Out Like a Lamb

What a quiet day it's been. I miss my sister!!!!! Come back, Cath! It's toooo quiet. When I had a phone call at about eleven am, I had to clear my throat. I had last spoken at about six-thirty when my son left for work.

We are expecting snow again tomorrow. No, we haven't seen the last of it yet . My sister sent photos of the huge amount of snow that awaited her when she arrived home. Unbelievable!! Spring is notoriously late in Atlantic Canada and this year is no exception. Green shoots are growing up and growth will advance very rapidly when warm weather hits. Several people, as late as this morning, have mentioned wanting (needing) to get their hands in the soil. I had big plans for gardening but have decided not to devote so much energy there. My normal amount of gardening will be just fine.

I just had a look at the forecast. That snow will turn to rain as the temperature is going to be ten degrees. Awesome!

Van has an appropriate song for the beginning....So Quiet In Here. Did I ever say I was Van Morrison's biggest fan? I'm also a big Ruthie Foster fan. Here she is with Prayin' for Rain and Another Rain Song. I so wish I'd been able to see her when she was in the Maritimes. I have a lot of rain songs. I created a playlist with just rain and storm songs on it and it fills several cds. You can search the blog for Buckets of Rain for instance. I have several available, I believe.

Kat's Memoir Meme

Kat from Keep the Coffee Coming has tagged me in this memoir meme. I am to write a memoir in six words and tag six other bloggers. Here's the memoir but I don't know other bloggers to tag. If anyone wants to do this......
Came
saw
listened
felt
gave
thanks.

Alone Again Or

I've just come from a little Sunday afternoon rest. It was supposed to be a nap but the phone kept ringing. It's a perfect day to curl up. The wind is howling. We had a couple of inches of snow overnight and its cool enough that it didn't melt off today. The photo is of my sister exploring around the pond yesterday. We'd had some fresh fallen snow that made everything pretty again but the afternoon temps and sunshine made it all melt off.

My sister is gone - back to her own life. I was so sorry for her to go. She kept me in line. Not once did I move heavy furniture or carry rocks. That was a harder job than it sounds. I carry mountains of rocks and say that's what's kept me in shape for all these years. I will also have the task of trying to pay as much attention to Bella as my sister did. Bella is a cat with constant needs and my sister fulfilled them leaving no meow unheeded. Those are big shoes to fill and I'm sure that in this matter I will fail. There will be a lot of meowing around here for a while.

Twice in the last while I had to change a gender word in a song title to make it fit. Today it's Who's Going To Help Brother Get Further by Allen Toussaint and Elvis Costello. I want to change Brother to Sister. It is a given that Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves would be a selection today. So is Alone Again Or by Calexico.

Friday MishMash

I chose the above photo and had proceeded with the upload when this song came onto the cd that I made. An Illegal Smile by John Prine is playing on my stereo at the moment. It felt like a smiling day to me even before the song.

I've been having a bit of a party - celebrating Friday with girlfriends. I'm playing a cd I made for my sister and the one before before that was one I made for my sister-in-law, who just left. Their birthdays are two days apart. I think Ralph is partying a bit out there as well and I feel connected. My brother is arriving tomorrow to steal my sister away. We'll deal with that when it comes. I've invited my son and said sis-in-law to sit on Aunt Cath so that she can't leave.

Eighties Ladies by KT Oslin just came into sight when I spun the music in front of me and it is so marvelously ironic . Remember I'm listening to cd's. All of these women that were here stem from meeting in the eighties. I usually listen to music from my computer when I on it rather than from the house stereo that is now blasting away. I present it now and bow out gracefully.

Sunshiny Day

It is finally above zero. Sis and I had a walk around (not really around) the pond and it felt wonderful out in the sunshine. We picked up some broken glass along the side of the road and even a chore like that was nice - just to be out on a warm day. Just realized the American readers may be confused but our zero Celsius is equal to your thirty-two Farenheit.

It is the ten year anniversary of the passing of my mother today. I've honoured it all day in many ways. I picked out new photo's to display of her, talked to her, cried a few times, once with my sister, wrote a note to my dad's partner, who supported my mom greatly in her last couple of years and am not finished yet. She was the most important person ever in my life. I need to perform rituals on anniversaries and special days. I always have. I had funerals over fish guts for God's sake. I can imagine how hard it must have been for Mom not to laugh at that. She had a fabulous sense of humour that was cut short at age fifty-two of early onset Alzheimers. She died at sixty.

