It is summer/fall

Although the calendar tells me that we are moving through October, the weather is very September like....we are experiencing an autumn slide with warm days and only cool not frosty nights. The garden/greenhouse is continuing to yield its bounty without additional heaters...yet. Because, even with climate change, all good things must come to an end...even Indian summer (likely a politically incorrect term now). Speaking of which...am wondering what the official name for Cape Negro (island, harbour and community) are now. Originally named in the 1600s by French settlers for the large black rocks (Cap Negre en francais) which were a navigation feature in the harbour, the name became anglicized and now... 

offensive although no connection to race. I recently learned however on a 'lantern walk' of the local historical district that there was a large African Canadian settlement behind the elementary school I attended, although there were old cellars and orchards behind the school grounds, I had never heard of a black settlement. The New England Planters who settled our area, being given the land grants following the 1756 expulsion of the Acadiens, raised large families and were hardy settlers. Thus many of us trace our roots back to the Mayflower and continue with northeastern USA connections. Fifty year old information from the 1960s included in the walk was unsettlingly familiar to this participant...how can that be? Why yes, I recall the bicentennial of the Old Meeting House in 1965, of course I remember when this building was the CIBC, why yes that was the telephone office when we had party lines. Yes, our number was 131-5 as in ring 5 (where 5 shot rings was our cue to lift the receiver) and then 206-3 (ring 3) when we got 'semi private' lines with less sharing and hearing of rings.  You know you're getting along in years when....

Pound salad

I took a run to Cape Breton to visit with a buddy I hadn't seen for over two years what with pandemic and life getting in the way. Stopped for a visit with the city kids overnight and left early morning to make it in time for lunch. Well first we had plans to have a glass of wine on my friend's small back deck and as we were putting the shade umbrella through the glass topped table....it shattered! Similar to a vehicle windshield blowing out. Noticed a slice on my friend's leg and had to improvise a butterfly and bandage on her shin. Quite the cleanup - a box of glass shards when swept. Off to have lunch with my hostess and the former nurse in charge from my winter contract at the Black Spoon Bistro in North Sydney, should you find yourself in that area it is a good spot. We did a day trip 'north of Smokey' to take in the Cabot Trail with its fall foliage, lovely gift shops, restaurants and various attractions including the gondola at Cape Smokey. The opaque fog didn't dampen our enthusiasm for the spot and Destination Cape Smokey will be a wonderful spot for skiing this winter, a hike, mountain biking and more eventually. The eight minute gondola ride is very smooth, immaculately clean and sterilized with UV light after each occupant. We enjoyed a full day and home to relax. Saturday with an early morning power outage (forgot how spoiled we are with the on demand generator and propane) meant Robin's drive thru for tea and some local exploring at the ferry dock then some shopping. We managed to score a table at The Lobster Trap and Moore and although I can't find a link for you it is searchable. The young chef is a bit of despot (think the soup nazi on Seinfeld) but the food, wine list, setting and service were amazing and worth the gauntlet my friend had to run to reserve us seats. I had pound salad seen here above on the right and it was unusual but completely delicious. Sunday I headed back in a downpour to the city and took a friend out to celebrate her new job. She's an OHN for EMC the provincial emergency health services provider and they are lucky to have her. 

I enjoyed a lovely birthday weekend with the oldest (also birthday celeb) and youngest daughter, youngest grandson and granddaughter in a cabin in Urbania along Rte 215, it's called Shubenacadie River Rafting Resort. We had a rustic cozy two bedroom cottage with pullout sofa so all had our own space. Enjoyed lots of good food, drinks and walks to check out the facilities. There was even a daily visit from the resident golden retriever who woofed and clearly was used to treats. No problem to decide we will book a summer group excursion in the 5 bedroom chalet during extreme tides for river rafting - I will keep the little ones. The drive across country saw us making our way through Cogmagun and Burlington - spots I hadn't visited for decades. Staycations have become the norm but are not without their small pleasures. Speaking of which, and no I don't have affiliated links here, I received a shipment of lip gloss from Moody Bee which is a company in BC with free shipping and great flavours....I mean key lime pie, london fog, banana cream...what is not to like? Reasonably priced, long lasting and not greasy. Highly recommend.

We continue to deal with the fall harvest. Today I am roasting tomatoes for sauce to freeze, have researched a recipe for carrot jam (original recipe from Victorian times) and dried some herbs. Yesterday I made bread, buns and crust so we had fresh margarita pizza with the tomatoes, basil and sauce coming from the onsite garden. The gardener even pickled peppers....not my thing, but he was pleased. Lots of beans blanched and frozen, potatoes, onion and garlic drying with tomatoes, egg plants, zucchini and cucumbers still continuing. Will be sad to have to do buy the commercial stuff again. 

We took in the latest James Bond movie recently in 3D and it didn't disappoint, last one for Daniel Craig...sigh. The special effects, music and fast pace are best viewed on the big screen. The previews for Belfast look good as well. Almost felt like normal times to return to a movie theatre again, albeit a matinee with a sparse crowd. The senior discount was a nice touch too. We'll be back Cineplex. 

Yesterday, very quietly, our Canadian government removed the disclaimer from the Foreign Affairs website instructing Canadians not to travel - this means that travel insurance will be honoured now and return to the country is more straight forward. The 'do not travel on cruise ships' statement is still there, but we 'may' be edging ever so slowly towards a bit of fun in the sun by March if all goes well. On the home front, we are slowly moving towards 'living with Covid' times which will likely include mask wearing indoors, some gathering limits, proof of vaccine required, likely additional vaccines and regular testing. Sigh...whatever it takes at this point. 

