What's happening in your neck of the woods? #22

Guess it would be kinda fragrant though ^_^

~M~

Thinkin the rain is finally going to taper off a wee bit today.

Took Lilly to the hospital to see Lorna yesterday. Very emotional visit, but, very settling for Lorna as well. Lilly was SO excited to see her, and after the initial mega miles an hour tail wagging and face kisses, she laid at Lornas side and was quite content to play hostess to those that came to see her. Have a couple of pics on my cell phone that I'll download ?sometime?

Lorna's folks arrive today, will be a day filled with emotion for sure. Lorna is awaiting transfer ot ANOTHER hospital in Thunder Bay (this will be her fouth one since this all began) and her FINAL one I hope and pray. She will be going to St Joes, a Rehab Hospital with a wonderful Amputee program.
She is still having 'bumps' in the blood dept .. but .. I think she is just going to have to live with that.

Off and running here .. hope all is well with everyone

~M~

Well Marilynne, I guess I have to come looking for you again this year to tell you that you missed your birthday thread.

I am glad Lorna's parents will be there. Hope you can catch some rest soon.

Sun's not even up here yet. It's a cloudless sky and there's a nip in the air. Hope the weather is OK for the rest of you as well.

I did wish the other Oct. 3 birthday folks a happy day .. I kinda think I must not have that forum targeted for 'watching'

Lorna and her folks had a very emotional reunion today .. but .. all in all it went well and they have brought along BUCKETS of support for her.

I am still livin on little sleep and seem to never be able to get anything done . By the time I get home I just want to walk Lilly, feed Smokey .. brush my teeth and crash .. that'll change a bit for the next 2 weeks as I will want Lorna's parents here for supper as often as possible. PLUS .. I just remembered that next weekend is THANKSGIVING !!! I have pumpkin to render for pies and a menu to figger out .. however .. since I LOVE that holiday, I think it'll be Okee dokee ^_^

Toodles

~M~

((((((((((((((((((Marilyn & Lorna/family))))))))))))))))))
my goodness what a lot you are going through - 4 hospitals!!
And they let dogs into hospitals? I didn't think they did. I know they let all kinds of pets in Care Homes, but thought they were into the "germ free" type of thought in hospitals. I'm Really Pleased to hear they let Lilly in - I'll bet it did a world of good for her to see Lilly ^_^

~Susan~

Susan it is a very rare hospital that does not allow dogs to visit these days. Childrens hospitals were doing it many years before general hospitals. I have taken my dogs in - with permission from the nursing staff and any other occupants of the room if it is not private.Sometimes the visit has to be in the lobby depending on the medical circumstances.

Marilynne I hope Lorna will have a good recovery now she is home with family and friends around.

A rather miserable weekend here, cold, rain and today a bit of snow in Calgary/Yesterday some of the interpretors and staff at Lougheed House went up to Edmonton, had lunch and a private tour of Rutherford House and then out to the Ukainian Cultural Village east of the city. Unfortunately it is a lot of outside walking there and the weather was not so nice so we cut that one short but it is a fascinating site to visit and probably would need all day to see everything.
And I could not resist buying an egg( they had a fantastic selection, several different sizes) and this pretty Xmas tree ornament with red poppies - a match for the stain glass insert I have in my hall.
The Poppy Ball is handpainted by Canadian artist Judi Myers.http://judimyersstudio.ncf.ca/INDEX.html

This message was edited Oct 4, 2009 4:04 PM

This message was edited Oct 4, 2009 4:10 PM

Pets were never allowed in Winnipeg hospitals.
I also know that Calgary is more dog oriented than any other city I can think of. After all, they have their own bus rate for ridership (notwithstanding the Service animals which are always free, of course), in Calgary.
I guess I'm just not used to such an animal oriented city, as yet. Give me time lol I've only lived here for 3 years lol There's hope for me yet!