For my mom I'm linking to a post from the past Mother's Day, because for it, I had already uploaded a Patsy Cline song and a wedding photo of my parents. My mom loved Patsy though did not recognize her in the last couple of years of her life. I brought a cd over and she said, That's not Patsy Cline." Here are Patsy's songs Crazy and Walkin' After Midnight. She also loved Jim Reeves. Hmm, kind of ironic that they both died at a young age. I remember all of their music from the era that it was popular as Mom and I would sing along with the albums. Here is Jim with He'll Have To Go. Ry Cooder does a fine job of that song too. I think she would have liked it.

Luckiest Woman

I have run out of daytime. I still have tons of stuff to do so haven't a lot of time. Dinner is in the oven. Three sister-in-laws who are friends and one a work colleague dropped off a whole bunch of food today while I was in town. There is a scallop casserole in the oven, my sister and sister-in-law and I just munched on a fruit tray, they sent a cherry cheesecake for dessert and a fruit cake for later. Yesterday a neighbour brought carrot muffins. It feels so wonderful to know that people care. I receive cards and phone calls every day and appreciate them all.

It is official. My pathology report is back and I do not have cancer. The relief is immense. With all I've been through the underlying fear was what comes after. I'm happy to report that nothing is required for me to live a normal (who, me) life. Yeah!!!!!! I feel a real weight lifted.

The first song today is something I wouldn't play before but I feel ok about it now. Cancer by Dave Van Ronk tells it all. I smoked for forty years. For the second song, if we could change the word Man to Woman, this is my pick for song of the week.. It's David Olney with Luckiest Man. Another essential song to be brought back in is Endangered Species by Diane Reeves. It's an anthem.

Spring is Napping

I've asked for music requests before and have only had one- from my brother, but got one for a recipe yesterday so I will start with that. Impossible Pie is a pie that is made by mixing up a whole lot of things, throwing this mixture into a pie plate and having a fully formed pie come out at the end. If you like custard and coconut it is also really delicious.

Impossible Pie

4 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
1 cup coconut
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Pour into 10 inch, buttered glass pie plate.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
How simple is that?

The above photo was taken last year but the pond looks just like that in the mornings right now. In the afternoon it is melted and freezes overnight again overnight. It's been a bit cooler than normal but our snow is almost gone whereas New Brunswick, our neighbouring province, is still knee deep. My sister will return to the snow when she leaves here.

We both had naps today. I'm not a napper but the urge hit me today and I ran, not walked to take advantage of what I hoped was not a fleeting fancy. Luckily the urge stuck and I had a glorious nap. It's been months since I've had one.

Making Pies by Patty Griffith is first musical choice even though I had it up yesterday. It's such a great song from a great singer, I don't mind at all putting it up again. A couple of new ones today are about sleep and dreams. First The Arvett Brothers have the right idea with Go To Sleep and this is one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs - When I Stop Dreaming. It has a talking preamble which is fine with me. It is considered one of the essential songs that I've trying to return to my music pages.

Could I Be Hungry?

Today is a blue sky day, the first I've seen in weeks, it seems, though when we went to town last week I remember the blue skies and the blue water. If you're driving or stuck inside, it hardly matters. I had some community errands and visits to complete today but did not walk. My soul wanted to so badly but I'm being good and did not venture off on my usual speedy pace. My sister drove me around on the short jaunts and I'm feeling better for it now.

My sister decided to make a special meatloaf that she likes. We visited a friend in a nursing home and he said meatloaf had also been their dinner today. I watched Oprah when we came home and on one segment, Billy Joel's young wife made meatloaf. Amazing? What are you having for supper?

I went to a potluck yesterday and had lots of nice food. My favorite was the asparagus with hollandaise sauce and one of the desserts, the old time, Impossible Pie. I bought an bundle of asparagus earlier in the week and had forgotten about it so that's some of the other items on the dinner menu. We are also having turnip, my sister's favorite veggie. She and my son will have baked potatoes and I will have rice or maybe, I will have the baked for a change. I like baked and sour cream with meatloaf.

I also like lots of music. What can be better than food or music? Food and music? Blossom Dearie is a favorite singer and performer of mine. She does a fine job of the old song Peel Me a Grape and she has a version with Lyle Lovett. Which to choose..... Both were up previously. Today I'll choose her version with Lyle but the other will make it up again some day. Another nice food song is Patty Griffin's Making Pies. Rufus Wainwright has Crumb by Crumb in the food category and he and Didi collaborated on a food song, I Eat Dinner and that's pretty awesome.

