Manic Nanak

With the prompting of a loyal blog reader and spirit sister I am urged to post as she "worries that something is wrong if it's been a while since I updated" and of course it has been a while. Not because anything is wrong, but simply as things are going along very well (and busily) so I have procrastinated. Been so occupied living my altered lifestyle where I continue to feel well, keeping myself busy with several projects while enjoying my grandchildren is….a pleasant full time job it seems. I reassure folks on a regular basis that I continue to remain well while being poisoned. Those who see me out and about express delight as in "you look so well" and although I am working at it…it's working!

When I parachuted into the daughter's appointment at the family Dr and requested my Canada Post/Sun Life misplaced prescription from the oncologist - did you know that to be reimbursed by insurance for a wig the Rx must read medically induced alopecia? as opposed to the regular, the hair fell out on its own kind - our GP was surprised and said "you're wearing lipstick!" actually he said it a couple of times in an amazed tone and then "I've never seen you wear it before" as he had worked with me in ER a few yrs ago. I informed him I'd taken a course (Look Good Feel Better - which of course a Dr wouldn't likely know about) to teach me how to apply makeup so I didn't look like a clown and that the products dispensed were worth at least $200 and he nodded knowingly (as he is familiar with my frugal ways) and agreed that appearance is closely related to mood. As we were leaving he instructed me to "continue to wear lipstick" which I assured him I would. Ordered some waterproof mascara from a beauty supply store which actually gives me back lashes and am getting pretty competent at not making the eyebrows look like a Frida Kahlo unibrow but, as regular makeup wearers will tell you… it takes longer to get out of the house if you're putting on your face and hair.

Attended the local Remembrance Day service this year and it's been a while since I've been home to do so and it was very moving. The message was delivered by a local pastor who was an immigrant from Amsterdam and lived through WWII and it's aftermath - very emotional. It's held in the same spot that I attended as a Girl Guide 50 years ago and the WWII veterans are much frailer now, but the newer worry are the young veterans medically discharged with PTSD. 

Arrived home shortly before the shore captain who had been on a US business trip - and yes he made it safely through the election day and its fallout. He had journeyed to visit the American buyers he supplies with seafood to discuss in person the 'things will remain the same' news pertaining to the sale of his seafood processing plant. Yes, you read that correctly - the workaholic is officially retiring. Am I worried that he has made no plans to fill his day and will be home after working 14 hour days for 6 - 7days/week x decades? You bet I am. Cancer doesn't scare me, but the concept of him standing over my shoulder telling me how to run the house sure does! There is a furnace in the barn with a plethora of tools and projects awaiting him so not a lot of reasons to annoy his wife with domestic supervision I've told him. He signs the final contract this Friday and will 'help out' for three weeks he says. That'll take us into the holidays so I feel a bit of breathing room. We shall see…

The new mother and granddaughter arrived at about the same time as the shore captain and we had a wonderful visit which began as a weekend trip and extended to Tuesday as the daughter said "neither of us have any plans and we can do laundry". A good baby who is sleeping 8+ hours at night and beginning to amuse herself somewhat, so a wonderful houseguest. She is growing like a bad weed - now 10 wks and 12 lb 14 oz, having gained almost a pound in two weeks! We visited Frenchy's for a larger sized wardrobe as she is of course wearing 6 - 9 month size now. I created some hats for her and her baby friends and we got out to the local craft fair and visited Santa, then did a Christmas crawl of shops in town. Both were great opportunities for showing off the visitor from the city. Wonderful therapy for this Nanak -  difficult to think of anything negative when you're playing with a baby! It was hard to see them off as we'd gotten used to that smiling little face, but her Dad missed her very much after five days and insisted they return. Apparently autocorrect changes Nanak to manic - which we decided is a pretty apt descriptor of the pace I've been keeping. 

Had a great lunch at the local seafood restaurant this week with two girlfriends and the food

Ooey gooey haddock/lobster

was as good as the company. We hatched a plan to enjoy a cruise this spring to revisit and surprise the super cruiser that my former travel partner was wooed by. We found a recent publicity article with photo of him and at 66 he has NOT aged well in the nine years since we'd seen him. If that's what cruising for 50 weeks of the year for decades does for you…no thanks. Made us feel quite smug about ourselves and our youthful appearances. Two of us headed over to the Salvation Army and added to the granddaughter's and our wardrobes for cheap. Even scored a free book en francais from the rack by the door. 

