Y is for Year 2014

Happy New Year everyone!  I thought really hard about what to write this week and after reading an article in our Vancouver Sun newspaper, I thought I'd share some "Canadianisms" that leave other English speakers confused.

1. Mickey - I think most Americans would think of "Mickey Mouse" or a particular date rape drug, but you're wrong!  In Canada, a mickey is a 375-mL bottle of liquor.  It's quite common to say, "Let's pick up a mickey on our way to the party."  Other liquor-related "isms are "two four" (a case of 24 beer), "twenty-sixer" (a 750 mL bottle of liquor), and "forty-pounder" (a 1.14 litre bottle of liquor).






2. Toque - Canadians wear toques for half the year (well, not in my little corner of Lotusland).  They're knitted caps. By the way, it's pronounced "tooook."





 3. Freezies - These are popsicles that come in a plastic sleeve.  Kids everywhere in Canada beg for freezies all summer long.  Moms buy them in cases and store them in their garage freezers.

 4. Pablum - This is a food product made of a mixture of bone meal, corn meal, vitamins and grains that you mix with warm water to feed babies.  (Of course, one could also use "Pablum" to refer to Justin Trudeau's speeches as he tries to garner support for the federal Liberal party but that's another story.)







5. Parkade - In the United States, these are called parking garages or parking decks.  They are multi-storied areas in downtown - where you park your car so you can shop at the adjoining mall.

 6.  Pencil Crayons - Americans call these "coloured pencils" and the British call the "colouring pencils." It's possible the term came from the French "crayon de couleur."

7. Robertson screwdriver - This screwdriver was invented by P.L. Robertson (from Ontario) and is superior to its Phillips-head cousins.  Only 16% of Commonwealth people and 5% of Americans recognized the name.




 8. Hooped - 54% of Canadians use this term to mean "broken" or "useless" as in if your car's engine is seized, the car's hooped.  This is purely a western Canadian expression.

With that, you start out the New Year with a bit more trivia to add to your repertoire.  Hope everyone has a wonderful 2014.

Thanks to Denise, Roger and the entire team at ABC Wednesday for their hard work and support.

X is for XMAS

A repeat post from December 22, 2012:
 
We who post at ABC Wednesday are lovers of the alphabet, and we are sometimes fascinated by the flexibility of the letter X.  It can be used to represent the sacred, the profane (X-rated), and the unknown (X-ray).

How many of you have ever wondered why "XMAS" is used as a short form for the word ''CHRISTMAS"?  How many of you really know the reason.  Have you ever heard the saying "Jesus is the reason for the season"?

The history of the word "Xmas" is actually quite respectable and predates by centuries its use in gaudy advertisements.   X is the Greek letter "chi", the first letter in the word Χριστός.  And here's the kicker - Χριστός means "Christ."  Using the letter X to represent Christ, known as a "christogram," has been an accepted representation of Christ for hundreds of years. 

So, in order to fulfill my promise of a short post this week, may I wish you all MERRY XMAS!  The following is not a slideshow, just a Xmas card to you all....but do turn up your sound if you enjoy the song "O Holy Night." 

W is for WALKING

How many of you have ever thought about the act of walking?  We certainly take it for granted once we learn to walk by around one year of age.  But...take away the ability and how would you feel?

As most of my regular readers know, I broke my ankle mid-September and was in a freakishly stylish boot that I nicknamed Frank (short for Frankenstein) for seven weeks!  Also, for those of you who have followed me for years now, do you recall my back operation when my spine was fused in three spots and seven pins were drilled in to keep everything in place?  Now - picture me with this boot that raises me about 4 inches higher on one side and you'll know why I called the boot Frank....well, maybe it should have been Igor....but I digress.

A week after breaking my ankle (in two places, by the way) I had to see an orthopedic surgeon who would check to see if I needed to have an operation to pin it together.  When we arrived at the hospital, Lorne got me into a wheelchair because I was not to put any weight on the foot yet.  As a result, it had been h...e...double hockey sticks all week as I tried to hop to and from the most important room of the house.  My back was already killing me along with the pain in my ankle. 