Happy Easter

I've got plans for the time I would normally be blogging so here's a bit of an early post. The Easter bunny, pictured above is from another year. This year there's still a bit of snow on the ground so he had to wear a white winter coat. I hear that my granddaughter has inherited her mommy's love for chocolate and this has been the happiest day of her life. I have some lovely Toblerone that will last me for ever.

Some gospel music seems fitting for today. I love gospel music and some of the best is from The Blind Boys from Alabama. Here they are with People Get Ready and Higher Ground. Both are well known and the Blind Boys do a marvelous job of them. Happy Easter!

Memories or Not

The above photo of Bella is from my sister. She got lots of great shots of the kitties.

My sister-in-law went on vacation a few days after my surgery and returned home yesterday. She filled me in on more of the things I was saying when I was under the influence of drugs. Apparently I offered to take her for a walk around a trail if she visited me again instead of going to the Caribbean for a week. Glad she chose the Caribbean. I talked to my son today who was here for the surgery. He filled me in on a whole bunch more. I find it amazing that I'm not able to remember so much of the week. Huge chunks are missing. My son told me he did arm physio with me every day. I can't remember that at all. I had visitors that I can't remember at all. This person is not really a favorite person of mine but when asked if I was mean to him they said that I was very nice to him. Go figure.... I was very funny too, apparently. For a good time, get Cuidado drugs.

The Asylum Street Spankers are a funny, good time band. They have two appropriate song for today's post. The Pussy Cat Song has disappeared from my pages and was very popular. I think it's hilarious and it's time to put it back. Also, Winning the War on Drugs fits right in. I can't access the songs that have disappeared but some are still there somehow. The Pussycat Song was still there with 520 hits. It certainly was popular.

Thank God It's Friday and Thank You Nurse Jackie

Good Friday. In my opinion every Friday is good. Friday has always been my favorite day of the week. When I was young I was the oldest and had to babysit......a lot; every Saturday for sure as that was my parents night out. Friday became mine and my friends' night to do whatever we were going to do that week with the promise of getting to sleep in on Saturday. This night has stayed with me as a celebratory night and Good Friday is the epitome - the end of Lent. I don't give up anything specifically but still practice it to an extent somehow but not in a Catholic way. Hard to explain but it's part of me. Good Friday.

I just telephoned the nurse who was a personal angel to me, to thank her for being an excellent nurse. I had several complications after my surgery that weren't dealt with until I figured it out myself or she did. She was humbled by the call but I believe she was the best nurse I encountered during my visit and deserves to know this. She lives in my community though I didn't know her. I know her husband who is very good in his trade as well. I always believe in letting people know when they're doing a good job. It's always been a practice of mine.

Music: For Jackie: Calling All Angels sung by Brandi and Tiffany Carlile and Thank You by Dido, Woman King by Iron and Wine and The Quality of Mercy by Michelle Shocked. She was a really good nurse.

Springing Forward

Our forecast huge ice storm was a no show. This is the third time this has happened in the last month. I'm not complaining at all, as it turned out to be a very pleasant first day of spring.

After this morning, if my sister tries to leave, my son will probably sit on her - because I can't. She baked cookies this morning. They were some kind of cinnamon delights and the house still smells amazing. I limited myself to two before lunch but it was very hard. I'm on a healing journey and too many cookies wouldn't be the best medicine - two I can justify. Did I mention that I mean two cookies per meal?

I've been a good patient today, and took it easy. One of my aunties called this morning and we spent an hour and or so on the phone. I'll never catch up on a week of missing the blogs on my morning blog roll but I gave it an honest effort this morning while I smelled the cookies baking. Someone loaned me the first season of Nip Tuck which I had never seen so we did a bit of that this afternoon. I'm not a TV person and have only two channels. Nip Tuck only became available to me only during it's second season so it's good to see the prequel to that.

My situation reminds me of an Ingrid Mickelson song, Breakable. I just have to keep reminding myself. One of the ways people find my site is from searches for Ingrid. I'll add another of her songs today that I like a lot, The Way I Am. It reminds me of the love songs, When I'm Sixty-Four by The Beatles and Stan Rogers' lovely, Forty-Five Years From Now. Here another sweet love song, Morning Lullabies, from her album, Slow The Rain. Another from that album is A Bird's Song.