~Susan~

there was a time a few years ago, when I was still working in the open heart ICU. It was a quiet Sunday evening, and only one patient in our 8 bed unit. (unheard of these days) He was a Saint Bernard breeder. I let his wife bring 2 of his pups, about 45kg each, into visit. We were cautious that the dogs didn't plant a big paw on his chest, and the wife had bathed them both just before bringing them in. It did wonders to his moral as well as his wife's and ours too. I heard that the next day the housekeeping staff couldn't figure out where all the white hair was coming from....

I worked for many years in Childrens Hospitals. Animals were almost always allowed in although not necessarily on the wards ( ICU for instance might be a problem) At the last one I worked at every Wed evening a parade of animals would arrive in the child space and all those kids who could, and wanted too, came out to visit. There was a Newfie who used to pull a cart for rides.
Arriving at the hospital one evening for some function I was holding the elevator door open for a lady who had what I thought were large white dogs to get in. I closed the doors and pushed the button and turned around to speak to them and found myself looking at 2 miniature white horses!
Susan you might be surprised what is allowed if you ask!

o my.............. horses!
I'd certainly be surprised about that!
Yes, I know - the only stupid question is the one not asked! But I know that Winnipeg is much more conservative, and it would not have been allowed. Mind you - it's been 3 years, so maybe things have changed there too (although I highly doubt it........ as I said, very conservative........)

Thought I'd pop in here :-)

Lorna's vascular surgeon in Winnipeg was quite a 'fan' of Lilly. Not that she was physically there but I had blown up a picture of her and Smokey and taped it on the wall. He mentioned that she would have been welcomed for a visit on the ward. But, like Carol mentioned, only if it was OK with her roommate.
SO, I gather Winnipeg (HSC) does allow pet visits, and, St B does for sure because we were on the elevator with 2 long haired Daxies last Sunday and saw a Lhasa Apso coming in the front door of the St B atrium ^_^.
The smiles on patients faces were HUGE !!! Staff and visitors as well.

Enjoy your day

~M~

I always thought bringing animals into a hospital/retirement home was a wonderful idea. My daughter works in one but says so far she hasn't seen any there. A shame since animals are great medicine for those that are bedridden.

Last night I spoke to her and I mentioned what people have talked about above before we moved on to discussing H1N1. I told her she should load up on flu medication, juices, ginger ale and soups. Odds are most won't get that sick but....

She also said the medical authorities are having a hard time deciding which shot nursing staff should get. Current thinking is that the seasonal flu shot might negate any benefits one would get from the swine flu shot.

My son is heading home this weekend and I plan on making sure he has supplies (and some of our gardening produce) before he heads back up to the university.

Wishing your friend all the best M!

This message was edited Oct 5, 2009 10:42 AM

I believe there are some seniors residences ( nursing home level) here that have resident cats - dont think any have dogs, rather more work to look after.

Well I think I am just going for the regular flu shots. I can limit public exposure ( mostly just the few hours a week I am Lougheed House) and the big thing as I understand it is to be careful about hand washing and hand contact.

Carol I think that is a good idea for people our age since chances are we've already been exposed to earlier Swine Flu outbreaks I'm sure I read in a Bloomberg press release that there was one outbreak in the 50's and another in the mid 60's). If DD had a choice though, given her age, I wish she'd get the swine flu shot however. At least there is the tamiflu available if the medical authorities decide against it.

Stats that have been released by a Dallas newspaper:

In a typical flu season, those aged 65 and older make up 60% of hospitalizations.

This season, they account for just 1% of flu-related hospitalizations.

Patients between 50 and 64 make up 5%.

25-49 year olds account for 22% of hospitalizations for H1N1.

And 72% of cases requiring hospitalization are in patients 24 years old and younger.

52% are 5-24

and 20% are 4 or younger.


Here I know daycare centres are already informing their staff to stay home if they get sick and that if parents and/or grandparents can't cover for ill staff (who are usually younger workers) then they will shut them down.

At my workplace peeps that have asthma are already using the alcohol based hand cleaners religiously (and none are planning on getting pregnant anytime soon).


