Sail Away

It is a rather, chilly, dull day here, so I thought I would warm it up with a shot of this colourful sailboat on the beach. I edited this photo so it would have that 60s feel to it.

Cosmos Yet Again

Here are some more Cosmos. These are the same bunch of flowers as before just a different angle and used some different settings. I like the darkness of the shadows. I hope that my pictures of flowers don't bore. Donna thinks I take too many! I disagree.

Perched at Jericho Beach

I love how these seagulls were all lined up on these posts. Donna wheeled her chair crazily towards them honking her horn and then all took off. Luckily - I got this shot before she took hers!

Sunny Sunflower

I thought this was an appropriate photo for a very grey, rainy day. Maybe it will cheer us up!

Happy Thanksgiving

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to spending a quiet day with my children, cooking and eating turkey and engaging in lively conversation. It would be nice to have more people around to cook for, but that's the way it goes when you don't live near family. We will however enjoy ourselves. So - to all my Canadian pals out there, Happy Thanksgiving!

I took this photo the other day on my walk about and thought it looked very thanksgivingy...

Cosmos

I decided it was time to get back to posting photos. I haven't had as much time to take photos as I would like lately, but I do have a few in reserve that I managed to get edited today.

Most Alien Place on Earth

Hey peeps! A quick update while I take a break from typing doctor speak!

This week has been super productive for me, so I MUST be feeling better. My visit to the doctor indicated that my TSH is indeed returning to more normal levels. YEAH! I am going to continue on the meds for another two months and then have another recheck just to see how things are going. Yoga and change in diet are definitely a factor as well, as I have lost many inches as well. YEAH AGAIN!

Yesterday I went to Costco to pick up my card and get my photo taken. God that place is so ginormous! I didn't buy anything but wandered around checking things out for my next shopping trip. Neil, Brenna and I are going on a "family" shopping day to buy in bulk and then divide them by 3. Sounds like a plan.

Then, I took a trip to Ikea to buy Donna two new dressers for her room so I can get her shiznit organized. That girl has so many clothes, nicnacs and medical supplies that somebody needs to organize her ass. That person - is me. Hopefully by next week there will be some order to her chaos and I can get everything OUT of my room that is supposed to go in hers! That will be triumphant.

Neil and Brenna were both over yesterday and were both full of interesting information. Neil showed us this super cool island, which is located off the coast of Africa that is older than Methusela and labeled "The Most Alien Place on Earth". It is super cool and a definite MUST see. Check it here:
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/09/most-alien-looking-place-on-earth.html

On that note I am off to complete my day's work. Peace out!

Mini Vacay

I need to update. I am not sure when life became so busy, and I have no more time for blogging, because it really seems like nothing has changed in my life. However, I do spend far less time here than I used to.

At any rate. Donna is going in for her surgery on Sept 8 for her feeding tube. It is a small procedure so I am pretty confident all should go well. However, because she has been undernourished for so long she will have to stay in the hospital for a full week, to make sure her body tolerates the feeds, I know how to work the pump, and the staff is confident we can do everything at home. Not really excited about the week's stay, but there isn't much that can be done about that. Also, the ward she will be staying in at the hospital, is not equipped to handle a ventilated patient so if Donna wants to have this procedure done, then I have to sign a waiver, and be her 24-hour care during her stay. Now most certainly I don't mind doing that, because I know she feels much more confident knowing I will be there to care for her, but why aren't nurses trained in the simple art of suctioning??? It's really not all that complicated. However, I shall not bitch and I am looking at this hospital stay as a mini vacation. I wish the accommodations were a bit more luxurious than hospital drab, but I will do anything to make Donna more comfortable!

I have to take a week off work, so we decided to make our time enjoyable and ordered Season 1 and 2 of Wires to watch on DVD, bought some yarn to knit a sweater and Donna is going to do a cross-stitch. I am hoping to get home for a shower every day as the caregiver can stay with D for a couple of hours. So, although the accommodations aren't 5-star, they are free, I don't have to cook, clean or work, and I should get some nap time in the afternoon, barring visitors.

On that note, I am off to complete my day's work and hopefully get in an hour of yoga as well. I have been popping around to read everyone's blogs, but often I do not have time to comment.

Peace out!

I will be sure to update after it's all over with the outcome of the surgery etc.

Slowly Getting Better

I am slowly starting to feel better day by day, although I do still get tired if I do too much. My brain fog is clearing a little bit at a time, and I can hold a thought for more than 60 seconds now! LOL...Naps have been reduced to one about every 3 days instead of 4 per day, so that is a definite improvement! Hashimoto's is not going to get the best of me!

I have been walking a lot this last 10 days logging in about 25 miles or so. It feels good to have the energy to make it past the end of the street for sure! The first few days Donna drug me behind her wheelchair, with me clinging on for dear life - but I have managed now to let go and I can walk up the BIG hill on my own.

After 6 years of constant bitching, the management of my building finally started work on my deck. Had they done something 6 years ago, they would have just had to paint - however now, after the deck has been left virtually exposed to all elements it now has to be completely torn out and rebuilt! Fine by me! Now I get a brand new beautiful deck! Franco and Lynn (the builders) assure me that the deck will be so wonderful I will spend more time outside than in. Not hard - as that is almost the case now! Anyway - when it is complete I will post pictures so you can all enjoy it!