When we journeyed to the city I dropped off a large bag with my latest project of hats for the homeless

Donation from the hands/heart

men in the north end of the city. I was just putting the final touches on the 25th cap (my self imposed goal) as we pulled up to park. The hats were well received as the lady said "we need warm winter clothing not summer clothes people are cleaning out their closets this time of year" They are doing a Christmas stocking project (as per attached poster) and I am planning to participate and deliver on December 15th for anyone else interested in contributing from my local area. 

After an afternoon spent crocheting and visiting with daughter and granddaughter while Grawmp shopped for a new bandsaw at Busy Bee Tools we headed across the bridge and  had a nice family meal that evening (including the granddaughter - who was well behaved and passed around amongst family) at The Keg. We would never have considered taking  her mother out at two and a half months as she was a screamer, shucks we didn't take her to a friends houses and really limited having folks in before she was six months old - no one wanted to hear those screams, not even us :) They are lucky our granddaughter inherited her mother's 100 watt smile vs the yelling. As our daughter nursed the baby just as our steaks arrived, and ate the fork friendly parts of her meal, our son-in-law leaned over and cut her steak for her. I was amazed at what a team they are! 

Had another good clinic visit with the only delay being the local lab had lost one of my blood reports, refused to admit it, didn't cooperate with the chemo nurse and so it had to be repeated stat while I waited - not impressed and will deal with that issue with Thursday blood draw, but I digress…The oncologist assured me that we could travel a couple of weeks after chemo finished so we spent our waiting time drafting a family trip to Tampa end of January, first of February. It will be a great way to celebrate the completion of treatments and our 40th anniversary year. The girls and their families are signed on, we'll rent a house with a pool and the plan is for Nanak to keep Claire for the day as the parents et al do the rides at Busch Gardens. The youngest and her husband will be returning from Peru so will have about six days with us, but the remainder are signed on for two weeks. Think the life partner and myself will journey on to DR for a couple of weeks of R&R at the vacation share. We'll likely need a rest after all the family interaction. 

Speaking of travel should anyone be inclined to peruse some travel books I am providing the link here from a travel blog:
nomadicnotes.com/travel-books
A pretty broad cross section of literature, a few of which I've read. 

We stopped for an early supper and a bit of shop at Walmart for Lego as our grandson is having his 6th birthday party Friday. He was confused as it's after the 'real birthday' and now there are two dates. His mother gave him cake for breakfast on the 16th and he was pretty wound up I am sure when he reached school, so it's a bonus to have the festivities continue. Bought sinus medicine for the shore captain who continues to wheeze like Precious Pup from the post nasal drip he came home from his Stateside visit with, as he is three for four with his 'return with a cold' from his travelling partner, I advised him that the next time he and Richard have to have separate beds! He was not amused. Drizzly drive home and an early bedtime after the days excitement. 

Awake at 5 am - yes, that's what happens when you go to bed at a non-nite owl time - and so catching up on some online chatting and shopping, crafts and puttering in the house. Surrounded by sleeping kitties and a nap might happen to me as well and if so….it happens. Life is Good. 

Have an appointment with the urologist on Tuesday to review my ultrasound report which both my GP and oncologist have read to me as normal so that's good. No idea what happened to my ureter ? a bloodclot in that area post op - who knows and as long as it resolved and I can close that chapter, I care not. Going to meet up with the returning from Cuba daughter as her sister and niece will meet her at the airport and we'll 'do lunch' in the city. Will be able to hand off the exersaucer picked up on the Buy n Sell as there is more storage room in their split level than here and missy will be using it before very long as she is very sturdy and bright. 

Still missing the north and will have the discussion of return to work with the December oncologist visit. Have to be well enough to maintain the pace / be subjected safely to all the infectious stuff and work remotely of course. Looking like spring at the earliest now with all the travel plans. So, now that I've reassured my audience of my well being, I shall return to my various projects. Later gators.