The Honeymooners - Part 2

Overlooking the metropolis of Squamish and Howe Sound from the Smoke Bluffs.

A pre-planned spring break visit quickly became Molly and Jordan's honeymoon when they eloped in New Hampshire on Saint Patrick's Day.  We were thrilled to host the loving couple for a week of eating, drinking, hiking, laughing and napping.  It was wonderful to get to know our son-in-law a little better, seeing as this was only the third time we had been in his highly enjoyable company.

As you will see from the photos, these two certainly win the 'Cutest Couple of 2016' award.  We had such a great visit with them and can't wait for the next time.

Hiking in the forest surrounding Brohm Lake.

Like father-in-law, like son-in-law.

Jordan's favourite food is pizza so Joe wowed him one night with a delicious array of homespun pizzas.  (Just wait until Joe's outdoor wood-fired pizza oven is finished being built, Jordan!)

A toast to the newlyweds!

Posing in front of Shannon Falls.

Beautiful views of Howe Sound from the summit of the Sea-to-Sky gondola.

Another photo from the top of the gondola.

We met up with the grandparents for lunch in Vancouver to celebrate the happy couple.  Bob and Ann (Joe's parents) welcomed Jordan into the family with open arms.

Marg (my mom) is thrilled to have a grandson-in-law!

G Marg and Molly

The rings.

We stopped by Molly's 101 year old great-grandmother's home to share the happy news and introduce Omami to Jordan.

A sweet wedding gift.

Young love glowing in the firelight.

And then there were six.

Molly and Jordan, you have each chosen excellent life partners.  We are thrilled as you begin your new life together.  We are SO HAPPY for you.  And for us.  Mazel tov!

The Honeymooners: Part 1

Molly and Jordan eloped in Manchester, New Hampshire on Saint Patrick's Day last week.  Our entire family was over the moon to learn of this happy news.

Molly and Jordan had previously planned a trip out to the west coast for Spring Break, so I guess you could call this visit their honeymoon.  Every newlywed's dream, right?

The day before their arrival Paige said, "Let's turn the guest room into a honeymoon suite!"

And with that we were off!  We hit all the dollar stores in Squamish.  We had so much fun scouring each and every aisle for ways to decorate their bedroom.

Pinning the garland to the ceiling.  We assumed green was their wedding colour since they were married on Saint Patrick's Day.

With the help of You Tube videos, Paige learned the art of creating towel swans.

Chocolate 'eggies' for Easter and candy ring pops for some marital bling.

Paige decorated a sign for the bedroom door.

Candy, candles and some bubbly in a pail.

Please.  Do not.

Wherever the action is, Daisy has to be in the middle of it.

Almost there!

We bought white roses to sprinkle the petals on the bedspread.  As soon as Paige had finished spreading them around, she said, "They look like potato chips!"  They did. 

Just before we retired for the evening Joe, Paige and I donned 'noise cancelling headphones' so that we wouldn't hear anything while sleeping in such close quarters.  You know how passionate these honeymooners can be.

Congratulations, Molly and Jordan!  We are thrilled that you have tied the knot.  We are so happy for you.  And for us!

Lessons Learned While Caregiving

It has now been 11 weeks since Paige shattered her ankle in Vietnam.  Eleven very long weeks.  Paige has come through it with flying colours.  She is on the home stretch now.

I can't believe how hard these past three months were on all three of us.  Joe, Paige and I were a team, to be sure.  But man, it wore us down.  And working full-time through it all made it even more stressful and exhausting.  Not only was Paige's life impacted by her accident, ours was as well.

This experience has humbled me.  

It has made me think of friends, relatives and acquaintances who are caring for their chronically ill spouses, children or parents.  Many are disabled or in wheelchairs for the rest of their lives.  Caring for Paige has made me think of these caregivers, the unsung heroes of the world.  The angels here on earth.  There surely is a place for them in heaven.

Strolling the neighbourhood for a breath of fresh air.

Throughout Paige's ordeal, our cat Daisy has been by her side.

More sunshine, more fresh air.

A backyard break from the TV room.

Visiting with a friend.

Waiting for the anesthesiologist before her second surgery.

"Look, Ma!  No hands!"  Paige can now take a few steps without her crutches.

I am so glad Spring has arrived.  A time for new beginnings.

Healing, Health And Happiness

Arriving in Vancouver after a 42 hour travel day.

It has now been exactly one month since Paige’s canyoning accident in Vietnam.  She is slowly on her way to health and healing.

Paige got excellent care at both Squamish General and Lions Gate Hospitals.

The more I learn about her injury, the more amazed I am at how she made that arduous journey home from Southeast Asia all by herself.  The more I think about it, the more proud I become.  I just shake my head in wonder at her bravery.  I don't know if I could do what she did.

Daisy, the therapy cat, doing her thing.

Joe took her to see her surgeon 10 days ago for a post-op check-up and at that appointment Paige learned not only had she broken her tibia, dislocated her ankle and chipped her heel bone in her fall, but she also tore a ligament off of one of her ankle bones!  In addition to bolting her foot and ankle back together, her surgeon re-attached the torn ligament with a wire which she has to have surgically removed in a month or so.  She wasn’t keen to hear that news.