Lessons To Learn

My recovery is not going all that smoothly. I made light of the pepper incident yesterday but spent a couple of hours in emergency today to find out that I have pulled some internal stitches and some muscles but have no internal bleeding. I had a pretty painful afternoon and night last night, but didn't go to Emergency as I was going to town today anyway.

I am a fast mover and it's very hard for me to slow down long enough to relax. I went grocery shopping today and thought I was being good as my sister was pushing the cart. I had a serious weak spell when we were almost through and had to sit on a little step stool someone had left in the aisle. I would have resorted to the floor. That was when I decided for sure to go to the ER.

All is well. I just have to slow down, be a better patient, and of course, avoid pepper. Who knew it would be this hard?

I don't want to make All The Same Mistakes. Mieka Pauley has that covered. Another necessary song for today is Lean on Me by Bill Withers. I hardly ever play blues here. There's no reason for that as I love the blues and have a good collection. I'll remedy that with John Mayall and Mavis Staples doing Wake Up Call.

Hold Yourself

This photo is deceiving for a day like today as I wanted something bright and have only dark photos that portray pure wind. We have had a huge wind storm for the last couple of days and it is still blowing a gale. Though it is sunny, the furnace is running full time to keep us warm. The rest of The Maritimes are above zero but not here. It is only minus four now but was very cold for much of the day.

I'm feeling fine but no one told me of the dangers of laughing or sneezing. Movements of the body have to be calculated. I had to take pain medication after talking to my daughter last night. She was telling me hilarious things that I was saying through hallucinations after surgery. I can't remember very much of it but I guess I kept the kids entertained. And as for sneezing, I have officially given up pepper.

Songs: I Can't Stop and Let Me Down Easy by Bettye LaVette, and the James Taylor classic, Something In the Way She Moves. This is not to be confused with The Beatles song.

Parts of Me Wandering Around Canada

Long time, no talk but I've been busy. Actually others have been busy. I've just been lying around. The above kidney was in my body and is now in pathology labs around the country. I've never shown body parts on my blog before but today is an exception. I had to jump through a few hoops to get this photo and will thus spare you the scar. It is in pathology labs around the country because the path lab here isn't sure what it is. They think it is something specific but that something is usually small and mine is quite large. "It" is visible on the top right.

I am very happy to be home. Friends and neighbours have been wonderful. I got home minutes before noon and a liter of seafood chowder came down the driveway behind me with biscuits and apple pie to go with it. My room in the hospital became known as the flower room with nurses from other departments coming to see it.

My sister is taking care of me for a couple of weeks. She's perfect as she loves her naps in the afternoon so is encouraging me in that area. I've never been a napper but must rest to recouperate so will follow her instructions. Only thing, she has to stop making me laugh without warning. I can laugh if I'm holding my side but if unprepared laughter is NOT the best medicine.

Music today is to honour St Patrick's. The Young Dubliners have some nice versions of some Irish tunes we all know: Raglan Road and I'll Tell Me Ma. Several Celtic groups from the Maritimes do these songs but today....right to the source. You all thought I was going to have Van Morrison didn't you. A bit of the anaesthetic must stlill be swirling around.

Update

Hey everyone,
Just a quick update that Mom is doing well. The surgery went great, and the Doctor is encouraged and confident that all will be fine. Mom seems to be recovering well, although the nurses don't seem to be doing her any favors. She wasn't able to get an epidural, which was her plan, but so far the pain hasn't been as bad as advertised. We saw her pretty late last night, and are heading in again soon.

-A

Good Vibes Please

I am counting the minutes till my oldest son arrives and the hours till I am admitted to hospital. I'm not nervous really and am looking forward to just getting it over with. The waiting is always the hardest part for me. I've been told over and over again how it is the most painful surgery you can have so that's not anything to look forward to but heck I've had three children without medication of any kind so I know I can handle it.

I'm looking for good vibes so if at 9 am Atlantic you can send good vibes, please do. Steve, brother out west, you can be excused as you'll be sleeping but if Ellie's up with hot flashes.....

Someone to Watch Over Me is one of my favorite Gershwin songs. I have lots of versions. Here are a couple of great ones by Renee Olstead and Blossom Dearie. Here's a link to Renee Olstead performing the song on Youtube.

Rain

I'm stuffed to the gills from a big turkey dinner. I didn't know the turkey was so big - eighteen pounds - so the kids are going to be eating turkey leftovers for days. They are cleaning up the kitchen and dishes and I'm having hot flashes. What a fun Saturday night.

