Bored, bored, bored

OP

4 weeks ago we drove to Williams Lake to the hospital as there was a surgical procedure that I needed. We left at 5am to be there at 8am; we were very fortunate to have good weather. It was an overnight stay and we were back on the road after lunch the next day. B had stayed at an absolutely foul (to him) motel the one night but he did have some semblance of quiet. That is one thing a hospital does not have...quiet. Even at night. Something or someone is always clanging or banging, snoring, cleaning, turning lights on or moving around...not for the faint of heart, hospitals. I promised the anaesthetist that I would highly recommend a spinal as a substitute (when possible) for surgery; then they give you Atavin (anti-anxiety drug) to help you through the procedure. Her statement was: "You don't want to miss out on the Monday morning chatter do you?"; she was right. It was perfect. As I was a cheap drunk I needed very little Atavin. There was talk of bee-keeping, canning, gardening, reading, you name it. Lovely.

I should be truthful and admit that I was scared out of my wits. When I got out of the car, my lower lip was trembling, I was sniffling and more than willing B to say, come on get back in the car and we'll go home....instead, B said : Put on your brave face, honey. I sobbed: "I don't have a brave face!" With that I turned and walked in to Reception; she took one look at my face and immediately had one finger on the Security alarm...I could tell by her expression. So~I behaved.

Anyways, enough of that.....unfortunately, it also meant that I become one with my chair for the next six weeks. Excellent...right through Christmas. Well done Jaye! What a mistake that was. I had thought oh, well, not to worry, I'll still be able to bake, etc. 'parently not. So this Christmas which I was anticipating as the house was close to normal and my kitchen was perfect for cooking and baking is once again a no go. Bother. So, J2 will be cooking and B will take care of the Turkey. Both of them under close supervision as I am the Control Freak Diva!

HOME

Before the op we did manage to do as much as possible. The living room wall is now a beautiful white primer and it goes around into the entrance to the bedroom. It is really nice to sit in the room and pretend it's actually completed. It's especially nice at night. You can't see the floor isn't done yet. I was hoping to get the kitchen/dining room done but that just didn't work out. When I asked when I could start sanding my doctor sat me down and explained in words of one syllable what she would do to me if I even looked at drywall. Finally got the point.

Bill is working on the shower because we had a lapse in judgement and promised J2 she would be able to have a shower when she came up for Christmas. It may be a serial killer's shower (all in plastic) but we'll do our best to get it done. It's such a new experience for Bill working with the wonder board or whatever the horrible material is called that goes on the walls. It's been a little frustrating. We'll tackle the shower floor soon. We want to put in a concrete floor and put in some river rocks (smooth of course). That's the plan anyways.

UPDATE: So much for plans....we have a leak~somewhere. Where, we aren't sure. It will take a few visits from our well and pump expert to figure it out. This has weighed heavily on B but the expert has put some sort of valve in to let us keep the water at pressure which makes B happy; he says it can last til spring and on but I really want it fixed N O W. The idea of water leaking in the yard somewhere gives me nightmares. Thankfully it's a very short pipe to the house, although, we really think it's at the hydrant. So we will be working on this over the next few weeks. And it set the shower back a bit. J2 may be muttering when she arrives. Used to that.

W I N T E R

There are two months of the year that I love: October and December. And December is just wonder-ful right now. Don't talk to me in March.

We have had a few really cold nights and there is another cold front rushing through this coming week but so far it has not been anything near to last year! There are about 10 inches of powder on the ground; the Spruce are dark green against slate skies with icing on their boughs; the fox is coming through every morning and leaving fox paw indentations in the snow; Cuddles, the rodent with a bushy tail, is scampering less and less but we still see her from time to time; the full moon on the snow was so brilliant; hoar frost on the tops of trees as we drove to town; diamonds on the snow when the temperature drops and there is a clear sky; fur lined parkas, big snow boots, scarves, mittens, hats have all come out of storage. The air is fresh and the silence~~I can't explain how silent it is.

And then there's Christmas! Oh, how I love the lead up and the actual day itself. There are so many great memories at Christmas for me....I grew up in an extended family that kept Christmas well. The Moravians knew how to celebrate with food, worship and fellowship. Then there were the Granparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, friends~suppers, carol singing, presents, hugs, kisses, desserts, horrible cottage cheese filled jellos, oranges, chocolate, hard candy, trees, poinsettas, lights, lights and more lights....the Moravian star, sister singing Morning Star , forgetting your lines in the Church play, Candlelight service, Christmas programs at school, presents on Christmas Eve at Grandma's, the lights at night throughout Vancouver, and sometimes: S N O W! But always a sense of comfort. You understand I'm repressing all the negative energy that swirled around Christmas. Repression is sometimes healthy.

