Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Update on surgery .... Dr said it was too big to do in the clinic so booked me for Feb 12 in the O.R.

Happy birthday Mandy!!!

Good luck with your surgery Annette I'm sure it will be fine! Now its time your 3 boys took care of you for a while!

Still checking prices on flights waiting for a sale!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Not much exciting recently. We had a pretty layed back weekend. Patty and I went out for lunch both days then rented a shaw movie Saturday night. Sunday we went to Wal Mart then rented a couple movies from Blockbusters. I had to finish installing a dishwasher in another unit. I've done them in other units and it was pretty easy but this one was tougher. Just enough hose nothing to spare then tight quarters for getting the wrench in to tighten it up but its finally done. We are getting a new saw at Vic Truss which should be interesting. A better version of a saw we got 2 years ago that has a lot of issues. This new saw was designed by a different company that bought the other saw then made their own version correcting everything they didn't like about the older saw. Starting to install today. Boss asked if I felt like it I could go in Thursday Friday to see it run and learn it. I'm off this week to get the hump on my back removed. Apparently I've had it a while and never knew it but in the last few months its grown quite a bit that it causes neck and shoulder pain. Should be a piece of cake. I went and got an eye exam yesterday cause some days I think my vision is getting worse. He said they still pass for driving and that the right eye didn't heal as good as the left had after Lasik surgery about 10 years ago. I did get an infection and almost lost it. Its the better vision wise of the two.

I did get out Saturday night to see a hockey game in town. Got to see Paul and Lelaine as they are regulars. He asked about everyone in Ontario. I should go see aunt Glady's soon.

Well off to shower then to the hospital will post after pictures when I get them!



Monday, January 18, 2010

The Sunday after I had babysat Gwen with Ben we had to go back to their place because Ben had forgot his school book there. It was ok because it was another chance to see Gwen. Now when I say Gwen I also mean Mary and Adam but its mostly Gwen we want to see. Gwen was very happy to see us and when I say us I mean Patty (Grandma). She loves seeing us but has a special bond with Grandma as they spend 2 whole days together. I love it because she always says Papa when she sees me, she won't come to me right away but she says papa. Actually this time down she was napping and I went upstairs to get her when she woke up. I was sorry I had volunteered because she didn't smell cute and girly baby like when I picked her up and hugged her. She had a full diaper and man did it stink. So I did the papa thing and called grama to change it ... no I didn't I changed it myself! With her wiggling I ended up sticking my finger in it and that was a little gross. But I cleaned her put cream on her and got the diaper on enough it stayed on. Then when I got downstairs she had to go to grandma of course! She ran around between us bringing us books for her to read and playing with Ben. It was a nice visit and Ben remebered his book!











This past Saturday it started out as a lazy day. Patty was still trying to sleep and I was playing with my ipod. I still find it amazing what you can do with it and I have a ton of songs and apps on it now. I can chat on msn and I can twitter on it as well as browse web pages and listen to my music all without getting out of bed. I even bought a charger for the bedroom that I plug into before going to sleep at night.

Patty brought me breakfast in bed and for no reason that I can think of other than she loves me. Poached eggs on toast with milk. We finally got up and made our way downstairs and decided to go to Nanaimo to Jysks. I like doing anything that puts a smile on Patty's face cause it makes me happy seeing her like that. On our way in I stopped at a friends house to drop off a football cd and he had a newspaper that had a photo of mine in it. His wife met me at the door cause he was in the shower and she asked me if I had heard the news about another friend of mine and proceeded to tell me that he had recently passed away. He was a newspaper guy, sports editor who had helped me get my first photo printed in the newspaper. He also got me ring side for the King of the cage fights in Nanaimo. He was the most friendly person you could meet and has 3 young kids and a wife. He was only 43! He had pneumonia since December and had just recently gotten out of the hospital but was on the stretcher being taken inside the hospital when he had a massive heart attack! They say his heart exploded because of a blockage. He was a heavy set man. I had known him since my first day with the Raiders football team. He loved to pick on my Ti Cats and also Id see him in Duncan when the Nanaimo Clippers were in town for hockey and he would tease me about moving here and switching teams. I used to kid back but never told him that I'm not really a fan of any team I just like taking photos at the games and those two teams have a huge rivalry which usually means fights. I gotta say this hit me pretty hard as he is younger than me and I'm not the most healthiest person. I have cut back on Pepsi and Junk since Christmas but I still need to get in shape. I want to be around a long time to take Gwen to football and hockey games! I wished I had found out sooner so I could have gone to his funeral. I'm going to miss him at the football games in Nanaimo! RIP Michael (Rhodsie) Rhode !!

We did end up going to Jysks after this where Patty picked up a few things. Then Patty treated me to lunch at Swiss Chalet! Boy I must have done something right somewhere along the line LOL. Then instead of going to the mall we went to Chapters and I bought the 3rd book in the line of digital photography books by Scott Kelby. Then it was home and to watch my Vancouver Canucks beat up Tylers Pittsburgh Penguins!

The following picture is one that Patty took of one of our cats with the new candles she had bought at Jysks!