The unvaccinated skeptics boggle my mind (quoting Dr Anthony Fauci) here CBC podcast....problem-science-skepticism as they feel their world getting smaller and push back. I have unfriended and blocked many who make unscientific statements, but they are able to comment on public posts. Last night as I attempted to register for the local Recreation Department craft sessions (where proof of vaccination of course is required) the nonbelievers were out in full force posting completely untrue information about deaths from vaccination etc. With your decisions come consequences and the problem with this situation is that those who chose not to vaccinate feel they should continue to live life as they usually do. Sorry, not sorry....not happening. It is exhausting to witness such stupidity and annoying as these people have never nor ever will attend the craft group. And yes I applaud the federal decision to allow only vaccinated travellers/staff on airplanes, trains and ships. On my commute to work it will feel great to know that all of us onboard are vaccinated. However, for professionals who understand research, science and should be setting an example such as healthcare employees, teachers, childcare workers etc. I am completely out of patience. As the end of November provincial deadline for full vaccination inches closer (defined as two shots and 14 days after the final one) if an employee has not already begun the process....there will be some unpaid leave scheduled. I am more concerned about the risk of unvaccinated workers with vulnerable populations than I am about staff shortages....working 'short' is not a new concept to a nurse. Sigh.

Speaking of nurses....I am heading to a local theatre production of Steel Magnolias this evening and pleased to be sharing the experience with two other retired nurses. One of life's small pleasures.  As is the library book Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy which I'm reading on my Libby app and the various crochet projects I have on the go. My assistance as plumber's apprentice....not so much. The roommate may wear Carhartts and use salty language but he is not a certified plumber, not to mention that the tradespeople you pay, clean up after themselves. There is a small leak......perhaps from the fittings on the tank? Various trips to the workshop, colourful metaphors and piles of wet towels, t-shirts, tools, fittings and trash can full of paper towel, but no plumber p. Are we gaining?

As the brief summer slips away....

It's the middle of September! This brief summer (as they usually are) is slipping  away. The weather was great in June, July was kind of iffy and August tortuous. Very high humidity....either foggy and cool or cloudy and muggy....not much sun. Pretty regular showers so not much watering required in the garden but some intense thunder and lightening storms causing local damage. This month we've been enjoying the pool even on the cool days as the heat pump makes the swim (not the wet dash) fun. Makes it tough to plan outings as the weather forecast can be....sunny, cloudy, windy, showers, fog all in one day. 

I managed a trip to the wild blueberry u-pick and purchased a box of picked berries as well and my sister-in-law gifted us a huge bowl of the high bush blueberries as she enjoys the picking but would rather not freeze them. Lots of beans and peas blanched and frozen, have pickled beets, made two batches of zucchini pickles, 13 jars of salsa and some pizza sauce, have frozen tomato jam as well as roasted tomatoes while the gentleman farmer has canned tomatoes for later sauce. We've been eating stewed tomatoes with poached eggs for breakfast and tomato sandwiches for lunch for a while and I gift produce every chance I have. When there are 51 tomato plants (yes you read that correctly) the red things are harvested by the box. This is not accounting for cucumbers, zucchinis, peppers etc. I've shredded and frozen zucchini, made filling for squares to freeze and packaged rhubarb, As I said to the resident farmer "I did not sign on for this with your newest obsession". Next year is going to be less Homesteading 101 or I'm  going to have to travel more. 

We did a day trip circling the end of the province to visit a former coworker who was having a garden party to show off the pandemic projects of pond, addition to their hippie house (the west wing) combined workshop and hooking studio and grounds. Good to see him so happy and settled as I hadn't connected in person for two years. Eclectic gathering of neighbours, retired nurses and friends. We moved along to the 'french shore' and stopped for supper at Cuisine Robicheau which has become a victim of its own success. We had a lovely table on the deck looking over St Mary's Bay and the waitress was great but....there was no rappie pie, the caesar salad dressing was weirdly sweet and the pies were from a bakery. Disappointing. A stop at Canadian Tire along the way to purchase a wood chipper (to grind up rockweed for the garden) found it to be half price...yeehaw! A splendid day.  

We also had a 'staycation' where we booked an AirBnB house outside of Berwick in the Annapolis Valley and two of the daughters with family (youngest grandkids and spouses) joined us. We started out at Oaklawn Farm Zoo which was a family fav three decades ago. It was more polished than I recalled but checking out the 1984 opening date I realized that it was pretty basic 'back in the day' and the 35+ years have included lots of additions, landscaping, signage etc. It was a sunny, breezy day and lots of critters so a good visit. There were groupings of picnic tables throughout the grounds and an annual pass of $30 would encourage it as a local destination. The youngest grandson was not the least timid and even reached in to check out the goat's horns....reminiscent of his auntie from the previous generation. We stopped at Jonny's Cookhouse and Ice Cream Shop and it was a great lunch spot which has earned its 4.8 rating...busy but efficient, good food and even an ice cream cone cutout for a family pose....what is not to like? Harbourville is a small fishing/vacation community with rustic summer homes and Bay of Fundy tides visible with the boats at the wharf. The house we rented was 'rustic' but large as a previous bed & breakfast so lots of room for the entire family with a great deck out the back. We brought lots (too much in the end) food for some great meals, got out to the lookoff at Canning (Cape Split was fogged in) and visited Luckett's Vineyard for a wine tasting and Horton Ridge Malt & Grain for a beer/cider tasting as well. We were even able to fit in a Frenchy's shop on a rainy morning. The grandkids both had checkups (already time for Violet's two month immunization!) on the day of departure and very cooperatively slept their way home on the ride. We took our time and explored some backroads, Margaretsville and finally made our way to an heirloom seed company near Middleton where the gentleman farmer had ordered seeds from last winter. Revival Seeds is a beautiful organic farm with a father/daughter management team (she having done a BBA at Acadia and organic farm certificate with Dal/NSAC). Lots of teaching, checked out the goats and chickens, toured the gardens and planned a winter order. Back across the province again with a quick stop for pool shock and we were home in time for a swim. I'm guessing that travel will be in staycations either within our province or at least eastern Canada for a while as the infection control experts are predicting that Nov/Dec of 2022 yep you read that right....next year...will be the earliest to consider international travels...sigh