This message was edited Oct 5, 2009 7:36 PM

Yes of course that is the other thing- if you are sick stay home! Too many people drag themselves into the workplace and consequently spread around their colds etc to everybody else.

Gloves and hand sanitizers and diligent washing are the order of the day in almost all health care facilities today. I have seen signs posted that ask patients/residents to ask their health care provider if they have washed their hands before administering care to them.
Guess all you can do to look after YOU is to be vigilant .. that said .. I would also make sure you have lots of moisturizing hand cream available too. My hands are in sad and sorry shape after a month of going just a little bit overboard in the hand washing dept. Seems as I touch something, be it the handles of an unknown wheelchair, or going into the washroom of the hospital (and out), I have little cartoon about 'bugs' that starts playing in my hed .. LoL ... HMmmmm Does that mean I'm 'brain washed' ???

Lorna is on her way to St Joes .. could be today or may be tomorrow, but .. REHAB here she comes !!!!

Keeping to a gardening theme (just in case) I hope to render my pie pumpkins today for pies for Thanksgiving.

Take care all

~M~

Pumpkin pies "M"...my most favorite...must go to the market tomorrow after work and purchase pie pumpkins..not sure they taste any better than regular pumpkins but they say they do...

Guess you are all busy as can be with Thanksgiving all but days away...having company? or will you enjoy someone cooking just for you...

Kids are all away this weekend so we'll get together another day..I'll spend my weekend crafting and putting winterizing vs. cooking..only thing, need an extra pair of hands for the heavy lifting..

Think senior complexes SHOULD absolutely have pets live within and if not certainly encourage people to bring them in...

Speaking of pets..my sister Sharon had to put down another of her beauties..award winning Chawnee went to doggie heaven yesterday..young at 7, didn't show signs of cancer until yesterday morning...with losing 2 in 2 months she's devastated..only 2 showdogs left and one is 12 and ill...they are her family!

Betty .. so sorry to hear of your sister's loss ..

Re the pumpkin pies .. I cooked the pumpkin last evening when I got home from the hospital .. WELL .. I have had the misfortune over the years to come up with what I refer to as a 'DRY SQUASH' and this year is one of them :-(
When I went to scoop the cooked pumpkin out .. I knew I was in trouble as it was NOT moist .. BUMMER !!
Now I have to flirt with 'Do I waste a tin of carnation, eggs and spices and dough and BET that it'll be OK cooked in a pie'? OR .. do I buy a can of raw pumpkin filling .. knowing me I'll do both .. WHEN I'll do this is anyones best guess ..

I have developed a gawd awful chest cold that has the EVER popular 'throat tickle' with it .. sends me into fits of coughing at all the WRONG times !! Have told friends I sound like Lauren Bacall and LOOK like Humphrey Bogart!!
Will be distancing myself from everyone today.

TGIF

m

awwwwww Marilyn - so sorry to hear about your cold!
Lauren Bacall has/had a great voice - it was her trademark! and Bogie........well, he's a class act!
So, I don't think you can be all that bad lol Although I'm sure you Feel like h*** (that's "heck", for the uninitiated lol)

~Susan~

Marilynne - sure hope the cold doesn't interfere with your celebration of Thanksgiving.

Betty - sorry to hear that your sister lost one of her beauties.

We are off to Montreal in a few hours for the weekend. Canadian Viola Society has an event celebrating 30 years - http://www.viola.ca/viola_day.html

Will be back on Sunday, in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with DD and family.

Have a great weekend.

Ann

Had a miserable cold day yesterday, storm blowing thru, snowing a lot off and on all day ( but not a lot on the ground) but very cold wind. Dogs out with their walker- they were fine, he was freezing.
I was supposedto go out to Canmore today to do a home visit for Collie Rescue but she phoned yesterday to say they were in the midst of quite a blizzard to we cancelled. I just was checking temps - says -11 here and -19 in Canmore! Guess I better get out my earmuffs to walk the dogs soon.