Donna and I went to see the gastroenterologist yesterday. She has been losing weight over the past 3-4 years and it is starting to become a serious issue. It is so difficult for her to eat, as raising her arms up to her mouth is a chore, chewing is getting harder and eating just isn't joyful for her. She decided she wanted to get a feeding tube in order to supplement her diet, up her calorie intake, and see if she can get up to 90 pounds again. Right now I would say she is hovering around 65 or so and being 5' 9" means she is damn skinny! At any rate, the appointment went well and it looks as though we are going to go ahead, hopefully come September. it is going to be a load off her mind for sure, and I can tell she felt relief when she left the appointment. This will be one more thing for me to learn about and make sure all is running well, but I am sure I am up for the challenge.

All in all, things are going well.

Kinni - the Cynic

Oh my God! I cannot stand it! I think Donna's caregiver must be in love or something. I can hear her in the kitchen singing "love" songs. Gag me! She is singing the theme from Titanic! Pllleeeeeaaaaassseeeee make it stopppppppppppppp!!!!! I know she is dating a new guy so maybe they sealed the deal on the weekend or something. BBBLLLLLAAAAHHH...I'm too cynical for this! LOL.....

Weekend update

It somehow feels odd for me to write here, as this has always been my photo journal, but I think it is something I am going to have to get used to. I would rather stay here at my stable blog site than have to start over again. At this point, I don't have the time, energy or initiative to start something new. So, that being said - this is where you can find me.

I think the medication may be slowly kicking in. I am down to two naps a day most days, and sometimes even one. I am keeping a "health diary" in order to keep track of how I am feeling so that when I go for my six-week checkup I will have something concrete to pass on to my physician. Donna, bless her little heart, has been helping me with my exercise program. She makes me walk with her everyday and so far this week we have logged in about 15 miles. I have practiced my yoga twice only, but will probably do more of that next week after one more session with my instructor on Monday. I have to force myself to walk and hopefully soon, I will want to rather than have to!

Friday night we went out to a birthday party. Scotty and Amanda (who are dating) have their birthdays on the same day - which we have always thought kind of cute. Anyway - Scotty turned 21, Amanda 19, and we had a great time with family and friends. I met Amanda's parents for the first time and found them to be extremely interesting people. We were told to be on our best behavior and were not allowed to say "fuck"! I wasn't sure why the hell they invited me if we were supposed to be on good behavior, because I am usually not, but Barb said I was there for my witty reparte! LOL..I believe I held up my end of the conversation and didn't say fuck once! The rest of the gang I have known since the beginning of time it seems - but in actual fact only 32 years. We always have a great time together and delight in seeing how far our adult conversation will actually go in grossing the kids out. This time we told them a tale of Mitzi the stripper, ping pong balls and a flute. I had always thought this an urban legend, but it seems there was at least one person in our midst who had actually seen her performance! Much to the dismay of our children, we continued on this tangent until they declared they didn't want to hear anymore of Mitzi's exploits as it were! Sadly - Mitzi doesn't dance any more, but she was one talented stripper! LOL....

I plan on keeping the week fairly low key as we have guests this weekend. A girls weekend out - so I have to be in top form to keep up with the young ones! I am twice as old as they are! Actually though, if the birthday party was any indication as to who can outlast who - I was the last one to bed, with Scotty and Amanda falling asleep on the couch well before midnight, BJ heading to bed soon after. I actually didn't hit the sheets until about 2 a.m. Wimps - the whole lot of them!

I am here my fellow EFXers!

I will be posting here at this blog as it seems EFX2 has totally died. I usually just post photos here, but this will now become my permanent home. I don't have time to maintain two blogs and I know there are many of you over at Vox. I will be in touch with those folks over there to let them know where I am and I will try to get around to each of you here at blogger as well. If I don't have you listed on the side and linked please put your link in the comment section!

Peace out!

Garden Delight

The front garden at my apartment has beautiful peony bushes. I just had to snap this on my way out for my walk this morning.

Cool Tranquility

This is actually a photo I took quite a while ago, but I was thinking about it yesterday and decided to post it. I often think of being able to sit on a rock here on a hot day sheltered from the sun, in the cool shadows of the big trees and listening to the trickle of the water.

Crescent Beach

I took this photo a few weeks ago on a trip down to Crescent Beach in White Rock. It was an absolutely glorious day and the smell of the ocean was invigorating. I have to do this way more often!

I have not posted for a very long time due to lack of time, and definitely not lack of interest. I haven't taken any new photos for a while either, so it is definitely time to get back into the groove!

Hidden bridge

This was taken in the park right beside the Marine Museum down at Kits. I thought this was rather pretty. Imagine it will be much prettier once the trees all have their leaves.

Calm

This boat looked so calm and peaceful sitting at the dock. It was the first day I had been down to the beach in a long while and the fresh sea air did me a world of good.

Steamy Morning

I took this from my deck the other morning after we had some snow. Thankfully it didn't last long, and was gone within the houre. I did love the steam coming off the rooftops.

Reindeer Trees

This totally caught my eye when I was out for my walk yesterday. A young man nearby waiting for the bus just couldn't see what I saw and thought I was totally nuts!
What do you think?

Gerber and Mum

I bought these flowers last week and they were getting a bit haggard looking. I decided to stick them in some bubbly water and take a picture. I think it turned out okay.