I am not allowed any food after midnight tonight and have to take a concoction tomorrow that is going to require me staying near a bathroom all day. I can have clear fluids only and no alcoholic beverages. I have a really great juice called Antioxia that I'm hooked on so that's what I'm having for all my meals. Two more sleeps.

The hours and hours of freezing rain that was predicted did not happen though we've had a huge amount of rain. It's still raining and there's a possibility that it will turn to freezing rain or ice pellets. That's not enough to force me to town early though. A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall is an old favorit of mine. Leon Russell does a great job and here's one by The Staple Singers as well. I so love Patty Griffin and here is her song Rain from her album 1000 Kisses.

Never Letting Go

What a gorgeous, gorgeous day we had today. I got out walking and the fresh air and sunshine does a lot to enrich the soul so I am feeling enriched. I visited a few friends who can't get out walking like I can. We sat outside and watched the melting around us.

Tomorrow night we are supposed to have a massive ice storm. I have to pay careful attention to the forecast as I have to be in hospital at 7am on Monday. Yesterday, the forecast said that the freezing rain would be lasting till Sunday. If this is so when do I go to town? It is a play it by careful ear situation. I have a place to stay if I want to go in early and my son is flying in on Sunday and he has tons of places to stay so we're not worried about that. It is driving from the country that is the problem.

Randy Newman always has the right music. Real Emotional Girl pretty well describes me lately. I just have to Roll With the Punches so that's the plan. Only three more sleeps. Van Morrison always has the right music too. Contacting My Angel is of course at the top of the list of what I'm doing. I want her to See Me Through. Phoebe Snow knows the truth though. I'm Never Letting Go.

Counting the Days Till Spring

In my Shutterchance blog it is spring. It's beginning autumn in South Africa and though the Australians haven't mentioned it, summer is fading there as well. In Europe however it is spring. David from outside Dublin has been photographing daffodils for weeks, France has had the earliest spring ever on record and England, though it varies throughout the regions has green grass and daffodils too. We are the land of freezing rain and snow. It's always been normal for us to have this weather but Europe and the southern states have me feeling a bit envious.

Ralph wrote about gardening today and shows a photo of his green grass. I long for May's green grass but will patiently wait. There is not much we can do about this change in circumstance or physical area but much we can do to keep showing nature as it moves acroos the world. We in Atlantic Canada will eventually get spring. Someone commented on Ralph's blog yesterday about looking for relief from the heat and wanting cooler temperatures in July and August. It will be my turn to feel sorry for them then. We love July and August.

What is spring but Buckets of Rain. Being one of my favorite Dylan songs I have a few versions already up. Number one, two, and three . Here's another by Neko Case. Since we have Neko Case up here's another song of hers; Look For Me I'll Be Around. She's moody by the way.

Rushing

I'm exhausted! I spent two and a half hours in hospital yesterday and five and a half hours there today. After yesterday's visit I spent a four hours with a friend while my daughter got her hair done. Then I spent an hour following my daughter around while she clothes shopped, then got groceries. I got home in time to eat two pieces of pizza for supper, grab a shower, and go back into that friend's to spend the night. Hours and hours of freezing rain was forecast for today and if it occurred in the morning there would be no way I could make it into the pre- surgery clinic. If you miss this clinic, your surgery is automatically canceled. I couldn't have that. Now everything is ready, I have my instructions and am just counting the hours. I need some relaxation time but doubt if that is going to happen.

Playing Mississippi Fred McDowell got me playing a pile of old blues this week and one of the songs that came up was Frankie and Johnny by Big Bill Broonzey. Another great version is fron The Skiffle Sessions album that I featured a few days ago. I remember this song from it's era an loved it then. I almost like it more now.

Monday Madness

The first robin of the season is outside under the apple trees eating fallen apples that were exposed after yesterday's big wind. Some places in the yard have a couple of feet of snow coverage and some areas are bare grass. I've tried several times today to get this robin's photo through the window but it flies up into the trees each time I approach the window. The photo of a robin is in my back yard but it's from summer.

I've had a very, very busy day today - answering phones. It somehow gets around that The Girl is home and the phone begins to ring non-stop. She was out all afternoon so I was relegated to the message taking.

I bought and am reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, the book that Oprah has been talking about, pushing actually, for weeks. He and she are having an online class about the book on Monday nights. I had planned to sign up for this but other than tonight, my next few Mondays will be occupied. It also starts at 10 pm which would be too late for me to do thinking work.