Ive had the turkey for our neighborhood Thanksgiving dinner in the freezer - Jan came to pick it up yesterday - thats is for Sunday evening. He is the cook and always does a wonderful job, this year I am only bringing ice cream for the pies. Usually I do garlic mashed potatoes and cole slaw using my garden veggies. Still have some potatoes and carrots in the ground, everything else is picked.

My 87 year old neighbor is having surgery today for breast cancer- she will be staying with a neice until Monday. Hope all goes well I know she is quite worried but she is pretty private so hard to know sometimes. She is a great neighbor.

M. hope those pies turn out OK which ever way you go - Personally I would be buying the cans!

My goodness, Breast Cancer at 87! How sad, and very disheartening. It appears we can't catch a break at any age. :(

So sad to hear about your sister's doggies, Betty. Losing a beloved pet is like losing a family member.

Sorry to hear about your nasty weather, Carol. Have been watching the progress of that system. Surely the weather will improve again. It's way to early for that white stuff.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone on the Canadian Forum.

Be back shortly, wrote an entire novel, went to look at Don's photo of the 'I need someone to water my plants' poof, gone...finish my morning chores and will be back..

"M" sorry I forgot your birthday..drats..best I get back into my groove...

"Let it SNOW, let it snow, let it snow' !!! Yep .. it has been snowing here since about 7am .. fluffy stuff .. doubt it'll stay .. looks like someone shook one of those snow globes ^_^

Have an apple pie on the bake, and, Carol .. I should have bought canned pumpkin .. made that one first .. it turned out EXTRA firm !!! Am unsure what it's going to taste like .. oh well .. live and learn.
Feel bad for your elder neighbour .. hope the best for her.

Off to see Lorna with Lilly in a bit .. so far this week, there has been 2 sweet Yorkie pups and a Bassett Hound up visiting their 'peeps' :-)

Betty .. thanks for the BDay wishes .. and I certainly hear ya re going back to look at something and POOF losing your post .. has happened to me a few times ..

Have a great weekend

~M~

Marilyn - your birthday?!?!?!

Wow - Happy Birthday, girl!

Keep Smiling! (here's my self portrait - giving you a heart for your birthday!)

~Susan~

LOL .. LOVE the Floral 'Bee Kee Knee' Susan ^_^

My BDay was Oct. 3 .. I am a week older already !!!!!!!!!!!

~M~

For all of you .. from ME ^_^



http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=1934416775801&source=jl999


~M~

Thanks, Marilynne. Happy thanksgiving to you and everyone else.

I've just arrived home from Montreal where I attended the Canadian Viola society's 30th Anniversary Celebration weekend and was one of 10 people given an award last night.
It was a nice weekend.

Ann

CONGRATS Viola ^_^ always nice to be recognized ..

Turkey dinner is done, Lorna's parents left full .. will take Lorna some turkey and pie tomorrow, although I am almost 100% sure the hospital will serve the patients turkey, they had pork roast tonight.

Beautiful fall day here ... leaves are about 70% full ...

~M~

glad you liked it, Marilyn lol

going to be a quiet Thanksgiving... just Bob & I
hahaha he bought a 28 lb turkey from the Hutterites (didn't realize the size until they brought it!), and now it's sitting in the freezer until Christmas lol
I went to the store and bought turkey parts (leg for me, and a Chicken breast for him - the turkey he bought is way too BIG lol
I asked him what was going to be different at Christmas than it was here, and he said "there will be more days to eat turkey sandwiches" LOL

I got all the "fixings" for tomorrow, though
And we had pizza ordered in, for our Anniversary yesterday (11 years) lol

~Susan~

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

ladyfiresign - are you new here? If so, WELCOME! Please tell us about yourself.

Ann

Welcome ladyfire!

Well I did something pretty silly recently. I have 3 watering cans that always sit on the patio beside the tap and I keep them full all the time - for containers and some areas not watered by the underground system and new plantings etc. So I fogot all about them in this cold snap and have not been going out much - this morning as I came back from walking the dogs I was greeted by watering cans with the bottoms popped off! The green ones are metal. The yellow plastic one still has its bottom although it is round instead of flat.
Put them all out in the sun hoping something would melt but it is pretty cold here so they might be iced in for the winter!
Guess I will be buying new ones next spring - not too expensive from Cdn Tire.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Special welcome Ladyfiresign...