I was surprised on Wednesday to get a covid screening call from the oncologist's office for a Friday checkup as I hadn't received an appointment letter. When the annual letter didn't arrive, I'd called in August and a lengthy voicemail advised that due to the pandemic they were 6 months behind in bookings, some were emergency only, one specialist was 22 months delayed, don't leave a message as it would be days before anyone returned the call. Since I was a routine checkup, I settled myself to being seen in the spring and hadn't thought of it again. When I clarified that I'd not been notified of the clinic visit so it was good the screening call came the clerk said "you'd have been a no show" and I agreed that since I wasn't clairvoyant this would be the case. And we wonder why the new premier has fired the CEO and entire board of the provincial health authority stating inefficiencies! So, Friday saw a quick run to the city, usual wait of an hour then visit with nurse, resident and finally the gyneoncologist surgeon. Since I'd reached the five year survival mark I was cleared for no further followup. As Dr Bentley said with a grin "always good to see leiomyosarcomas doing well" meaning since it is a such a rare, aggressive cancer and in my case a 36% five year survival prognosis. As I said while doing chemo "someone had to be in that 1/3 and it might as well be me". A great feeling to be 'beating the odds' every day. And most certainly relieved to not be undergoing treatments in a pandemic!

Half Moons lighthouse

Blanche 

The labour day weekend was for visiting and our city kids and grandson came to stay. Since our son in law has finally gotten his drivers license and insurance he is able to chauffeur the family which makes the commute less stressful.  He was instructed in the finer points of ride on lawnmower, whippersnipper, tree cutting and rope splicing...gotta keep him busy. We enjoyed the pool, had a BBQ with four generations, managed a boat trip out to a local lighthouse which I have wanted to visit for decades after looking at it out the window....cannot imagine raising a family there...and a visit from a colleague, her son and pups who were on a hiking tour, lots of great meals and roasted marshmallows. The change in the air to fall is....disconcerting. I am one who clings to the summer weather, not eagerly anticipating fall...sigh. The pool days are likely numbered as the leaves are beginning to change colour. Need to create a new pumpkin hat for the youngest grandson as he passed on the original cap to his cousin. Soon time to think about Hallowe'en costumes....

Tuesday saw our oldest grandson head off to grade six and our oldest granddaughter begin grade primary. The pre-primary year had prepared her for the bus and school routine so a smooth transition into the french immersion program. Her 5th birthday was Friday so we headed down for a small family celebration of pizza and cake with the cousins. 

I had given some thought to trying on a short (two week) public health contract the first couple of weeks of October but the logistics weren't manageable. I've got an appointment October 20th which I need to keep and I'm unsure of the screening questions re: out of province travel as well as the hassles of flight connections. The airlines are scheduling flights without sufficient staff called back and so there are many cancellations, missed connections, long layovers and....flying through Alberta is a real hassle with their complete lack of public health restrictions thus widespread outbreaks and multiple exposures noted on flights. I guess since I'm still looking forward to/planning contracts I'm not really in retirement mode yet despite the government sending me a cheque next month. 

Nova Scotia is heading to Step 5 of our pandemic plan on September 15th as we're reaching our 75% of population fully vaccinated. This will mean no gathering limits and optional (but encouraged) use of masks. The introduction of a provincial vaccine policy requiring proof of full vaccination for entry to restaurants, bars, movies, performances, arenas, fitness centres etc. has stirred up (from the vocal minority) a backlash referencing fearmongering, conspiracy theories, denial of charter rights and freedoms, and even nazis etc. Spelling and grammar deficits let alone lack of comprehension of science obvious in the social media posts. I have been 'defriending' with abandon. Seriously people....what would you do if you have actually faced a serious health challenge such as a battle with a cancer or a grandchild with a life threatening illness? Get a grip! Sadly there are a good number of parents included in this lot...some with children who are at risk... for example a type 1 diabetic...common sense is not all that common. I am most annoyed at the lack of respect for healthcare professionals who are struggling at work with shortages and increased workload yet have to listen to this crap. Lots of anger lately directed towards the new conservative premier who was expected to deny the vaccine passport but he has become decidedly more mainstream post election. Glad he's holding tough. 

Friends and Fiction by the fire

Have been working through some good reads this summer, a number have been sourced from the Friends and Fiction webcasts, Writers Block podcast or the FB page for Friends and Fiction. The Wednesday night webcast is always on YouTube which is better to replay at leisure. The podcast lends itself to mindless domestic chores. Recent reads include We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (reminded me of This Tender Land by Kent Kruger - both excellent) American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (well written but tough read) Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult (had resisted this author after an earlier bestseller turned me off but this one is great), The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (really good) No Relation by Terry Fallis (never disappoints) Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (bit of a struggle but finished it), The Guncle by Steven Rowley (LOL and highly recommend) The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister (managed to finish but not my fav). I've just finished The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull (great historical fiction of the 30s) and am starting The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict. Have restrained myself from putting more holds on library titles as my downloaded list is growing.....

Well, time to start making a locally (from the yard) sourced supper of veggies, fish and apple crisp from the tree out front. Stay safe and well!

What it's July already?

As I reviewed my last post I realized....it's already July. And not the first week of either. The past few weeks have really sped by. June was warm and sunny and great days spent by the pool but July not so much. It's been cool, foggy, rainy, windy, humid...you name it. Hard to plan any outdoor leisure activities. 

This week I provided some crochet classes for a student who quickly picked up the craft. We agreed that crocheting is fast and interesting enough to keep our interest. We have arranged for a followup session after some self study as there is pattern reading and more to be conquered. At present I am working my way through a sofa for the cats....they are spoiled kitties. 

I also spent some time with our newest (fifth) grandchild.....a second granddaughter Violet Glee whoarrived June 29th weighing 6lb 50z. She's petite as her mother with the same big eyes and lots of hair, a good eater and sleeper as she was. She's gaining well and getting more alert daily, a great snuggler. I did the math and realized the last four grandchildren are approximately the ages of our four kids....four in four and a half years. As the latest mother said "that's just crazy!" and she's right - how did we ever do it? It's amazing how the fifth grandbaby is as exciting as the previous four. 