Lesson Learned by the wonderfully talented Alicia Keys is the first song today. Mississippi Fred McDowall has the second, Good Morning Little School Girl. I have lots of versions of that song but I love everything Mississippi Fred MacDowall does so that's the one I'm choosing. It has a different melody than every other version I've heard but I like him so much!

We've had lots of visitors since I started this so it's coming rather late. Now Putfile seems to be having some slowdown. Hope the songs work ok cause it sure is taking a long time to upload them. Remember the good old days when this was published at 4:30 - 4:45?

Breathe

We are in the midst of a huge blizzard. I started snowing yesterday afternoon, took a bit of a break overnight but started up again before morning and is now ripping and roaring. We have 100 km winds and zero visibility.

Of course, my twenty something year old kids are out adventuring in it. They went searching for someone's lost dog, tried to find sleds at their dad's so that they could go sledding and are now planning to come here to see what they can find in my barn. I'm staying in where it's safe and warm.

This is probably going to feel like the longest week of my life. I want Monday to come more quickly than it really can. I want this monster out of my body. I've been obsessing all week about what I should eat and what I should not. For instance, the surgeon asked me what medications I was on. He asked if I take supplements and I told him that I take them all. He said, "Do you take vitamin E?" I told him that I did and he didn't expound on it nor did I question it further. I certainly wish I had. So all week I've been wondering why he asked about that specific vitamin and whether I should leave it out or double it. My mind needs quieting. Take a deep breath.

Today's music is two different songs with the same title; Breathe. The one by Sia had been up before but disappeared and the one by Alexi Murdoch I've put on playlists but not on the blog. Both are very nice and mellow....just what I need.

She's Back!

My lovely daughter has arrived home from 'out west'. She and her older brother are staggering their visits. My youngest son was in Maine, three hours from the Canadian border, when I talked to him at about three o'clock. He will arrive home sometime in the middle of the night. He's driving through a storm and I've urged him to stop but he is going to keep on. He has passengers with him on the return whereas he went to Boston alone.

This is one busy girl. She has about one million friends. I called her this morning when she was waiting in the airport in Toronto. We talked for a minute or so and I heard her say, "Hi, Brody." She knows people everywhere. She is already gone visiting her cousins after being home an hour. Luckily, I am cooking her favorite meal for supper so I know she will be back.

I could choose lots of music that reminds me of my daughter. Them There Eyes as sung by Billie Holiday with the line, "I fell in love with you the first time I looked at you" comes to mind but she doesn't really like the song any more. I Love You So Much It Hurts by John Prine was a possibility but I've chosen the Jane Siberry song, Calling All Angels, sung by Brandi and Tiffany Carlile. Also, My Baby Just Cares For Me with Sophie Milman's clear as a bell voice is perfect for today.

I was just thinking about the last time I saw my daughter. She was with me when I fell on the ice, now over two months ago. She got me to the hospital and back but left here the next day. Little did we think she would be accompanying me to a hospital again so soon.

Just Like Women

I have two friends with breast cancer. I went to a fundraiser for one on Saturday night and spent the afternoon with the other this afternoon. My sister-in-law and I had long planned a visit but didn't want to take up precious nap time. She is undergoing radiation treatments right now and has almost a 150 km round trip each day and is tired. When I called to see if a visit would be ok, she got really excited and said she would prepare a tea party. I insisted that this was not necessary but this woman, dynamo that she is, planned a great afternoon . She had invited another mutual friend who had recently lost her husband and whom I'd not seen since that event.

The afternoon was absolutely wonderful!!! Her husband left when she was showing us her breast saying that when his friends got together they had absolutely no desire to show each other their vasectomies. We told him that he just didn't understand and that it was his loss. We had some fun conversation and some serious conversation and we could feel the womanly bond that exists in our gender that is understood but can not be explained.

I think I've reached a new stage or joined a new club. I'm having a body part removed. It has nothing to do with age though as we get older more and more people join the club. I'm glad to find out the meetings are so much fun.

We need the Bob today. First, Just Like A Woman, one of his best known songs and then a live version of The Times We've Known from disk 6 of the bootleg, The Never Ending Tour.

Let's Eat Cake

It is my sister-in-laws birthday today and my sister's was two days ago. My sister-in-law is like a sister and I think that it's neat that their birthday is two days apart with the way our family has multiples on birthdays so often. I gave them each two cd's that were very personal from me to them. I find it very satisfying to do this. Music can say my feelings so much better than I can with words. Sis-in-law has been incredible to help me so much this winter, cheerfully driving me places and keeping my spirits up. My sister is coming for two weeks to take care of me after I return from hospital. I want to celebrate their love and kindness.

