Many future changes to think about

Cathy, part-time might be exactly what you need.  I sure hope it can work out for you.  Might long term disability also be an option?  Or would that screw up your pension as well, or might they force you to take you Canada Pension?  Lots to think about.  

I'm glad to hear that Mike is finding a social outlet.  He's far too young to be a hermit, even if he is studying hard.  I think Loren might be letting his need for a social life go.  Not good.

Future input

i have ordered a new computer. Okay, to be honest, Rrain ordered it for me. Her new laptop arrived yesterday. No sight of mine yet. At least hers came first. She does transcribing on line so this new computer will really help her. Mine will be more for enjoyment than work. I am also thinking of asking about going to part time. My retirement date is Dec 31 of this year, but more and more I want it to be sooner. This last bout with my health makes me want to retire before it is too late.  I know they have brought back retired employees as contract employees but I am hoping I can get part time and retain some benefits. Contract employees have no benefits. It might be a pipe dream but I will see what happens. My foot is still twice the size of the other one, but the pills the doctor prescribed had bad after effects for me. I am thinking about switching doctors. I feel like I  betraying him but he seems to be a pull pusher. I have had dealings with other doctors in emergency and they really seem to investigate all options before making a decision. I think all the medication I am on is what is giving me all the after effects. I will see what happens. I see the doctor on Monday and I intend to ask about all the medications that have been prescribed. So, now I intend to go to bed and hopefully sleep. Tomorrow I get my hair cut.  Yippee!!!!

I'm not upset, as my wish came true today....

....we went to visit Mike - a trip arranged quickly but then surprises like this are always nice. The drive there was bad and then the drive back gave us freezing rain for half the trip but the visit at Mike's was great. Our drive sounded similar to your described experience today Pati and I think we went through just as much winder shield washer  constantly having to keep the windows clear - I do not like that kind of stressful drive. Anyway, we were introduced to his new lady friend he met at the University. Nice to see him with a new friend - they seem companionable so I hope for the best. He needs some stability, and diversion such as this to keep him active and his life meaningful. 
Now I am just putting the birds to bed and hopefully read a bit before I put myself to bed - I am into the Monkeewrench book Dead Run now, having finished the Louise Penny novel very quickly.  Take care all.

Be careful what you wish for

After complaining about the cold weather we had at the beginning of the week, today the temperature was above freezing.  I had to go out to Selkirk for a meeting, and it was dirty windows, with the almost constant use of washer fluid all the way.  Sort of a strange meeting.  We met in the gallery and the gallery itself is under renovation, so it was the three of us and the electricians.  Now I'm left with a lot of computer work to do, but I don't mind anything I can do at home.

After that it was a lazy day.  We had a small bit of grocery shopping to do and some pills to pick up at Walmart.  While in Walmart, we just wandered around looking at weird stuff, and lots of small appliances we didn't need, ( doesn't everyone need to have a waffle iron that imprints StarWars pictures on the waffles?)  Then we hit the craft section, where I found a couple of craft magazines to buy.  David hit men's wear. He's looking for an transitional seasons' jacket ( inspired by the warm weather no doubt), but didn't find one.  He did find a long fluffy  ladies' bathrobe with a zipper.  It fit me quite nicely and is now awaiting laundry before I can wear it.  The old one is also awaiting laundry before being shipped off to the thrift store.  Finding such a thing with a zipper is a very welcome happenstance.  Then it was off to the grocery store for bread and eggs.  The bill was over $84.  I guess we did a little wandering and wishing there too.  The good news is that we won't have to buy anything but perishables for a couple of months, and the freezer is full.  The bad news is that the COLA cheque I got from my pension people is gone.  Better the grocery store than a VLT, I suppose.  And I have two wonderful magazines to amuse myself with.

Now I'm sitting with a lovely cup of decaf espresso coffee, after a short nap.  It will soon be time to think about supper, but that's under control as well.  Then 3 hours of "Dead Files" re-runs.  What more could a girl ask/

haven't got a lot of snow

But, boy!, are we ever cold.  Wind chills in the minus 30 range, and a nasty wind it is.  yesterday, I tried to do up the collar of my parka, to hold the hood in place, and discovered that the snap fasteners are all female snaps! Go figure.  I've been wearing that parka for three winters now, and had never noticed this before.

Yesterday, we went to see Aquaman.  Over Christmas the girls had been teasing each other about the "eye candy", but I can't really see that there was that much of that sort of thing, except maybe in the first few minutes of the film.  What there was, was a tremendous amount of violence.  I had had enough about half way through the movie.  Then I spent the rest of the film, marveling at what had obviously gone into the filming, and special effects.  If you gave it some thought it was mind boggling.  I also noticed that much of the dialogue seemed "muffled" to me, and wondered if it was just my hearing problems.  I've read about how to judge the effectiveness of a movie, and it usually comes down to the ability of the film to suspend belief, in the viewer.  This one didn't do it.

So now back to the real world of housework and, for me, meetings about volunteer work.  Yippee!

Snow anyone?

Shock yesterday morning to see just how much snow had fallen over the evening and night - more of a shock to see the plough go by and dump a pile at least 5 to 6 feet high at the end of the driveway.  So I got dressed and headed out in the dark - trudged through the snow to the the driveway and just stood there wondering how I should ever start. But taking the advise of Pati as she has so often said: just do something. So I took the first shovel full and three hours later the driveway was perfectly cleared and sidewalks sort of cleared.  Of course in the meantime, as daylight came, so did the neighbours out to their driveways with their snow blowers haha! I was way ahead of them and feeling good about myself.
I forgot to mention that the neighbour Ruth across the street invited me over Dec 31 for coffee and I went - took a tray of cookies with me and she and her husband Gerd and I sat in the front room and had a wonderful visit. I was even offered and accepted a glass of sherry which went down really nicely ( 10 am in the morning!) I needed a little outing and this was it!
Today we are going to North Bay to shop and to pick up a plant that Harry got off Kijiji. Interesting.
I have all the decorations down but not all stored away yet. I missed getting up this morning and turning on my little lighted tree to sit beside and enjoy the early morning quiet. I will have to find some other way to fill my morning solitude.
So here's to the new year and the new hope it brings.Hoping this will be stellar for all of us. I love the blog and look forward to every message and comment it brings my way from you both. So lets keep it up OK?  Take care

A New Year and a Family Birthday

Thinking about Dave today as he celebrates his Birthday. Always lands on the first day of a new year and so here's wishing you a great day and the best year to come Dave. Best wishes.