Luckily, I didn't need surgery and I could start to put a bit of weight on the foot as long as I wore the boot.  And I didn't have to wear it to bed anymore, either.  So that was a big relief.  However, after moving around in the house with one foot 4 inches higher than the other, my hip started acting up.  I'm not used to wearing shoes inside, but I finally figured out that if I wore my walking shoe with the boot, it raised that side up a bit more so it wouldn't be so hard on me.

Counting down the weeks and finally the days, I arrived once more at the hospital to see the orthopedic surgeon.  My ankle was x-rayed and poked and prodded and I was announced "healed."  Yes, well, I still needed to go to physio because all the ligaments and tendons were stiff and inflexible.  That was okay with me and off I went to make some appointments.

I had had about four sessions with the physiotherapist and the kinesthesiologist and was doing great!  I found that I could go up the stairs left/right, left/right and could almost do the same coming down.  Apparently, it's harder going down because of the angle the foot needs and I wasn't quite there yet.  But I was again independent, driving, and doing my Christmas shopping without too much trouble other than tiring quickly.

So guess what happened!  Last week, I was going out the door and as I looked back at the dog to tell her to stay, my bad foot went over!  OMG! It hurt like bl**dy h***... and I screamed at Lorne to help me!  The pain was so bad I started crying and saying "Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t" over and over again.  Anyhoo, long story a bit shorter, I went to my next physio appointment two days later with a swollen foot that looked like a piece of raw meat with five red sausage toes.  In one session the physio was able to get the red out and the swelling down almost to normal.  I can walk again (with a limp), am icing my foot every day and am thankful that by Christmas I should be back to normal.  Well, except for my brain that is! 

So don't take walking for granted.  Whenever I see a person on crutches, in a wheelchair, or pushing a wheeled walker, I remember to thank God I am better now.  I'm also much more open about helping someone out if they look as though they'd welcome it.  As I sat waiting for Lorne to park the car that first day at the hospital, I watched people walking as they passed me.  I can still remember how I felt - helpless - and thought about how important it is to be able to walk.

With that, I'd like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and will only be posting a short Xmas message next week in honour of the day. 

Warm wishes for a wonderful holiday season!

V is for VACATION

With the Christmas holidays upon us, I'm feeling like I need a vacation!  This past year has been a difficult one and both of us just want it to be over so we can go away to someplace warm, relax with a good book, and breathe in some tropical sea air.  We're thinking Maui in May...apparently, it's a good month for seniors like us to go because there aren't any families with young children and the weather is usually just perfect.

Both of us have been to Hawaii before (Lorne twice to Oahu and I've been to Oahu and Maui each once.)  Back in 1995, I took my younger daughter to Maui and stayed at a resort called Papakea, right on the water with two pools, tennis court, putting greens, and lots of shade from the palm trees.  I rented a car and we went into Lahaina a couple of times and halfway around the island for a nice leisurely drive.  This time, we'd like to go up Haleakala to see the sun rise and maybe go to Hana.  I hear the drive is quite something.

Of course, we might change our mind as to our vacation destination, but one thing is for sure - we need a vacation! Here's a quick slideshow showing some of the places I've visited and where we'd like to vacation soon.

Don't forget to give thanks to the vibrant Mrs. Nesbitt, the creator of ABC Wednesday, to the valuable Roger, our administrator, and to his vital team of assistants.

U is for UNDAUNTED

Looking back at my posts from the last month, I find I've gone from "I Quit" to "Rough Ride" to "Smile."  Well, today, I am feeling UNDAUNTED!  Both Lorne and I are trying very hard to be resolutely courageous about our situation and continue to uplift each other.