The toddler grandson (after a couple of hospitalizations in June with increased liver enzymes, liver biopsy showing inflamed liver requiring IV steroids then the following week a fever) now continues to be a chubby, cheerful, busy boy who is almost walking. He has been cutting teeth in multiples and now has back to his molars through. Toddlers are fun but....busy! As Cubans say...he is a terremoto (literal translation earthquake). 

Since our public health restrictions have been eased into level 4....I've been enjoying Frenchy's shopping for the grandkids and have been expanding their wardrobes nicely. This is a good time of year to buy snowsuits for the school aged and tights with ruffled bum for the baby because when you want them in the winter, there won't be any. I stopped in two stores on my way to the city last week and the cultural differences were large. In Liverpool, I was offered a large reusable shopping bag (our province no longer allows plastic bags with purchases) for my order and someone held the door for me. In Bridgewater I struggled with an armful of purchases (can never remember my reusable bag) and outside the exit, dropped several balls of yarn which I'd bought to crochet hats for the shelter. By the time I stuffed my goodies in the trunk of my car and retraced my steps.....the yarn had disappeared. To whoever felt the need to take two 75 cent balls of yarn....I hope you enjoy them! 

Knowing when it's time to retire is something that many people (including all my other nursing school classmates) tell me is something you 'just know'. I'm guessing that I'm 'not there' yet as I am still looking forward to northern contracts. I had originally thought of heading up this fall as it's more fun to deal with early arctic winter (comparable to east coast regular winter) than the real deal but....have some plans to hang out with the grandkids and am still getting my head wrapped around all the shenanigans from last winter. I miss the north, feel as if I still have something to offer and would like to experience at least one more beautiful arctic community before the old age pension makes wage earning a tax grab. Although I've applied for various pandemic related gigs - PHAC, NS Health, NS Pharmacists, Red Cross etc. for screening or immunization centres - several inquiries but no bites. That's fine with me but....don't whine about nursing shortages, reassignment of staff, workload pressures etc when you're really just disclosing that the healthcare system is a mess due to total inability to organize itself. The pandemic has simply accentuated a decades old problem - if you treat nurses badly they will leave, they have options. The staffing agencies have a 20K bonus for any Nunavut contract between July 21 to Aug 31 this year. This is in addition to the already high wages and bonuses. With no requirement to isolate inter provincially or territorially now there should be a better uptake but....the flights are still reduced and travel is a hassle....so many reasons to not be a travel nurse....

I hesitated earlier and....the dates in the community I was looking at disappeared because the new Government of Nunavut rule is that GN casuals are given 72 hours and then the post goes to agency. So,when the winter list was distributed this week, it didn't take me long to give availability for six weeks in January/February doing Public Health in Arctic Bay. PH means mostly office work vs Homecare which is home visits in the dark at - 56c with questionable vehicles so an easy decision. When I offered my dates the Executive Director asked if I'd done Public Health or only Homecare with them in Baffin, stating if not PH, then I'd need to do an interview. I quickly educated him that I'd done PH in Clyde River and had recently done PH in Kitikmeot. Bear in mind that after 72 hours this post is being turned over to an agency who may provide a nurse with very limited PH experience....sigh....you know the government rule - always treat your casuals worse than the agency you're paying double. He blinked first so I'm in the schedule for January 5 to February 18 with the option to extend if international travel isn't an option. If I can't go somewhere warm this year, I might as well earn some cash and once you are settled in your northern spot, it's easier to stay that return. 

The end goal is for a March Break family vacation to Cuba which will involve the toddler grandson meeting his Cuban family. Whether this will be possible with the pandemic (Cuba is currently experiencing a surge with schools being turned into isolation hospitals, university students providing services, healthcare professionals being recalled from other countries etc) in part due to the lack of syringes and supplies to make the vaccines they have developed. A 60+ year old blockade by the USA is not helping their current situation. There is widespread unrest in the country, driven in part by ex-pats who are funding vandalism and violence in Cuba. Each news article I view, or each chat with a Cuban friend,  causes me to feel my March vacation becoming less of a reality and of course to worry about the friends/family there. 

We are in the final planning stages for a pig roast on the weekend. The local farmer who provides the pig was texting as to dimensions as our mechanical grill is less than 6 ft long and we can usually handle about a 60 lb pig. The shore captain texted (thinking it was funny) that a 54 inch pig would be fine and the immediate reply was "are you sure about the size? a 54 in pig would weigh about 200 lbs?" Mister quickly recanted. As I said to him.....you may be a gardener but you clearly aren't a farmer yet. Our Cuban son in law will be an asset to assist with the roasting but as he said....a machine to turn your pig...it isn't so hard. Agreed we are spoiled. Fingers crossed for no precipitation. Plan B with rain/wind is to clean out all the 'toys' from the storage shipping container and roast the pig inside. We are at the mercy of the weather as per usual. 

The oldest grandson is here for the week while attending day camp. Due to pandemic restrictions the sessions are divided into morning or afternoon groups so a chance to sleep in for the houseguest. Soon time to make the blueberry waffles I promised for breakfast. Stay safe and make sure you're fully vaccinated. 

Third Time's a Charm

As I type this update, in our province we are currently involved in a 'circuit breaker' lockdown for the third wave of the pandemic. Today the province announced one death and 64 new cases (stats which in some provinces/countries would be envied) with 975 active cases of which 74 are patients in hospital, 21 in ICU. Although we have administered almost half a million doses of vaccine, there is community spread in both of our cities, schools and all non essential services are closed and movement is restricted to own municipality. We've been here before and know what to expect...but there is a bit of unquietness about it as well as despair. When restrictions were imposed three weeks ago, it was familiar territory and we slipped back into the less frequent essential only grocery runs, no personal appointments for haircuts or esthetician and household entertainment of reading, watching the waterfowl and wildlife in front of us, Netflix, crafts and gardening...who are we kidding? Decision is not by pandemic but age and rural location. To prioritize what I miss it would be:

1. Seeing the grandkids

2. Shopping at Frenchy's

3. Haircut/esthetician appointment

Clearly I write from a position of privilege as evidenced from my sunset watching photo.