Although I can't do too much cooking or baking or shopping I have managed to get out some decorations and lights. Very festive indeed. It will all come together as usual. It's always a challenge living where we do and trying to shop but I think it's worked out. The prices in town are appalling. J2 has helped so much as she can shop for me and will bring the goodies up with her. So, bring it on, Santa.

Does everyone watch Christmas movies?

We have so many movies that we love for Christmas. It doesn't change much over the years as there aren't that many good movies made for the Christmas season.

Christmas Vacation
Christmas Carol (Alastair Sim)
Love Actually
Polar Express
Scrooged (well, only J2 and I like this one)
Christmas Story
Prancer
The Snowman (David Bowie intro only, please)
Angel Square
How the Grinch stole Christmas (both)
Nightmare before Christmas (yes)
Holiday Inn (NOT White Christmas)
One Magic Christmas
and our Christmas Eve movie......A Child's Christmas in Wales

Rather a large list but December is a long month. Each one for a different reason than the previous or the next. From visuals to slapstick to crazy to cartoons to magic.

Keeping Warm

B has been working constantly over the last six weeks with falling, bucking, stacking, chopping and splitting. When you move to a place that has long winter months you need to know that half your time is spent making sure you are warm. With our wonderful stove we have been more than warm. But stoves need to be fed and that has always been up to B. He has really worked his tushie off this year as we want to use what has been felled already but that meant getting out the chain saw and buck, buck, bucking. J1 came over to help a few days and the grandson worked for pizza a couple of days to bring the wood from below to the side of the house. We are also still using dump wood which amazes us. Hopefully next year there will be just as much there as usual. It has really come in handy and has meant that we haven't had to buy a cord yet. We will next year but it has helped.

How bored am I?

Bill's doing all the cooking and cleaning and chopping and shopping and everything! I'm putting his name in for Sainthood. Couldn't hurt. I'm one with my chair and am venturing outside more and more and for longer periods. Getting there. But I'm B O R E D.

So what's a couple of months or more???

It's amazing that I have not been on this blog for at least 10 weeks! You'd think I was busy doing other things. Not true. I've been a slacker.

HOUSE

I was lieing...we have worked so hard these past two and a half months; our bathroom and bedroom were painted ; the hall has been mudded and primed; the living room is mudded and will be sanded and primed this coming week; the pantry is finished! Love my pantry; the kitchen cabinets are a work in progress and they look so good; the floor is down in the pantry and bedroom; the shower has its pan down and the backer board up...waiting for fixtures, J2 will be soooo happy this Christmas; the ceiling is primed; the property is winterized and we now wait for the first continuous snowfall which is supposed to be this coming week!

FRIENDS

You're probably wondering...admit it, you are...how did those two ol' farts get all that done? Well, we didn't...there appeared on our doorstep 4 wonderful friends who came for a few days and worked, worked, worked (there may have been some wine drunk, some songs sung) but they were here to help and we accomplished so much. Mainly because they have ever so much energy! Honestly, I needed a holiday afterwards.

We have know our friends for 37 years; friends who can walk in the door and start talking as if we hadn't been apart. D put down the floors, Bill cut the wood, L painted, painted, painted, B offered to do the shower pan as a present for Bill's birthday (wow!, Bill had been dreading that), J (not me) mastered the saw! And we laid the floor in the pantry and bedroom, primed and painted the pantry, primed the ceiling in the whole living area (arrggh), put up part of the beadboard in the bathroom and on top of it all: we sang, ate the best meals because L must be the best cook (we had S A L M O N); told stories; reminisced and drank our little hearts out. We did. Absolutely. Can't get enough of them...just like sugar crisps.

WEATHER AT DEKA

Last year I arrived on November 1, our first snowfall of note was December 1. Bill had enjoyed a really colourful fall and I was looking forward to seeing the colours this year. Hah! It started out beautifully...bright sunny days, lovely moody ones, trees turning and then.....scream, say Hi to the poor little surfer girl and bye to the garden kitsch. A shot for our wonderful neighbours , see what you're missing?

