her cargo trailer on the #2 to Nanton when the trailer came unhitched. It was a 7 minute freebie fix & she was back in action. Jenn said she must have a thousand Angels keeping her safe. Today was no exception to the 'Thousand Angel Rule'!!! 


SAFELY back at home, I managed to catch Jaco on Skype before he went to bed & then I had a nap. I woke up to Mom slamming the doors & then the car driving away. She had a meeting in town, so I was home alone. I chatted with a few friends (5 messages during my 2 hour nap!) and played with the dogs. Mom came home & we tried & tried & tried to get Oceana to play with the laser pointer. Nope. Nada. She wasn't the least bit interested in it. I thought maybe she was colour blind? Anyhow, I let Valentina out of my room to chase the laser & it was like letting a barrel horse into the arena - she went crazy! She runs so fast! Pretty soon her tongue was hanging out & it was time to call it quits. What a girl. 


And what a day. Here's to a smooth, timely remainder to my treatments. Let's just get on with it!


Lekker slaap!
Maria & Valentina
xxxxxxx

Adios & the deer have a stand off. Seriously! They walked circles around each other for a good 20 minutes.

Lazy way to exercise the dog!

My 'Bright Light' Psychopath!

Day 281 - Wolves & Coyotes

So I am quite possibly one of the world's worst sleepers. I can NOT sleep straight through the night. On average, I'm up about 3x to use the little girls room. Last night was no exception, except... when I woke up at 0500 to pee, I heard a noise. Not just any noise. Wolves. Not just one. Several. At least three. Howling. Bone chilling. Soul stirring. Pure, raw & certainly savage. It was one of the most exciting things I've ever experienced. I managed to grab my SLR & record the audio. I have about one minute of good solid footage of them howling. I LOVE it! 


When I was a little girl, I loved lambs. Then I swapped to wolves. Talk about opposites. I suppose it was similar to my taste in music. I went from the Emeralds - Bird Dance to Crystal Gayle, you know, the country chick with her hair to her ANKLES. Then it was on to Cyndi Lauper. Anyhow, I have yet to see a wolf in the wild, but hearing them is certainly amusing! 


I decided to go outside & see if I couldn't film the moon, the trees AND catch the wolves howling. All I managed to do was get both dogs barking, frighten my mother & when I did finally set foot outside, all I could hear was the river across the highway! It did smell incredibly fresh though! I went back inside (where it was warm) & recorded a few more clips. I heard Mom getting a drink, so I went out to tell her what I heard. She told me to wake her up next time I hear them. I have this sinking feeling if I do, the conversation will go a little something like this:
"Mom! Wake up! The wolves are howling."
"Whaaaah-t?"
"The wolves are howling."
"Oh."
"Are you coming to listen?"
"What time is it?"
"It's four thirty."
"Oh. I have to get up in two hours."
"Yeah. Are you coming or what?"
"No. Just shut my door when you go."


And she'll remember half of the conversation come morning. But I'll wake her up anyways!


I could hardly fall back asleep I was so excited about the magnificent howling I had just heard. I posted an update on Facebook & went back to sleep. 


When I did get up for the day, I didn't accomplish a lot. I ordered some baby things for my girlfriends due this month. I have an incredible girlfriend, Janis, who has created an eco-baby goods business with her sister. Check them out (Little Tree Hugger) if you need any baby things! I still have one more order to place with Taslie & then I'm set for baby gifts! I helped Mom with a bit of book keeping, visited EVIC, ran to town for water & the mail, and visited with my brother's friend, Hayley. I had heard about her before, but she was a delightful young lady! She is tall & gorgeous & so pleasant to visit with. I'm not sure what my brother is thinking... She's a catch! Oh well, as they do...


After Hayley left (she'd stopped to pick up a few day planners from Mom), I heard Oceana at the door. She was whimpering. Valentina was already in the house. What was that other noise? It sounded like a dog barking. But I didn't recognize the bark! It wasn't Oceana. Was there a dog lost from the campground? I went out on the deck & poor Oceana came streaking inside. 


Sure enough, I could hear barking in the clump of trees closest to the gate. I whistled at the dog. It barked back. Again & again & again. I finally decided it's bark wasn't quite a dog bark. It was a coyote. Be darned if the dirty dog wasn't trying to lure our dogs into the woods! I was horrified at the thought of little Valentina going to investigate & then being a cocktail wiener! I went inside to tell Mom to come out & when I went back outside, the coyote had moved places. His barks were coming from the bottom of the meadow. He was still out of sight, but he responded to my whistles. Pretty soon I saw him pop up on the other side of the meadow, where the power lines run. He stopped & looked at us & continued barking. Ooooh! I was so mad! Looks like the little dogs are going to have to be under strict supervision from now on! No wandering ANYWHERE!!! 