Cheers from the beach house

I do not have to put myself at risk to work a minimum wage frontline retail job. In fact, I'm not struggling as an RN in the pandemic trenches where redeployment is routine, exhaustion is the descriptor and another summer looms without relief of the workload. Although I haven't heard a peep from the provincial health authority (their dysfunction a reminder of the reason I haven't worked in my home province for nine years) there are frequent pleas from northern territories begging for staff. I have no plans to give up whatever summer we manage to eke out here and the closest I come to planning is perhaps contemplating a fall contract in Nunavut.... have always wanted to see Arctic Bay. With my 'pension birthday' being celebrated in September, the focus changes to work as recreation vs monetary gain...I'm not volunteering yet, but do I really want to return most of my additional salary in income tax? Not regularly. And then there is the dilemma of becoming a plague pilgrim as rotational workers returning to the province have come to be seen despite being PCR tested three times and doing a modified 14 day self isolation. This in addition to applying for entrance to the northern territories, the 'unfun' travel required to get there (limited flights so more and longer layovers, food services not available in airports or hotels) and self isolation required upon northern arrival. First world problems. Like the social media post where a lady stated she was looking forward to eating supper with someone other than her husband. No comment. Even if the one in this house barbecued the ribs last night to go with the potato salad I'd made. The supper entertainment was a virtual tour of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, at the link below:

heygo.com

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

I've already enjoyed Machu Picchu, Warwick and Matlock Bath UK, Dubrovnik, and a national park near Nairobi as well as a community development slum tour there in the past few weeks. It's odd to be visiting some (previously) usually busy tourist spots which are now deserted. Makes for good viewing but a contrast with 'over tourism' of the past and has changed outcomes. For example...prepandemic the Sagrada Familia collected 50 million euros annually in entrance fees and thus construction which was slated for completion in 2026 is now unknown. The tours are available in French, Spanish, German and Portugese as well and cover a wide range of topics. They're a bit more interesting than just watching a travel show and thinking....when will we ever be able to travel? 

Although in our province, we are vaccinating at a rate of over 20,000 per day and the vaccine supply is assured so we're on track for our second shot, this is going to take time.  We're booked for our second dose in  mid August, although there is some discussion of moving the date slightly forward. The national goal is 75% of us to have had our first dose before we open our borders and we're now at 50%. At present, leaving/returning to Canada is complicated, involving testing within 72 hours, vaccination certification, quarantine hotels and 14 day self isolation. This is in addition to perhaps finding yourself in a foreign country when the epidemiology changes and borders close stranding you in quarantine of their arrangement, inability to access many areas/services, the scarcity and increased cost of flights, additional screening measures, need to wear a mask for extended periods and increased risk of becoming exposed to the virus while traveling. For over a year there has been a complete lack of travel insurance due to the travel advisory on Canada's Foreign Affairs website advising against all non essential travel outside of Canada as well as avoiding all cruise ship travel outside of Canada. The greatest wild card in this game....variants of the virus. At present the vaccines are effective, but this doesn't dismiss a  future need for boosters, different vaccines etc. Both Air Canada and Air Transaat have (with government bailout) refunded our return flights from over a year ago and WestJet has extended the expiry of companion vouchers so clearly the airline understand this is lengthy. In the meantime....the pool guy is cleaning out the winter's organic leavings and soon we shall enjoy water therapy. 

I've been 'shopping my stash' and have done a couple of shawls which were well received. Just finished a baby bear hat for a neighbour's first grandchild due in September. The main ongoing project is a bedspread for the middle grandson which will go on his 'big boy' bed when he moves over from the crib. It's a simple V stitch repeat so I'm able to enjoy movies or webcasts without counting or paying attention to a pattern. It's growing so not a portable project but that's less of an issue in lockdown anyway. I have plans to do a cat couch - which will likely result in three of them as these felines don't share well and multiple balls of scrap to make into a big basket. We shall see. 

I've been enjoying the Friends and Fiction sessions and have found a list of new authors to read. Have sampled books from four of the original five writers and although they're all quite different, all good. I've just finished The Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel in two days using the Libby app from my library to download the ebook and that meant no housework then a big ugly cry during the day... yes, it was that good. My library holds continue to arrive randomly, the symbol on the edge of my phone screen scheduling the order of consumption of my TBR (to be read) list as well as the temptation of those daily email free offers on BookBub, Freebooksy, The Fussy Librarian and sometimes Bargain Booksy.  Life in the slow lane requires a good read or twenty. Although I've amassed a collection of audiobooks I've chosen to reserve those for boring household jobs such as cleaning out my closet (done and not much work if you haven't worn 'going out' clothes for over a year) or enjoying the sun on the deck where bright sunlight on the screen interferes with ebooks. I encouraged the shore captain/gentleman farmer to enjoy a collection of lectures on Vikings and gifted him the series on Chirp. He is now enjoying a wine region series while he transplants his zucchini. Better to be educated than bored.  

Podcasts (mostly audio, but a few video) are my friend whether it be Daily Ted Talks, CBC Listen, or just subscribed channels for crafts. And as strange as it sounds to say listening/watching a crocheting podcast is satisfying...crochet being a tactile activity....there are all sorts of new yarns, accessories and techniques shared. Lots of ways to enhance your cro-jo as in crochet motivation. I've offered crochet lessons to a friend but that in person activity shall have to wait for in person visiting. 

The walk to the mailbox is about half an hour and the weather has been mostly sunny with a bit of breeze to keep the bugs away so there's a daily outing. Lots of wildlife to see along the route with deer, bunnies, porcupine and neighbours dogs...thankfully no bears, although there have been local sitings. Very little traffic with the travel restrictions and lots of memories of walks over the past 35 years with various combinations of offspring/grandkids. 

The in house garden has been yielding greens for about a month, we've had our first early zucchini and I used the dehydrator to dry a batch of oregano already. Lots of healthy looking plants in the two greenhouses and the compound (which has so far excluded the deer) is planted with potatoes and more. When the resident farmer was complaining that the garden was getting to be 'almost like work' I reminded him that if he wasn't continually expanding his grow op as fiercely as if he were Amazon or Microsoft it would be less onerous. I convinced him to give some transplants to his sister because the more you have, the more you have to freeze/can/dry/find a place to store and we're still working our way through last year's bounty. 