My oldest son has his flight booked to come while I have my surgery. About an hour after he sent an itinerary, I had a message from the OR booking department saying to call them as they had a booking change. All was well as they were only changing the time and date for my pre-surgery clinic as I had requested a consult with an anaesthetist. Gave me a bit of a scare though as I kept dialing their number and getting busy signal after busy signal. My daughter may be coming from Alberta this weekend and my other son returns from Boston on Sunday. It's going to be a busy household again.

I did not include this song on any of the four cds I made for my sisters because they are not dancers. I include it on every dance cd I make though as I spent the late eighties dancing to this great song. I made tapes then and made them often for women's events that we invariably ended with dancing. Just playing it now has me groovin' Here is Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves by Aretha and Annie Lennox - such a classic! Sticking with Aretha, I also have today, a song that I've been looking for on mp3 for years. I have it on cassette but wanted to be able to add it to playlists. Ralph, a new blogger friend, was pleased when I sent him some songs and asked if there was anything I was looking for. I certainly was and said so in a about a second. He quickly supplied it and I was thrilled to finally have a copy of Kind of Man. The song has nothing to do with sisters or birthdays but it's Aretha, which is fabulous in itself, and it is a fantastic ballad.

Something to Crow About

I have a surgery date. The tenth of March is the big day - twelve more sleeps. I want it out tomorrow but must be patient. I have lots to keep me occupied in the meantime and will concentrate on those things.

We had a non storm today. Schools were canceled but the snow stopped at 8 am, and the freezing rain and rain did not materialize. It was really beautiful in early morning as the snow was wet enough that it stuck to the trees making everything look like a winter wonderland. The wind came up and in about fifteen minutes there wasn't a bit of snow on the trees. I went for a walk after lunch as it was sunny and warm. A very nice non storm day. Nice too because I completed my income tax, one of those jobs we all dread.

I still need that essential music that has been removed to be back on the music pages. I don't know if I've ever told the story here of my discovery of "The Skiffle Sessions." Every Sunday morning for years I read a week's worth of posts to a news group about Van Morrison. I valued the opinions of the group as I deemed them to be like me - huge Van fans. When Van's new album, The Skiffle Sessions, came out in 1998, the group thoroughly panned it. I went along and believed that it was awful without even hearing it. In the summer I attended a friend's annual outdoor 'seafood party' which is a much anticipated event in my group. While mingling I heard the old song, It Takes A Worried Man. I immediately loved it and then on the next song heard Van's voice joining in. What is this?!?! I found my host who is a huge Van fan as well and he told me it was The Skiffle Sessions. I had read the whole week's posts for the news group earlier that morning and never again did I go back. It didn't take me long to get the cd and it remains one of my favorite albums. All of the songs are songs from my youth. I learned to play, I Wanna Go Home on the guitar when I was eleven or twelve. I love every song on it. Today, I'll put up Good Night, Irene as well as that fore-mentioned first song on th album. This version of Good Night, Irene has a story of it's own.

The World Smiles With You

I have to tell you about my good luck and bad luck. It would seem to be bad luck that I fell on the ice moments after this photo was taken, where I was yelling to the Gods how much I loved it here. It would seem that seeing the orthopedic specialist a week after I should have because of the New Years holiday was bad luck. It was really, really bad luck that when I did see him he did nothing but tell me to start physio and come back in three weeks without having taken an x-ray. When I returned in three weeks and was x-rayed there was a bit of a panic as it was very obvious that I needed surgery and six and a half weeks had been wasted and further damage had occurred.

This is where the good luck comes in. While I was in hospital for the shoulder surgery my family doctor got the results of a CT scan I'd had in January. I was able to have an ultrasound the next day because I was an inpatient. She told me that if I'd had come to her office for the results, I would have had to wait three to four months for that ultrasound. That ultrasound was the final diagnosis for the kidney tumour. Call it what you will, but God or the world works in mysterious ways. So many people have told me I should sue the orthopedic surgeon who mismanaged my case. Ha! I'm thinking of sending him a thank you card.

I started this a bit after five and Blogger had some problem so it's a bit late...but not too late for some music. Mieka Pauley has the lovely song Fate Day by Day. David Olney has a song called Luckiest Man. You have to use your imagination for the man part, otherwise, a song about luck. We also have Reasons Why by Nickle Creek and the great jazz number Angels and Demons At Play by Sun Ra. Enjoy!