I found an old metal box tonight while I was looking for a computer cable. I had an 'epiphany' last night that it held all my old jewelry from high school. I could find the key, to I tried to 'pick' the lock with my Leatherman. Fat chance, but it worked! I could open it, but not close it. So I had a little trip down memory lane as I pilfered through my cheesy old jewelry. I will see if I can take apart some of it & use it for something 'new'. It was fun to find earrings & pendants & think to myself, 'Really? Did I really wear that? And I thought I was cool, too!' Fun times!


Anyhow, another quiet weekend shaping up... Everyone is out enjoying the long weekend & gorgeous weather... Make the most of it - Summer is flying by!
xxxxx
Maria & Valentina

Oceana snoozes in the sun.

Our new watchdog.

Getting a better look.

Mom & Hayley

Turn up your volume & pardon the 'clicks'!

Day 274 - The Mack Truck Has Arrived.

And I'm not talking MAC makeup either. I feel like I've been run over by a truck. At high speed. Wow. I slept until 1030. Sat & talked on the phone for a bit. Sat on the couch & tried to stay awake while watching a short movie clip. Fell asleep on the deck in the sunshine. Pulled my journal out to the table on the deck. Wrote 1/2 a page. Fell asleep on the lounger for an hour. Went back to bed for 2 hours. Sat on the couch & talked for 1/2 an hour. Mom arrived home, made me some supper, we did some Photoshop stuff. I went to bed. Full stop. Wow. I hope this passes as fast as it hit me!


Sleep well... I know I will...
xxxx
Maria & Valentina
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

And no, I didn't just bite my tongue. It's a full blown yawn.

Day 273 - The Day After Round 2

Sleepy time! I didn't get up until 1000. I slept pretty much from 1800 - 1000 - what a snoozer! It was fantastic! I think I had too many late nights & long days & they finally caught up with me. Today I took the liberty of sorting through 7 years of photos, clippings, cards, papers & you name it. 


I am far from being done, but at least the mess has moved from the table, stovetop, ironing board, couch & counter to only the table! I'm making progress! Hooray! Hopefully tomorrow will see me fully sorted & ready to scrapbook something! Poor Jaco. We need more photos together. I was going to scrapbook last Fall with Collet, but my 6 boxes of disorganization left me to scrapbook the ex before ships, the first ex of ships & the ex before my husband. I scrapbooked butterfly photos instead! :oP Don't worry, Jaco & I are slowly getting a collection going! 


I had an afternoon nap, started reading 2 books, & watched Valentine's Day. Great movie. Yeah, I cried. What can I say? I love love! It was wonderful to see so many familiar actors & Julia Roberts & Taylor Swift were a nice addition. Speaking of Julia Roberts, I'm very anxious for her upcoming movie, Eat, Pray, Love. If you haven't read the book, DO IT!!!! It is my favourite book to date. I was so sad to finish it! I still have yet to read her latest book, Committed, but I'll get there! Luckily I blog faster than I read! :oP


Anyhow, I'm off to bed... I'm trying to catch up on posts & zzz's!!! Have a great evening! 


Love & hugs,
Maria & Valentina
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Sleepy time for Tweet Pea too!

Day 261 - Rainy Day

Ahhhh. The sweet feeling of waking up & then going back to sleep, knowing you don't have anything to wake up for! I slept until 1100! Mom & Unka Jer were in & out of the house with this & that. I took the time to catch up on paperwork & forms that had arrived in the past few weeks. I also took the first step to creating a business! Whoo hoo! That was a rush! Exciting, but I'm a long ways from anything fruitful!

I decided to head to town to pick up some things. I wouldn't have a chance in the coming week with treatment & all, so I decided today was as good as any other! By the time I was organized & left, it was after 1500! Whoops! Luckily I managed to get everything done that was on my list. 


Shortly before I left, we experienced a torrential downpour! Wow! I've never heard the rain like that before! You know it's raining hard when it sounds like wind! There were quite a few puddles lying around & when I went to pull onto the highway, I had to wait for 12 vehicles to go by before I could turn! I guess everyone was fed up with the weather & they were headed back to their comfy & dry beds in the city!