The long weekend is usually the beginning of camping/cottage season but mid June is the target now for our six week restrictions. The projects list is lengthy...let's see what a dent I can put it in before then. 

Exceeding Expectations!

Isn't that a great title for a post? The fact that it's completely accurate makes my heart sing. Now for the transplant back story:

The donor daughter and I traveled to Toronto without incident. I elected to not inform her prior to our flight that it was the newly reintroduced 737 Max8. Apparently Air Canada has opted for less flights and more capacity in their scheduling, although the midday direct flight was approximately half full with the majority of passengers appearing to be 'transitional workers' headed out west. We accessed an Uber and Habeeb regaled us with stories of his impressions of Canada vs Pakistan then deposited us at Skyview Rentals. We organized the details and headed next door to our penthouse apartment. With only a small amount of clothes (ensuite laundry) we were soon set up and an Instacart order underway. This is a service (one of many springing up) where a personal shopper selects for you from various stores (Loblaws, Costco, Shoppers Drugs, Walmart, Staples, Bulk Barn, Indigo, Mastermind Toys and various other markets) then delivers to your door. Of course the service is only as good as the shopper, but it was smoother than my experience in Ottawa last spring. Usually it's new Canadians shopping who are great at selecting fruit and veggies - especially plantains, avocados, and bananas (although one professional couple in business attire and upscale car dropped off our order after work - assume one of them did household shopping and the other ours) and all their 5star ratings were well earned. In less than an hour from hitting send on the app the groceries were in the cupboard - I can't drive to and fro the grocery store in that time, let alone negotiate the aisles. We also indulged in some baby toys to amuse Juan as he recovered and a 1500 piece puzzle for adults from Mastermind Toys. A definite perk of urban living. We availed ourselves of a DoorDash supper delivered by bike and considered ourselves settled in. 

The first ten days passed quickly as we caught up on Netflix series - Superstore and Schitts Creek in their entirety. Slept in. Baked (me) and attended appointments (she) with various podcasts and news conferences to keep current. Read good books - the library doesn't care where you're physically located to download - this past month I've read Winter Garden, This Tender Land, One Ocean Boulevard, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Becoming Mrs Lewis, Where the Crawdads Sing, and am now making my way through Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine. I crocheted a poncho for the donor daughter (easier than a jacket post op) and a shawl for the expectant daughter at home. I also managed to complete a summer top for myself (was supposed to be long sleeved and just managed to squeak out a tank top....who calculates those yardages in patterns and on ball bands anyway? And speaking of crochet:

Here's a great story about Kamala Harris, Vice President of the USA (I've downloaded her autobiography but not read it yet) I am already a fan - articulate, educated woman  with Canadian relatives, and of course "I'm speaking" but to find out that she is a crocheter? That just knocks it out of the park!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/kamala-harris-crochet-dc/2021/04/12/7237cd06-8e6b-11eb-9423-04079921c915_story.html

After the first week, we also relocated from our 16th floor apartment to one on the 12th due to a roof top leak requiring remediation. Thankfully this happened pre-op and we were able to smoothly transition. The condo was lovely with lots of space, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a pullout sofa, two balconies with pigeons included but a sunny spot to read in, fully equipped with appliances and everything for daily living (and of course I travel with my pastry blender, whisk and spatula as I am a transient apartment pro). I was a particular fan of the garbage chute just steps from the door. We also had an 'incident' in the second apartment where we were awakened by security at midnight asking to inspect because the apartment below had water dripping through the ceiling. I was not impressed and stated my displeasure as the grandson was in Sick Kids and with this imposition I was afraid they were trying to reach us. After a tour of both bathrooms - nothing to see here - security apologized and left talking on the phone. Didn't hear anything else about it. A few days later a letter from the rental agency stated that property management advised there'd been a leak and we were to ensure shower curtains were inside the tub. I quickly phoned SkyView Suites (fearing the damage deposit might be jeopardized) to state that 1) there was no water running in our apartment as we'd been awakened from a deep sleep 2) there are no shower curtains, there are shower doors in this apartment 3) we had already cooperatively relocated to another unit after water leakage on the roof so there are building issues. An apology and promise of note to the file with call to property management was made. As my daughter stated "Mom they don't know how polite you were because they're not Eastlink". Zackly. 

The grandson and his parents joined us on day 10 as he had pre-op appointments as well and we got to spend some time together before the March 18th date. At one point he woke at 10 pm to watch the rental movie with the adults as he felt he was missing out. So good to be a baby and not realize what was ongoing - only the grownups worrying. 

His mother took him over to Sick Kids and he was admitted on Wednesday, then 5:30 am Thursday the remaining three of us walked over to Toronto General and Sick Kids Hospitals respectively. I accompanied my daughter to the pre-op admission and relocated to the waiting room. I have put in some long shifts over my 45 year nursing career but the 12 hours I spent waiting for my daughter and grandson to return from the OR post transplant sure beat even waiting for a medevac in a blizzard with a critically ill patient. The transplant process is....adult surgical team at Toronto General begin procedure with donor and only after confirming the liver is acceptable does the baby go to the OR in Sick Kids. Apparently 2-3% of surgeries aren't completed even at this stage. The pediatric surgical team at SickKids begins the procedure with the baby and remove the diseased liver. A second pediatric surgical team assists then heads over through the tunnel to Toronto General and receives the left lobe from the donor (about 25% of an adult liver) and returns to transplant it in the baby. The adult surgeon leaves the team to close and goes to Sick Kids to assist with the completion of the pediatric OR. A very tightly choreographed performance. By late afternoon the surgeon stopped to tell me how pleased he was with my daughter's OR and that things were going well with the baby as well. A few hours later I was able to visit my daughter in MICU (step down unit) and we were elated to hear from her sister that the baby would be out of OR shortly. I stayed until a photo of him sleeping (without being intubated even) arrived from his mother who had been told by the surgeon they were very pleased with the transplant. You know what that feeling was like? We won the lottery!!!! 