It snowed 6 inches that day...really wet stuff. Most of it melted away but there is still a skiff around the property. If you drive for a few miles out to Horse Lake Road the snow is, poof, gone. I really believe Deka has it's own weather. This coming week is supposed to be the "dump"---a little early but what the heck, maybe it will go early too! Ha Ha. And of course, we need to go to Williams Lake and it should be a blizzard by then. Well done, Mother Nature!

Coming back after I get the supper going....

Supper got going and got eaten....Roast Chicken, Potatoes, Carrots, Acorn Squash, Parsnips, Pickled Beets...no movie as tv is in storage until the sander sands the living room. Bother.
And I've watched all the way up to and including Season 12 of Midsomer Murders. What to do, what to do....

FACEBOOK

I am an avid user of FB; I love it to bits. This is my link to the outside world; a lot of my ex-colleagues and the majority of my friends are on it and it is the best therapy for me. I love it, love it, love it. It consumes me some days but so far I like to think that I'm not addicted, sort of, maybe, well, we'll see.

FOREST ROADS

We are going to use river rock in our shower floor so J1 and C took us for a great ride up forest roads and into Jim Creek. There we chose some wonderful stones to put into the floor; I'm hoping that wasn't too illegal. We stopped at a few lakes along the road~~Cougar, Coldscaur~~it was a brilliant day and we really enjoyed the backcountry. We headed past Hathaway and the past the turnoff to what was once Camp Deka and the 3M Simmenthal Ranch (such wonderful beef, highly recommended!) and further into the bush. It was great, a lovely time with son and grandson . I'm not sure my kidneys want to do it again any time soon.

THERE AND BACK AGAIN OR, FALSE THANKSGIVING

We needed a holiday; so many days working without a break from work or from each other...it does take it's toll. Our family was going to get together for Thanksgiving and we were all so excited but floods overtook the sister's home and we had to cancel. Something about Airport size fans in their house...go figure. That was okay but the cousins decided that it wasn't okay and that we should re-group. So we did. We chose a weekend where J2 had a flex day and the sister was up for it as the fans had been removed and a semblance of normality was in the house. Bill and I drove down on the thursday, J2 came over on Friday, we had False Thanksgiving on Saturday and came home Monday. Whirlwind but worth every minute of it. Although I'm not so sure about J2 and the BC Ferries from Hell. A normal weekend, she was there at 10:20 and the ferry was FULL! Luckily there was a 12. But bother...then when she went home we started checking hours before she was to leave and FULL, FULL, FULL...We finally got a reservation on the 9pm; then she heard on the ferry that the Pat Bay was closed due to a major accident. Not a happy camper to say the least. But she did have the chance to eat UB's Curry dinner....to die for.

False Thanksgiving dinner was great! We ordered in from the best Chinese restaurant; we must have had 9 dishes and we made quick work of it. Sooooo good. Our friends also came for dinner and there was music in the air. It's been a long time since we have sat down with family and friends and had a musical evening. And it was great to have all the cousins there too. They are so busy it's hard to get them in one room for an evening.

I edited these but there are still a number of "scenery" shots, I just adore the canyons and clouds and weather....what can I say. Just don't look.

ALL HALLOW'S EVE

I wondered what happened on my favourite pagan holiday and phoned my neighbour to find out what i should expect. It seems that there are very few kids that come out but there would be a few. I carved my pumpkin, bought the treats and waited. It is so dark out here I put lanterns out so they could see their way down the driveway up to the pumpkin where I had the candy. J1 and C came over around 5:30 to hang out before going out on their adventure. The DLVFD members and friends were going to have a bonfire, treats and hot dogs, plus fireworks that evening after the trick or treating. Parents take their kids out in their trucks and go house to house. We only had about 8 kids come to the property but we are at the end of the cul de sac and there is only one other house on the road. Our neighbours made sure that people knew to go further down the road. The first child down the driveway slid on the frost and landed on his tushie, he jumped up and hearing my concern said: I always do that! Okay...well, he was Superman. Next year I hope to head out to the bonfires. There is one at the Interlakes or Bridge Lake rodeo grounds that has a scary stall competition and a haunted house; plus a huge bonfire and treats, chili dogs and fireworks.

The evening was magical...beautiful white moon, wispy fog, frost and crisp, crisp, crisp! Beautiful.


RAINBOW

Just wanted to share some photos of a most beautiful evening.....

and do I ever love the new Blog site~~~~~so easy!

Signing off ....