Even though we each become a bit uncommunicative at times while we ponder what we're going through, we always come back together again.  He was a bit unapproachable this past weekend after receiving news that his former mother-in-law had passed away.  He was not close to her, but he was and continues to be close to his former brother-in-law; therefore, he is feeling his pain right now and reminiscing about the death of his own mother.  Today, he has to go for blood tests and psyche himself up for his next chemo (tomorrow) when his oncologist will only give him one of the three drugs he has been on. Fingers crossed the side effects will not undermine his health.

This past week, I managed to get the tree up and decorated.  Our Princess Tegan was very curious about all the boxes we pulled out and the strange thing now standing in the corner.  But she had been uncannily good about not poking about and stealing anything.  I've invited my single sister to come for Xmas Day with the two of us and she is delighted to be invited.  If Lorne needs to rest in the afternoon, we'll be able to have a nice time together - take Tegan for a little walk or even go to a matinee.  It will be a nice quiet, unexcitable day - just what we need this year.

Here are a few fun photos:  on the left is Lorne's oldest glass Xmas tree ball and on the right is mine.
 

This is an ornament my sister gave me one year, just for fun!

 

Below, Tegan dragged her blankie all the way up the stairs and...

promptly fell asleep with it in her mouth.

Unbridled thanks to Denise Nesbitt, the creator of ABCW and to the unimpeachable Roger, our administrator.  Also, remember to thank the united forces of the ABCW team for their continued unrelenting energy for visiting all the contributors and taking a turn at the weekly introduction on our home page. 

As this round draws to a conclusion, please consider emailing Roger to offer your unrestrained excitement at becoming part of the team!  All that is required is that you visit 10 contributors to comment on their post and if you wish, sign up to do one introduction.  Easy Peasy!

T is for "Happy TOGETHER" by the TURTLES

"Happy Together" is a 1967 song from the Turtles' album of the same name.  The song knocked The Beatles' "Penny Lane" out of the number 1 spot for 3 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.  It was written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon, former members of a band known as The Magicians. The song has been featured in many movies including 1987's "Ernest Goes to Camp," 1990's "The Naked Gun," 1994's "Muriel's Wedding," and 2008's "Twenty-Seven Dresses."  Some artists who have covered the song are Petula Clark, Captain and Tennille, and Donny Osmond, among others.  In 1999, BMI named "Happy Together", with approximately five million performances on American radio, the 44th most-performed song in the USA of the 20th century, placing it in the same league as "Yesterday" by The Beatles and "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and Garfunkel. 

As I was trying to think of what to write about for this week, the word "together" came to mind and then, suddenly, there was the song.  Since Lorne and I met in 1969, the song was still very popular and so it seemed fitting that I use it for ABC Wednesday.  The words are true to our lives, past and present.  We have actually been together for over 40 years, albeit for some years only in our memories.  But we are together now and are committed to being together forever. 

Pop over to YouTube on a separate page and listen as you read the uplifting lyrics here. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhMzZ_KCp_E 

Imagine me and you, I do
I think about you day and night
It's only right
To think about the girl you love

And hold her tight
So happy together

If I should call you up
Invest a dime
And you say you belong to me
And ease my mind
Imagine how the world could be

So very fine
So happy together

I can't see me loving nobody but you
For all my life
When you're with me
Baby the skies will be blue
For all my life

Me and you
And you and me
No matter how they tossed the dice
It had to be

The only one for me is you
And you for me
So happy together

Me and you
And you and me
No matter how they tossed the dice
It had to be

The only one for me is you
And you for me
So happy together
So happy together

How is the weather
So happy together
We're happy together
So happy together

I sure hope we'll be happy together for a long time yet.  This is us Christmas 2012.

So be sure to give thanks for the tantalizing Mrs. Nesbitt, the creator of ABC Wednesday, and the tremendous Roger, our administrator.  Also, consider becoming part of the team that visits about 10 contributors to ABCW per week to tell them how talented they are with their tasteful texts.

S is for SMILE

As our saga continues, we just try to keep on smiling!  What else can one do when faced with traumatic events but smile smile smile...