The next day both donor and recipient had ultrasounds and all was well and liver enzymes quickly returning to normal for the baby. I was able to visit the daughter three times as she was in MICU for three days due to no available bed on the floor - there were six liver transplants done that week - but no access after transferring to the floor. Nausea was her biggest hurdle (thankfully she'd never had hyperemesis gravidarum so no practice) but she was discharged on day six and we strolled the 10 minute walk back to the apartment. The parents had devised a system of shifts where Mom did 12 hour day shifts and Dad did nights as only one parent at a time was allowed in hospital. The baby made a miraculous recovery, was well ahead of anticipated goals and quickly required lots of entertainment. At one point he refused to get in the crib for exams - who could blame him? I was the logistics coordinator keeping the home fires burning with meals, laundry and cleaning. When the post op daughter returned I added private duty nursing to my job description. It was a team effort. 

The post op daughter had a surgical appointment for clearance the next Tuesday and I booked flights for Wednesday after she was given the green light - using a companion fare and travel bank which would be expiring anyway. On the final days in hospital the baby was allowed to be out an about in the stroller so we got to visit with him as his mother brought him out. It was wonderful to hold him and see him so well, not jaundiced, happy and active. The day after we departed the family got to return to the apartment with only daily homecare nurse visits for IV medication through his PICC line. Unfortunately being out of province the tubing, nursing visits and meds are charged with insurance only picking up some of the costs. It will all be settled with a return home as covered here. They are hoping (blood work results dependent) to be home between Thursday and Saturday. 

Maternity leave is ending May 1st for the oldest daughter and she received her laptop / cell phone from work as head office is in Toronto. A new tertiary hospital (very overdue) to replace the ancient/decrepit/fragmented one at present is in the planning stages and her company is establishing a Nova Scotia office. There is long term job security with a number of projects in the wings. Things are starting to come together for them now with the move to NS, well baby and job here. 

I did have an email from NS Health about casual work for vaccination clinics but it was while I was in Toronto doing family nursing so I advised I be in touch when available. Have emailed but not further response...oh well. The weather is starting to improve here with warmer temperatures and sunny days...they'd be wise to make haste when dealing with an old nurse, especially one who is seriously looking at retirement vs just planning it. And especially one looking forward to her super hero grandson's first birthday party. 

This morning I had another swab for Covid as it was day 12 after returning home. The most recent change in PH protocol is the provincial recommendation to test on day 1 or 2 and day 12, 13 or 14 after entering NS in addition to the 14 day self isolation requirement for all out of province travel. We were granted an exemption as traveling for medical but decided to test as downtown Toronto is the epicentre of all things pandemic, especially as it relates to the new, more virulent variants of the virus. Gives me a chance to catch up with former coworkers. As a rotational worker I'm mandated to do tests on day 1 or 2, 6,7, or 8 and 12, 13 or 14 and maintain a 'modified self isolation' for 14 days....meaning only walks and drives, no visiting or having visitors, drive through or pickup only and family are allowed to conduct their usual routines. Although there are a variety of rules, they are intended to fit the risk and are surely working at keeping us safe. With single digit daily positive cases and a case count of 46 our province is seen globally as a bright spot. This has led to a real estate boom where many local properties (many previously on the market for extended periods) are being purchased after only being viewed online by out of province buyers (often from central and western Canada) and frequently for above listed price. The ability to work from home (now that high speed internet has arrived) allows for geographic mobility and increased quality of life. 

So to conclude....life is good. It's a breezy but sunny April day and the cats are snoozing and shedding on various pieces of furniture. The shore captain is puttering about readying his gardens and greenhouse and it's a lovely day to walk to the mailbox. Lots of waterfowl this spring with shell ducks (mergansers) and sea ducks (eiders) loons, shags (cormorants) and geese coming by for visits. The local lobster season (which finishes the end of May) is continuing with record high prices. One of the local boats hauls traps across the harbour in front of us a as the gulls wheel overhead squawking. Ahhhhh

Mergansers in the  morning

Spring lobstering

Is it March already? Hello 2021

Lots going on...as you might have already suspected by my silence since before the holidays. Here goes the update:

December was a busy month of preparation for the holidays, packing for my northern contract, applying for permission from the Nunavut medical officer of health to travel in, and seeing the grandchildren as much as pandemic restrictions allowed. We modified our usual festivities to include a Christmas Eve day trip to the city bearing seafood chowder, rolls and cheesecake. Visited the youngest grandson celebrating his first Christmas and his parents where we opened our gifts, then on to the suburbs to repeat the menu and to see the middle grandkids who at two and four years old were pretty excited. Home late after a full day. Christmas Day was eggs benedict for brunch and making creamed lobster to take to supper at the nurse daughter's. We picked up the oldest grandson and made our way to the first Christmas celebrated in the youngest daughter's new home on the lake. Had a lovely turkey and lobster supper and with dessert were handed a card which read "congratulations you're going to be grandparent's for the fifth time". What a lovely surprise! As the stores weren't open I didn't even have time to pick up some yarn for a baby afghan as I've done the other grandkid's while on northern contracts. Boxing Day was spent de-Christmasing the house and packing away decorations so they weren't looking at me in February. In addition I made sure to secure any of the livingroom collectibles that matter to me in the spare bedroom as the floor replacement plan would mean a total disruption. 

December 27th arrived sunny and clear for my drive to the city where I left my car in the oldest daughter's apartment parking lot which instructions for my son-in-law (standard savvy) to start and drive it around the lot a couple of times a week to ensure that it would start when I retrieved it. I know he did as I found it with the heater/blower set on high and a Cuban music CD bumping out the tunes when I tuned the key :) Daughter and family dropped me at the airport and a quick kiss for the grandson and I dragged my bags in.