Brrrr cold but no snow..can't believe some of you have already had some..know it's coming though so over the weekend worked to winterize everything, even closed in the back deck, usually I'm doing it in a blizzard, fingers numb from being frozen and crying in frustration..said 'nope' not this year...now I feel like I'm ready..

Had Thanksgiving and now for the leftovers...I've been dieting for the past 6 weeks..only lost 10 lbs. - Suzanne my SIL I work with started same day, went to Bernsteins and she's lost 40 so it's discouraging!

As a treat though, I didn't do without my Thanksgiving dinner..little of everything and enjoyed..Greg and the family are dropping in this aft. for a visit, will send everything left over so I'm not tempted..could make a turkey soup with veggies though couldn't I? my goal is 10lbs shed by Christmas...not too big of a challenge if I keep at it..

Working on a zillion things as always..some Halloween and some Christmas....while one is drying, I'm sewing on something else..it's costume time again..almost finished Ernie from Sesame Street for my 13 year old..now why after all this years does he decide upon a cartoon character ??? oh well..almost one down and 3 to go...will have to work evening this week doing some of the others because next weekend I'm off to Frankenmuth and shortly after I have to deliver 2 to the city...drats..always something...lol..I enjoy it though..

Are you all full/tired? hoping you are enjoying your day...

Fancy - I'm surprised the metal ones popped their bottoms - is that snow/ice I see at the bottom of them?

Having a quiet Thanksgiving, the 28 lb turkey my DH got is too large for the 2 of us LOL (men, eh?), so we put it in the freezer for Christmas (still going to be the 2 of us, but he says there are more days off over Christmas to eat leftovers lol)
I went out and got turkey legs (2) and chicken breasts (for him) and we're going to have them, and all the fixings today.

Our 11th anniversary was on Sat, and we stayed in all day (had ordered-in pizza for supper yummmmmmm - no work for me lol).
It was a well-deserved rest weekend for the both of us. I did do one thing on Saturday, and that was to make a banner for the sanctuary of the church. Four down, and 2 more to go lol Took about 9 hours, but it sure was fun making it! Felt good not to be pulled in 20 different directions.
My DH put in a new kitchen faucet sunday, because the old one leaked whenever we hooked up the dishwasher. He said this morning that the water didn't smell chemically.... maybe the old faucet had some "issues" lol

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!! Hope your day is exactly what you want it to be ^_^

~Susan~

Thats ice Susan

omy goodness, Fancy - I hadn't thought it had gotten that cold!
Mind you, I Think it got to -17c last night? hmmmmmmmm
but it's supposed to be plus 17 next friday lol

Belated happy anniversary Susan .. I see 'STEEL' is the choice for a gift ..
Hope you enjoyed the pizza ^_^

BRAVA on the 10 pound weight loss Betty .. I think that's pretty amazing .. hope you got rid of some of your leftovers .. I still have a huge platter of sliced turkey left .. made turkey tetrazinni for supper but still am left with turkey .. no 28 pounder for me .. this was a 16pound turkey.

GADZOOKS Carol .. I must say .. the temp must have been quite cold for that KABOOMBA to happen to the watering cans !!!

Coldish here with a light flurry off and on, WAY WAY too early for temps this cold and flakes !!!

Beginning of a short work week tomorrow .. Lorna gets back to physio and the rise and fall of hospital bureaucracy tomorrow .. must say I do not hold out much faith in the ;health care system' anymore .. boy .. I sure used to .. wouldn't think twice about going to emerg .. not anymore .. walking into an emerg now requires you to be checked out by a security guard .. hand sanitizer must be used and, if you are sniffing, or coughing or have a temp .. you get a mask ..
I know we have to be vigilant .. but sometimes I think we are , at times, over doing it just a bit.

Take care

~M~

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