Parasites - techie and otherwise

I am updating this blog on the shore captain's laptop - yeah you read that right, he (who doesn't really qualify as a techie) has his own laptop. And a good thing that is as I have toasted the desktop with some kind of parasite or virus. Sigh. All these years and somehow I goofed trying to download a family tree program as mine was outdated. I broke down a few moments later and paid for the 'real deal' but it was too late as I'd already 'picked something up' so I'm hopeful that the shop will be able to disinfect the system. Apparently they keep 'running programs' but I haven't heard a prognosis yet so am still hopeful...

Spoiled Mother Loot

To recap on all the news since Mothers Day I must first say that I celebrated a very lovely day with phone calls from two daughters, lovely cards and a homemade necklace and......a beautiful bouquet of roses from the only son - and not just a bunch from Sobeys - nice ones from a real florist. Although they are gorgeous they ARE a bit unsettling as he's never done anything like this before causing me to consider 'what has he done?' I'm thinking however that he is in a rather new relationship with a girl who likely provided her mother with the same gift and he wanted to impress her (and thus me) with them. He had picked them up on Saturday and didn't know what to do with them so took them to a buddy's place as he "couldn't leave them in the truck" only to have to wait until they got up to retrieve them so that was a quite authentic part of the story.

We also enjoyed an evening out that night to see a comedian Lorne Elliott and he was really funny. Imagine, two dates out with my husband in as many days - first an ice cream at the local drivein and then an evening at the theatre. In addition I won a $25 gift card to the movies as one of the daily draws for nurses week so even more dates in our immediate future.

In fact the entire set of days off were wonderful. We began with supper at a local chef's place and had (of course) a wonderful meal. The wife is a big animal fan and it was a bit like a episode of Animal Planet. When the door was opened there were four small furry bodies who sprang out through much like those pretend snakes in a can we used to have as kids. In addition to the German Shepherds she breeds (in the enclosed yard) on the premises there are two Yorkies (one who is able to jump above your waist from a standing position) a teacup Chihuahua and a 12 year old dauchsund. It was a challenge not to step on them as they were all smaller than our cats. Speaking of which there were two large cats, only one who visited when he felt like it as well. What with baking, gardening (cleared flower beds, rescued azaleas from the thorns and they promise to repay me by blooming shortly) reading my Canadian Nurse journal, finishing research on a new project I'm planning, writing a story for my collection of family yarns, made a vacation photobook, hung laundry out on my renovated clothesline and then picked it up out of the ditch as it was very windy.... it was a full set of days off.

This recent set of days off (and of course days off are always enjoyable) didn't go quite as smoothly. I started Saturday off with a visit to the Garden Club plant sale (scored a collection of shade plants) a few yard sales and then a Frenchys shop and groceries. I  arranged to have lunch with a coworker who is undergoing cancer treatments. She had extensive surgery in Feb, 27 radiation treatments and is now half way through her chemotherapy. She says she has a rotten week, a so so week and then a good week and has to do it all over again. We discussed that I likely could do chemo as she well remembered how sick I was during three of my four children's pregnancies. I also took her homemade supper for the family of cooked lobsters, potato salad and cheese biscuits. We had a great catch up visit. She is a real fighter.

After making my way home that afternoon I called a friend and the dog walked us. We were just getting ready to have a cup of tea and I checked phone messages to find a desperate plea from a coworker supervising. I called back, accepted the night shift (for time and a half - my name isn't Florence Nightingale) and was off. It was a shift where we all more than earned our money (yep even me making the overtime) for sure. I napped for two hours in the morning and headed over to my sisters to visit as my niece and husband were down with their children. I wanted to deliver the copies of the restored DVDs and gave my great niece a copy of the flower girl photobook I'd created. A summer get together when my other niece is posted 'home' again is in the planning. I stopped at a coworkers house on the way as although she moved in last year I'd never seen it. It was full of teenagers, friends and lots of activity. I remember those days well. I needed a cup of tea to hold me over to drive home. The remainder of the weekend was sunny and warm and I (as well as lots of others locally) have the pink skin to prove it. My trip to the spa means that you can see my pink skin now!

So today was a rainy back to work and it was quite a welcome back - nuff said! With a sick call one of the positives was that I got switched to a night shift instead of a day tomorrow. No arguing from this night owl except that the cleaning lady is booked for the morning so no sleeping in and I must get my act together and pack for the McGill conference as I leave directly after my last night shift. Hopefully the student protests in Montreal will not crimp our tourist style as we participate in as I've been describing it the 'parasite conference'. Off to make a lunch for the boy captain to go lobstering in the a.m. Later