The Air Canada check-in was quick and painless, temperature check and security screening where I had a quick chat with an employee who is the daughter of a nursing school classmate and on to the gate. First time I've eaten my booster juice and grilled cheese sandwich in the bathroom stall - only solo place to take your mask off to eat now. Off to Toronto and a short wait, then on to Edmonton with no inflight service except being handed a bottle of water, shuttle over to the Fairfield Inn and Skip the Dishes for supper from Vietnamese Paradise....yum. A good sleep, early wakeup, breakfast bag from the hotel and shuttle over to the airport. Check in with Canadian North and shortly off across the tarmac to the Air Summit plane with the same lack of inflight service...ahh flying in a pandemic. In to Yellowknife to await Canadian North. Upon departure I was the only passenger (and yes I did feel like a rock star on my private jet) and after a mechanical delay for 'fumes' we were off. Weather deteriorated in Kugaaruk while we were enroute so we diverted directly to Taloyoak and I arrived a bit earlier than scheduled without the stop. The airport was renovated in the 6.5 years I'd been away but there were lots of familiar employee faces. 

I called the nurse on call and she dispatched the LPN to retrieve me. I had never been inside the 'new' health centre or apartments so spent the first few weeks orientating myself to the physical layout. Couldn't leave the health centre/apartments the first 14 days due to the required self isolation plan. The staffing situation was really tight as my former jobshare partner and another nurse had been reassigned to Gjoa Haven for the holidays leaving only the SHP (nurse in charge) and two inexperienced CHNs. Thus I was convinced to augment the schedule with second on call shifts for CHN, something I haven't done for a couple of years. The health centre was operating on emergency services over the holidays and with the pandemic precautions resulting in drastically reduced viral illnesses the workload was much lighter than I recalled, a good thing with the staff shortage. Took a while to get my head around the well child immunization program, covid swabbing, contact tracing and followup, planning for pandemic mass vaccination campaign, STI program etc plus changes to clinic visits. I enjoyed reconnecting with the community and meeting those under age seven who had arrived in my absence. Hadn't completely lost my touch with the CHN skills. New Years Eve was a wonderful fireworks display, the babies were still as beautiful and the people as welcoming as always. The COOP even had a new produce manager and there were lovely medjool dates cheaper than in NS! There wasn't much snow this year but it was chilly - the day I exited it was -61c but what do you expect for Nunavut in February?

There had been a lot of changes since I'd last worked in this community, meaning the only staff (aside from my former jobshare partner) who I knew were the support staff. Things weren't as before and my (previously I believed good friend is now....not) but...life goes on. The short story for my six week contract is....the interpersonal situation was pretty tense, I have never been involved as a witness for the College of Nursing or management for so many events in such a short time in my entire 45 year career and...I'm not planning on repeating that any time soon! In fact, for the very first time I left a contract 10 days early as I was really concerned for my license and although I'm 64 and not looking at working much longer, I will go out on my own terms and at my own time. It was the right decision. Upon return to my home province I opted for the free four month conditional RN license (with option for employer to extend another four months) as there is a push to return retired/rotational nurses to the workforce. Within 24 hours I received approval for my conditional license which will be activated upon a job offer. I've signed up and have been receiving emails from the health authority but no casual offer yet. I'm in no hurry as I won't be available until April but a covid screening or vaccination clinic gig would suit. Or not...summer is coming at some point and the government will send me another cheque after my birthday. This autumn is the earliest (and perhaps final) time I can do a northern contract. Retirement planning meets reality. 

 As a rotational worker I was required to do a modified self isolation (meaning others in the household didn't have to isolate, only me) of 14 days while checking in online daily and be swabbed on day 1 or 2, then again on day 6,7 or 8. My tests were negative but a registration clerk error on my email address (which is how a negative test is shared with the recipient) meant I received a call on day 4 from someone who identified himself as being from 'the Dept of Justice' without indicating which province stating I hadn't had my first test. After the debacle I'd just escaped from, this caused me to have a brief panic attack before I clarified the situation. Good to know the province is checking. 

And yes to confirm....the living room floor was replaced so there's one flat surface throughout now. Lots of other projects done by the shore captain as well in my absence. I've had two weeks off 'house arrest' as I've prepared for the trip to Toronto and grandson's liver transplant as our second daughter was approved as a donor (pending final tests). It is getting to be time as he's taking nine meds in the morning alone and has had problems with fluid retention and low albumin so received two transfusions to boost his levels, low potassium so is taking additional amounts and eating two bananas per day, having reflux etc. He's a good baby and developing well, although his large belly interferes with crawling. He has gained weight and is taller so a better candidate for the surgery now. We've gotten a few visits in with him as it'll be a while before we can be together physically again.  

The nurse daughter (who is due end of June) went through uncertain times this past few weeks as an unclear ultrasound meant further testing and finally an amniocentesis followed by anxious waiting. Thrilled to receive the all clear yesterday. Whew. 

Tomorrow is a fly day as the teacher daughter and myself head to Toronto for 14 days of self isolation and additional pre-op testing for the donor daughter. Ironic as we have very low case counts here heading towards much higher but...whatever it takes. Resource navigation (through a charity) have facilitated a two bedroom apartment about 10 minutes walk from Sick Kids. The grandbaby and parents will fly up just before the mid month planned transplant. MSI covers the flights/accommodation for the parents and the David Foster Foundation (yes the musician) assists with costs as well. I will be able to take the donor daughter over to the Toronto General Hospital on OR day, wait for updates and speak to the surgeon following, then visit her in the MICU (step down unit) that first day. No further hospital visiting during her expected five day stay, but I will be able to pick her up upon discharge and can be the private duty nurse while she recovers. After she obtains clearance from the surgeon, we'll fly back to our province and self isolate another 14 days. This time no modified routine, we'll have to be in a separate spot. Fortunately for us, the son-in-law's grandparent's house is empty and available to us. So if all goes well, we'll be free by mid April. The baby and parents have been told to expect to spend between five and eight weeks in Toronto as he'll be in Sick Kids longer and have some time in the Toronto apartment before heading home. 

Checked in, my ebooks loaded and my backpack is stuffed with yarn projects. Only positive thoughts as we move along this journey. So very grateful for the expertise and technology that allows this chance for a special baby. Will update when able....