If you need us, you know where to find us.

She has recently been getting out for a few ‘field trips’ around town.  A friend pushed her in her wheelchair to our local coffee shop around the corner one afternoon, Joe brought her to my classroom for a 20 minute visit with my students, another friend took her to Walmart to buy beauty products, I took her to get her hair cut one evening, and she even made it upstairs on her crutches to have happy hour with us on Friday night!

Daisy watches over Paige as she sleeps.

Not only has Paige’s life been impacted, but ours have as well.  Joe is cooking up a storm to have a constant supply of food available for her.  I leave for school in the morning at the last possible moment, come home at noon to fix her some lunch, and leave my classroom at 3:30pm so I can be home to keep her company for the rest of the afternoon and evening.  Paige's health is our number one priority. 

Daisy, one of the surliest cats I've ever known, has not left Paige's side throughout her ordeal.

I have spent an inordinate amount of time on a couch since Paige returned from Vietnam, sleeping on it for the first week she was home.  We have been spending lots of time in the basement watching Netflix together.  (Send us the names of your favourite shows!  We need new titles to keep us going.)

Liz and Hazel wheeled Paige to our local coffee shop one afternoon.

Grandma Marg snuggled in on the couch for a visit.

My students were so happy to see Paige.

Her spirits are getting brighter by the day.  Hopefully she will be able to get around better and soon be upstairs full-time.  I’m sure she is looking forward to sleeping in a real bed instead of on a couch. 

Daisy just loves catching up on Facebook.

Paige's temporary digs.

Being one of Paige’s caregivers has made me reflect on how fragile life is and how everything can change in the blink of an eye.  Paige’s accident could have been much worse and we are thankful it was just a bunch of broken bones.  Yes, her solo trip around Southeast Asia was interrupted. Yes, her rehabilitation is going to be long and painful.  But she will heal and be healthy at the end of it.  For that we are very grateful.

Upstairs for the first time!

We are also grateful for the outpouring of love that family and friends have shown us.  The visits, the phone calls, the e-mail and facebook messages, the food, the cards, the flowers and gifts continue to surround and support us through a tough time.  It means a lot to the three of us.  We appreciate it all. Thank you.

She should be walking in a month!

Feeling The Fear And Doing It Anyway With Jennifer Pastiloff

I can't remember how I first learned of Jennifer Pastiloff.  I think I read one of her essays and thought, "Wow.  What an interesting woman.  I'd like to know more about her."

So I did what one does nowadays.  I followed her on Facebook and Instagram.  

Her posts resonated with me.  Her essays.  Other people's essays.  Her videos.  Her photos.  

Jennifer leads retreats and workshops all over the world.  And I thought, "If she ever comes to Vancouver I'd like to attend one of her events."

Well, guess what!  I found out in October that she was coming to Vancouver on January 23rd.  I was so excited and quickly signed up.

But as the date approached I began to doubt my decision.  My excitement turned to dread.  What was I thinking signing up for a yoga/writing workshop in the trendy Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver?  

I began to have all sorts of preconceived ideas and fears.  I seriously considered backing out.  

Then I remembered the advice I often give my daughters.  Feel the fear and do it anyway.  So I went.

And not surprisingly, not one of my fears or worries was true.  Not one.

I thought I'd be 30 years older than most of the participants.  I wasn't.

I thought I'd weigh 100 pounds more than every woman in the room.  Nope.

I thought everyone would be decked out in their fabulous Lululemon yoga clothing and I'd look like a shlumpadinka  in my yoga pants from Costco.  Not true.  

Jennifer warned us that the three hours were going to feel like 3 minutes.  And she was right.

We laughed, we cried, we wrote, we hugged, we sang, we danced, we did a few downward dogs.  (Actually more than a few.  My arms and shoulders are sore today.)

It got real in that room real fast.  

It was an honour to be in the presence of so many incredible women and bear witness to their joy, their pain, their struggles, their accomplishments.  After each woman spoke I thought, "I'd like to be her friend."  We fell in love with each other for those three hours. 

Thank you, Jen Pastiloff, for coming to Vancouver and doing all that you do.  You are one hell of a woman.  I am so happy to have met you.

See you next year!

Happy Holidays

I was so happy to begin my Christmas holiday sixteen days ago.  Snow fell, books beckoned, naps awaited.

Some things were different for us this year.  Many things were the same.

William was home.  My mom was here.

Our daughters weren't home for Christmas.  It was the first time we had not been together as a family in 28 years.  I missed them terribly but was content knowing my girls were out there in the world leading adventurous, happy lives.

My cousins Denise and Jean-Louis (whom I had not seen in a decade) travelled by train from Winnipeg and spent Christmas with us.  My cousins are chefs and Joe thoroughly enjoyed his three day cooking lesson.

Sixteen delicious days of holiday time.

We cooked, we ate, we drank, we walked, we snowshoed.

We skyped, we laughed, we marvelled at the sunny skies and cold temperatures.

We rode the Sea-to-Sky gondola, we watched skaters on frozen lakes, we happily embraced the snow.

And now my holiday has come to an end.

It has been a weekend of fun and reflection.

My wish is good health and great happiness for us all.

The very best to you and yours.

May 2016 be your best year yet.