Since coming home from a very uncomfortable stay at the hospital, Lorne has been sleeping a lot.  He needs a blood transfusion, scheduled for Monday, Nov. 25th, and after that he should start to feel stronger.

Also, when we went to see his oncologist, we were actually a bit surprised that the doctor was willing to let Lorne stop the chemo.  Apparently, most people would insist after having gone through what Lorne just did.  However, he wants to live - let's face it, who doesn't? - so he asked what other options the doctor had in his bag of tricks.

After some deep thinking, we have all agreed that he will continue with chemo, but with a change to his cocktail.  Instead of the 3 drugs he's been given thus far, he will get only one.  Hopefully, he will be able to tolerate it with fewer side effects.  If he can, then at the next treatment the doctor will add one of the other drugs to see how that goes.  Lorne is willing to do everything he can to get healthy, or at least as healthy as can be, so he can go on for as many more years as possible.

At the moment, there are no signs of cancer, but the oncologist emphasizes that the little "buggers" are hiding inside, just waiting to attack.  While Lorne struggles with the physical side of this war, I struggle with the emotional side.  There are so many things we still want to do with our lives together, but we can't make any plans until he is off the chemo and recovering.  Here, Lorne is chatting with his best friend Chris, who's in Arizona for the winter.  It really keeps his spirits up when his friends give him a call.

And we both keep smiling - well, we try.

I've started physiotherapy on my ankle and even went for a very sloooowwww walk at the dog park the other day.  The ankle is sore and still swollen a bit, but I'm on the mend.  And for that, I smile.  And so does sweet Tegan.  (Photo taken during my first time back at the dog park with her.) How could anyone resist this adorable smiling face?

Don't forget to give sincere thanks to the scintillating Mrs. Nesbitt, the creator of ABC Wednesday, and to the singular Roger, our administrator.  Also, remember there is a team who scours your posts in order to salute your significant contributions.  We're always seeking new team members so some can take a break.  If you'd like to participate, even for just one round, (minimal requirements) please contact Roger. 

R is for ROUGH RIDE

We're back at it again with ABC Wednesday's letter of the week - R.  First I must thank all of you who commented on last week's post and gave me such rounding support with this rough ride we're on right now.  To update you, Lorne spent a total 6 days in the ER at our local hospital and he was very anxious to get home.  What with cuts to nursing staff and increased working hours, the staff is run off their feet.  I had to be patient with them, although I was a bit peeved at times.  For example, his commode and urine bottle were both full and had not been removed for hours when I arrived one day.  However, he did progress enough finally to be able to come home.  But it was only after I phoned his oncologist and had him take over his care, even if it was by phone. 

We're not sure how the oncologist will continue with treatment because Lorne had such extreme side effects from his chemo.  Even now two weeks after his last treatment, his poor mouth is covered in bleeding sores to the point where he has to drink through a straw.  He can't chew anything so I'll be cooking him mushy food in order that he gets enough nutrients.  Yes, cancer is a terribly rough ride through life.  It a roller coaster as we resign ourselves to the pits of illness and injury before being able to reap the rewards of recovery.

Our lives were complicated enough when I fell and broke my ankle in two places.  I now don't have to wear the boot I dubbed "Frank" (after Frankenstein) but my foot is still quite swollen and sore.  I'll be going to physiotherapy and it'll be a month or so before I'll truly be back to normal.  In the meantime, my daughter has been a rock and a godsend helping us out.  She comes every day to take the dog for a good long walk, does grocery shopping, and cleans the floors and carpets.

Thanks again for all your resolute responses to my last post.  We both rejoiced when, on the same day, I got the good news that my ankle is healed and and I can toss Frank, and Lorne was allowed to come home from the hospital.  He got to see our new Lazy Boys chairs that had arrived that week and he settled nicely in his.  My daughter took our picture before she left and then, after Lorne had a shower and a shave, he looked positively radiant while resting in his new chair, loving pup Tegan at his feet.

Let's not forget ravishing Denise, the creator of ABCW, and good old reliable Roger, our administrator.  For more posts on the letter R, just click here.