I stopped in at Mom2's & had a quick visit. They were both in bed already, but she came downstairs & we had a chat. She finally received her wigs & they look FABULOUS!!! Her's are all blonde & they look really good on her! We also walked out to the garden - she has such a green thumb! It is ridiculous how lush her flower beds & garden are! Wow!


Not wanting to keep her up & wanting to get home myself, we hugged goodbye & I was on my way. Sheesh. This turned into a long day too! G'nite all! 
xxxx
Maria & Valentina

The girls having a nap.

Somebody else in the house is tired too!

Day 257 - The Sherman's Swing Through!

Ugh. Brutal headache. Again. Muscle knots in my back & sinus pains. Fun way to start the day!


Mike came by with the kids to pick up the tent trailer & I don't think Harrison recognized me with my new 'do'. He was pretty shy compared to his usual chatty self! I'm sure he'll get used to it... at least I hope so!


About the time Mike had everything hitched up, Janis & Dustin showed up. As Dustin is deathly allergic to cats, he couldn't come in the house, so I quickly grabbed a few things & we headed out for Elbow Falls for a picnic lunch.


Hmm. It was sunny at the house when we left. It was rainy at the falls. It was sunny when we returned to the house. It was rainy when I left for EVIC. It was sunny by the time I got there. Strange day!


I was thoroughly impressed with Caleb's vocabulary! He has grown a lot since I saw him in March. But he is so good with his words! Wow! He repeats what Janis & Dustin say & he says it so well! At only 20 months, I was blown away! Janis & Dustin must be doing something right!


We enjoyed a lovely lunch & then strolled around the pathways to the Falls. It is really great for me to have someone to enjoy the 'backyard' with. It's always there, but I rarely go, as I don't have anyone to go with! (Consider that your invitation!!!) 


They were off to the city to visit a friend who just returned from SA & the World Cup. I was excited to talk to him & I don't even know him! I'll bet he had a blast & will be ranting about it for weeks to come!


I was impressed with the new decals on the vehicle - Little Tree Hugger - and I am so proud of Janis & the business she has created with her sister. I shared the Taslie samples I was sent & hopefully it will make a great addition to the business! 


After they were back on the road, I headed down to EVIC to return Joe's ketchup & mustard & to chat with Shauna. As always we enjoyed a quick visit, but I didn't stay too long - she was ready to go home for the day! 


Naturally I ventured back home & found myself on the phone for the better part of the evening. If it wasn't one call coming in, I was returning another! I could barely keep up! I said I was going to go to bed early this evening & here it is, nearly 1 a.m. again! Sigh. ONE DAY I WILL GET TO BED EARLY!!!!! 


On that note, I'm outta here. Sweet dreams... Lekker slaap...
xxxx
Maria & Valentina

One of my favourite smells in the WORLD.

Gorjuss Gurls.

The Infamous Elbow Falls. 13.5 kms from EVIC.

Dustin, Janis, Caleb, Copper & Mugs

Pur-dy Rainbow.

Day 239 - Sweet Slumber!

At seven o'clock I woke to a kerfuffle. The dogs were ready to go outside for the 'morning news'. Ilo decided she might as well get up & get ready to go. She was heading down to Pincher to see her parents & then home to Kimberley. We had some fruit salad from last night's coconut french toast & she was out the gate by 0745. I was sad to see her go, but grateful that she had been able to come & visit! I miss her a lot! She's a beautiful inside & out... and she's a riot of fun!!! 


Ilo & I met in Waterton 10 or 12 years ago. We had plenty of adventures together. She reminded me of our ill-fated tubing day down the river. We had a near death experience when a bunch of branches in the water nearly sucked us under. Ilo lost her sandal & sprained her ankle... It wasn't the lazy drift down the river we'd envisioned. She told me about a GIANT grizzly print she saw on the beach. I had CLEARLY missed it! I don't know how I didn't catch that part of the adventure, but I'm honestly quite happy to have only learned about it 10+ years later!!!


After she was safely on her journey home, I headed back to bed. Oh sweet slumber! I had a good lie in until 1330! Yup! I was officially caught up on sleep! It has been a doozy of a week! I was happy to have no where to drive to today! 


I spent the afternoon tidying up, making phone calls, chatting with Jaco & sometime in the evening Unka Jer showed up! We had a quick visit & then it was back to bed! 


Sweet dreams,
xxxxxx
Maria & Valentina

My favourite shirt - officially retired. Note the hole in the armpit. Sigh.