Ok now last night we went down to see Gwen (and family) again because Patty won't get to baby sit her this week unless we go to Hawii! That's right they leave for a week in Hawii today (weather permitting!) and are staying with Mary's dad in a condo he's rented for a few months. We had a wind storm last night and the Ferries were canceled this morning but I just received a phone call in the middle of that sentence from Adam saying the Ferries are running and they will be on the 1:00pm one for sure!

Mary ordered pizza in and Grandma got to hold Gwen most of the night when Gwen wasn't running around bouncing of the walls. She was pretty hyped up for someone too little to know where she was going the next day. Gwen is so smart and I know all parents and grand parents think that but hey I'm a papa so I say she is smart! You can ask her to go get the baby book and she knows which one your talking about, or the train book, or the cat book or the dog book or any book that you have sat and read to her. She loves her books. After your done she says away and you say yes Gwen put the book away and she takes back to the bookshelf and puts it back. Patty got a video the other day of her saying Daddy's at work when she asked her where is daddy?





The last picture is from our front window of a Rainbow that Patty spotted after the storm. It dissapeard within 2 minutes after we had first seen it as we watched!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

As you can see I'm trying to Blog more frequently. I figure if everyone can spend so much time farming in farmville I can spend some time blogging. Only difference is I need something to ramble on about.

Patty Ben and I are trying to figure a way to go to Hamilton this summer without it killing us (money wise LOL) and it didn't look like it because all flights were up around $800 bucks return . I did see some for around $700 return but I told Ben he probably wouldn't be going at that price. If we paid that much it would be hard to do anything cause we would have no extra money. Today I saw a seat sale $245 each way which is way more affordable Victoria to Hamilton. Don't want to make Annette try to drive to Toronto. Those prices are before taxes and fees of course but so were the expensive ones. I was hoping to be selfish and spend the money on a new EOS 7D camera if we didn't go but at this price I'm a little excited and that sucks cause I really wanted that camera. Patty got me a camera for Christmas and I'm really liking it. Its fun going back to a place where you grew up and being a tourist. Of course Ben wants to do all the things Patty and I did when we were last there but I said Shawn doesn't want to have another wedding LOL. If we stay till the 23rd Marrianne should have dropped her kid by then and there will be a lot of partying.

While I'm doing this I'm uploading all my Beatles CD's to my Ipod. 9 Beatles albums and now I'm starting on Paul McCartney CD's. I just changed 2 cd's now. I also joined Twitter on my Ipod but won't be posting on there daily (not yet anyways LOL) I just wanted to try and stalk some people legally LOL. If your on Twitter you can send me your nic name and I may or may not add you. You may add me but I'm going to be more borring on there than I am with my posts on here.

Lastly but definitely not least I received news yesterday that Irwin, a close friend of my dad's and the whole family lost his battle with cancer. Just another victim of that awful disease. I feel the loss but I can smile cause I know that if there is a heaven my dad and him will partying it up like the good ol days. There are many stories I can think of that bring a smile to my face. Some that at the time were not funny but now we can laugh about. Irwin and Jeanette had been together a long time. I stopped at their wedding on my way to Ottawa for the Grey Cup. Irwin had a lot of love and I never seen a mean bone in his body. That's why Jacqueline loved him so much cause he was a true father to her. I'm sure they will miss him dearly but they will be glad that his suffering is over. It's a tough thing watching someone go through this. I hope that their family and friends are there to support them in their need. I don't know when the funeral is yet and instead of flowers I will make a donation in honor of him to the Cancer foundation. If they have a certain one that they like if someone passes it on to me I'll use that one. RIP Irwin and keep laughing your contagious laugh so all your friends will find you!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Was a pretty lazy weekend. Saturday we didn't get out of our pj's. Sunday started of lazy watching tv then we went down to visit Gwen and pick up Ben's book. He forgot it their Friday and needed it for school. When we got there Gwen and Mary were napping. We sat with Mary till Gwen woke up and I went upstairs and got her out of bed. Had to change her as she had a big poop and it was stinky. Even got some on my finger while trying to clean her. On the way home we stopped at the Rock Cod for supper. Excellent as usual!! It had been a while since we were last there in fact I can't remember when. Last night I was checking online for flights to Ontario. Today I found some under 700 dollars return. Still expensive but we will keep an eye out for a few weeks. If too expensive we might have to leave Ben at home or maybe he can go visit his dad. I know he wants to go but we would have to do a lot of expensive things with him if he goes. The boy needs a job! Boy its cold out here only got up to plus 10 yesterday and today LOL It is raining but you don't have to shovel it!

Annette posted a lot of pictures on facebook. Lots of photos of dad that were pretty emotional to look at. I've got one of him pinned to the left of my monitor and one of me and Gwen on the right side. I look at them every day as I sit at my computer.

I heard Irwin wasn't doing to well last night and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Its tough watching someone you love losing a battle with cancer! Nothing you can do really just be with them as much as you can. They know you love them and you should know that they love you too! As much as it hurts to lose someone at least you know they don't have to suffer anymore because cancer makes you suffer and the treatments make you suffer and the family suffers along with them so you can't win. The most the treatment does is prolong it but its in our instincts to put up that fight to try and beat it.

Friday, January 08, 2010

Papa

Ben and I babysat Gwen for a while!







Thursday, January 07, 2010

See what I put up with when I'm watching TV! LOL