Q is for QUIT

Lately, I've been feeling like quitting - quitting blogging, quitting tutoring, quitting my home and my family and even my country.  I find myself dreaming of moving to England and living as an ex-pat where I will find my true ancestral roots.

But then - I wake up.  I tell myself, "This too shall pass" as it always does.  This has been, I believe, our "annus horribilus" as Queen Elizabeth referred to 1992 in her speech at Guildhall to mark the 40th anniversary of her accession.

"1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an 'Annus Horribilis'."

When we returned from England late last September, we were full of high hopes of planning our wedding and setting forth on a future together.  And then everything had to stop because of Lorne's illness.  Then we put everything off because my daughter set the date for her wedding and that took priority over us.  Then Lorne had to have pre-op chemo starting in May with the op scheduled for August.  Wedding preparations took over for me while he was struggling with serious side effects from the drugs.  We received a call from his surgeon's office giving us the date of his surgery - 4 days before daughter's wedding!  No way was he going to be able to attend!

So between August 13th and August 18th I was driving back and forth to the hospital and trying to pay attention to final details for the wedding.  The wedding day was exhausting and I fell, unknowingly breaking the inside of my right ankle.  But I carried on because Lorne was coming home.  Two days after he got home, he turned yellow...back to the hospital for another week. Six weeks after his surgery, Lorne had to start the final chemo treatments.  They have been brutal this time and to top it off, I fell again, breaking the outside bone of the same ankle. 

So here we are.  I try not to feel sorry for myself, but I get so frustrated about my ankle healing properly and fast so I can tend to Lorne.  Poor thing - his hair has fallen out in big chunks this time, he can't eat, he has terrible mouth sores so he has to drink through a straw, and he's as weak as a kitten.

I hate asking friends to help us out, but I've had to since I can't drive due to my ankle and he's so weak , he can hardly stand up. At this moment, he's in the local emergency hooked up to IVs to control his nausea and his diabetes that's temporarily out of control because of his inability to eat or take in fluids. He's also on morphine because of the pain in his stomach.  I have a splitting headache, but who am I to complain? 

Sorry for being such a downer this week, but I guess when you reach breaking point you just have to crawl under the covers and cry for a while.  Next week, I won't feel like quitting! I always seem to be able to bounce back.

In the meantime, remember our queen Denise who created ABC Wednesday and our highly qualified Roger who administers the site.

P is for PEDAGOGUE

pedagogue

ˈpɛdəgɒg

noun

noun: pedagogue; plural noun: pedagogues

1. 

a teacher, especially a strict or pedantic one.

Yes, I am a pedagogue.  However, when you read the definition, you'll see that it means "especially a strict or pedantic one."  Well, one could say I was strict in my classrooms.  I preferred to call it "setting boundaries" because my philosophy about teaching is that if it isn't fun for me, it isn't fun for the kids.  I would tell them straight out about boundaries and we set them up together; then we'd have a blast for the school year.

Once the boundaries were set, on came the fun!  Grammar can be SO boring, but I made it all a game and got the kids up and communicating with each other.  For example, each student got a card with a sentence's "subject" or "predicate."  I'd set the timer for 3 minutes and off they went to try to find a match for their card.  When time was up, each pair presented their complete sentence to the rest of the class.  To review for Science or Social Studies tests, we played "Family Feud" and you will not believe how competitive those kids were!  In Art, we did abstracts and displayed them on the hall bulletin board.  In French, the highlight of the year was when we made edible or non-edible pizzas. We displayed them in the school's front hall for all students, teachers, and visitors to view.  Four boys got together and made a "hubcap pizza" with real oil as the sauce and nuts and bolts for the ingredients.  Two girls made a garden pizza with dirt and real grass grown in it, topped with tiny flowers and garden accessories.  There were cake and candy pizzas, dog and cat pizzas covered in their treats, and even a poolside pizza complete with tiny chaise lounges.  Of course, they had to write up their pizzas' recipes and present them to the class, (en français bien sûr) but they were great about it because they were all so proud of what they'd produced.

One year, I had two grade 7 boys who were always acting up.  They weren't "bad" kids, but they seemed to need a lot of attention.  So because I'm not above bribery, (lol) I made up a chart for each of them and every day that they were able to get through French class without misbehaving, they'd get a tick mark.  When they got 10 ticks, I would buy each of them a giant chocolate bar.  Well, it worked.  Both had a couple of slips, but they both eventually received their chocolate bar.  You might wonder if I had to do that for the rest of the year.  NO!  When they tried to get me to do it again, I simply said, "You have proved to me that you are able to get through class time without misbehaving.  Now I know you CAN do it, so now I EXPECT you to do it."  Oh such sad faces - but they were so much better then and they respected me for my sense of humour about it.

Oh yes, some teachers can be pedantic, but without a sense of humour, all is lost.  So I made school fun for us all - for my students and for me!  Now I look forward to when my students come to my home for a tutoring session.  I don't have the administration or parents breathing down my neck so I can relax and be myself with these kids.  We work hard, we all learn (sometimes they're studying a novel that I haven't read so I have to read it and be able to guide them), and their grades go up up up.  And the parents are so delighted that they tell their friends about me and I get more work.  

Yes, I love being a pedagogue and when I started my blog years ago, it was my daughter who came up with the word "Pedalogue."  So now you know, whether you wondered or not, where my blog name came from.

Thanks to Denise Nesbitt, the poised yet perky creator of ABC Wednesday, and to the presidential and  professional Roger, our administrator. Each week, Roger puts aside his personal work to keep the team pepped up by assigning us our parts in responding to contributors' posts.  Have a peaceful, productive week, everyone.

O is for ONEROUS

adjective: onerous

1.  

involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty.

example:  "He found his duties increasingly onerous"

Yes, life has been onerous for me lately.  Actually, it's been onerous for both of us.  As my regular readers will recall, I broke my ankle a month ago.  Then, two weeks later, Lorne started chemo again.  So, as I was learning how to maneuver myself around the house with a bulky inflatable boot and crutches, Lorne was feeling the effects of all those drugs that had been pumped into him.

Because I broke my right ankle, I can't even drive, so I've had to rely on Lorne for transportation to the doctor and (finally) to the hairdresser.  He has continued to do the grocery shopping, but only a few things at a time because he tires so easily.  He also tried to keep on taking the dog for her daily walks, but when they started to get shorter and shorter due to his fatigue, I called upon my daughter to see if she could pitch in.  So that is one thing off my mind.  She absolutely adores all animals, especially dogs, and enjoys taking Tegan out.  

I still have three more weeks in this dratted "cast," and I can hardly wait to be able to take it off forever.  However, I have noticed that my achilles heel and the tendons on either side of my ankle are aching badly.  So, I might need some physiotherapy for some time before I'm walking normally again.  As well, I haven't been able to have my regular massage therapy for my back because I can't climb the 26 steps to her office, so I'm aching pretty badly everywhere.   

Once I'm up and about more, I'll be trading roles with Lorne and helping him get through the ordeal he is facing.  Actually, we are holding each other up now - emotionally.  Yes, life is onerous at times, but as they say "this, too, shall pass."

In the meantime, I've been so tired that I haven't been able to get over to read all your posts every week.  I try my best, but it's amazing how much energy it take to heal one's body, no matter how minor.  Do forgive me.  I hope you're all still enjoying ABC Wednesday and remember to think of the original Mrs. Nesbitt, the creator of ABCW, and the very organized Roger, our administrator.

Also, I hope you're enjoying the glorious month of October - my favourite month because it's my birth month and because of the magnificent colours as the trees transform for winter.  Here are three of my favourite photos that have been featured and/or won challenges on the Red Bubble site and, in my opinion, are perfect for this week.

N is for NEIGHBOURHOOD

Hi!  Glad you took the time to drop by.  As I mentioned in the ABC Wednesday introduction, I'm presenting a slideshow of my own neighbourhood.  I live in the municipality of Delta and the village of Ladner, which is about 20-30 minutes south of the city of Vancouver.  I'm very close to the United States border and often go across to Point Roberts for gas or a photo shoot or to take the dog swimming in the pristine waters of Lighthouse Point.  While looking at my photos, you might think I live in a rural area way out in the boondocks, but actually, we're a little oasis in the middle of urban and suburban living.  When I go for walks with Tegan, I feel like I'm in a forest in the wilderness, yet know that I'm next door to all the necessities of life in a suburb.

So turn up your sound, settle down for about 5 minutes, and enjoy the show.  Oh! Before you do that, be sure to give an air toast to the naughty but nice Denise Nesbitt, the creator of ABCW, and to the nutty but noble Roger, our administrator!

M is for MOORAGE at the MARINA

I couldn't figure out what to do for the letter M today, and after mulling it over, decided to go with a series of shots I've taken at various marinas around aarea.  As you may know, I live in the delta of the Fraser River which leads out to the Strait of Georgia and then to the Pacific Ocean. Photo by Evan Leeson via Flicker.

Muchas gracias to the macho Roger, our administrator, who keep ABC Wednesday a popular spot for people from many parts of the world.  He stepped into this role after our multi-talented Mrs. Nesbitt created ABCW and requested some much needed assistance.

So, there are many marinas around here where I go for walks and photo ops.  Hope you like my photos.

L is for LUCKY

As a follow-up to last week's post about my being a klutz, I must let you know that I am one lucky lady!  I saw the orthopedic surgeon last Friday and was told I don't need my ankle to be pinned.  Whew!  Dodged a bullet there, didn't I?  If I had needed pins, I'd have had to start at the beginning all over again.  The doctor said I could gradually put weight on my foot as long as I still wear the boot, and I can wean myself off the crutches.  What a relief that is because my hands are sore from hanging on to them.  In fact, I even popped some blood vessels on my left hand from the pressure.  I can also take the boot off to sleep or if I know I'm going to be sitting down for a while. I'll be limping for some time, though.

How do you like them bruises?  And the yellow is bruising, not an old tan! You can actually see the blackish bruising around where my ankle twisted all around from the heel to the middle of the inner and outer foot.

He showed me the x-ray of my ankle and it's amazing how badly it hurt at the time considering how small a break it is!  I have a lot more respect for people who go through terribly traumatic accidents and have to be pinned back together!  My ankle is going to be sore for a long time and I will need some physiotherapy on it, too.  But I will walk normally again while others end up in wheelchairs for the rest of their lives.

Also, for those of you who remember that Lorne had liver cancer surgery mid-August, I'll update you on him, too.  His surgery was succesful and they only had to take 1/3 of his liver instead of the planned 2/3.  The two spots were localized and the chemo he'd had prior to surgery had killed 75% of one spot and 50% of the other.  However,  (don't you just hate that word?) the oncologist recommends he have 8 more chemo treatments to kill any more tiny little "buggers" that might be hiding in his body.  *Sigh*  That means 4 more months of chemo.  But his doctor will just go one treatment at a time because Lorne got so sick from the chemo before.  This is pro-active treatment after all.

Although we both consider ourselves very lucky, we have a bit of a bumpy road still ahead of us.  We had planned to get married mid-January, but we have decided to put it off until springtime when he's finished his treatments and recovered well from them - and has a good head of hair back again.  lol

Life goes on and we all make the best of the hand we're dealt.  I have to spend most of my time now off my feet lounging around with my booted foot up.  In the meantime, be sure to think of the lovely Mrs. Nesbitt, the creator of ABC Wednesday, of the loyal Roger, our administrator, and of the likeable team of assistants who come around to visit and lavish you with their learned comments.

Note:  The lower extremities below the shins really aren't the most lovely features of the human anatomy, are they?