Beginning A Journey

I was a little blue when I stopped writing in the blog a couple of weeks ago. It was true that I was frustrated with the state of my arm/shoulder and that I was six and a half weeks behind where I should have been in regaining use of my battered limb. I was also frustrated with my lack of cre8ive outlets. There was another reason and now that everything is settled and my family has been informed I can talk about it.

I am having a kidney removed in a couple of weeks. It is assumed to be and most likely is cancerous but that determination is not final until the kidney is removed and a pathology report issued. As you can imagine, I am devastated. I am going through all the stages. Why me? I have taken such care. I have an excellent diet, maintain a good weight, quit smoking, exercise regularly, and take a huge amount of supplements. My doctor this summer told me I was perfect on paper - extremely healthy. Why me? Why not me is the answer, I guess. I know others who have maintained healthy lifestyles and have been stricken with the disease. Luck of the draw? I do not know the answer and will not dwell on it.

Music today is not meant to be a bummer. Gillian Welsh's beautiful song, I'm Not Afraid to Die, kind of says what I said in the last paragraph. Won't Give In by The Finn Brothers is my answer to it all as I won't give in. Here's Hayden with a version of Neil Young's, Tell Me Why. Kate Bush has a powerful song for how I'm feeling, too; Jig of Life, powerful I say!

The Path

Click to Play:
Free Yourself - Fantasia Barrino
If It Be Your Will - Leonard Cohen
Dead End Road - JJ Cale & Eric Clapton
Distractions - Sia

Blues In The Night

Click to Play:
Midnight At the Oasis - Renee Olstead
Midnight At the Oasis - Maria Muldaur
Mood Indigo - Nina Simone
Blues in the Night - Katie Melua
Blues in the Night - Dr. John

The Pierces - Fresh

Click to Play:
Tonight - The Pierces
I'll Be Dreaming - The Pierces
Boring - The Pierces
Save Me - The Pierces

Wet Night

We had incredible rain yesterday and overnight. There was widespread basement flooding and I was not spared and got eighteen inches of rain. I find that ironic as I put up Ian Tyson's great song, Eighteen Inches of Rain as the last song yesterday when the flooding hadn't started.

Click to Play:
Let It Rain - Tracy Chapman
The Rowing Song - Patty Griffin
Cry Me A River - Bettye LaVette
If I Had a Boat - Holmes Brothers

Good Weather For Mushrooms

Click to Play:
I Think It's Going To Rain Today - Randy Newman
I Think It's Going To Rain Today - Nina Simone
I Think It's Going To Rain Today - David Gray
Buckets of Rain - Bob Dylan
Buckets of Rain - Jimmy LaFave
Buckets of Rain - Beth Orton & M. Ward
Eighteen Inches of Rain - Ian Tyson

Soul and Soul Again - Bettye LaVette

Click to Play:
Choices - Bettye LaVette
Little Sparrow - Bettye LaVette
Joy - Bettye LaVette
Down to Zero - Bettye LaVette
I Can't Stop - Bettye LaVette

Silver Linings

Click to Play
Keep Your Silver Shined - Devon Sproule
The Shining - Badly Drawn Boy
Que Sera Sera - Doris Day

Love

Click to Play:
Our Love Is Here To Stay - Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks
I Scare Myself - Dan Hicks

Love Day

Made a mistake the other day
saying it is two years on the 20th that I started this blog
when it is actually three.

Click to Play:
Two of the finest vocalists to ever walk the earth
and four fabulous love songs.
Fever - kd lang
Love is Everything - kd lang
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered - Ella Fitzgerald
My Funny Valentine - Ella Fitzgerald

Have A Listen

Recent hospital view.
Another storm tonight.


I would like this to have been yesterday's music:
This Is How It Goes - Missy Higgins

To lurkers out there:
Say it To Me Now - Glen Hansard

I've Had a Screw

I'm home at last. Five days in hospital is way more than enough especially when you are waiting for the first two and a half. I didn't have my surgery till Saturday. I have to go back for staple removal next week and hope that I've seen the last of that place for a while.

I started this blog two (I mean three) years ago on the 20th. I wanted to share music and didn't have a clue how to do that at the time. I figured out a way and chatted about this and that along the way with the music. Not many have commented or encouraged me to this point except my family. I have decided that that all I'm going to do from now on is share the music since this little life is not of interest to many other than my family. Carol, Dan, Ralph, and Ekim are exceptions and I can communicate with them through their blogs.

There seems to be network problems. I started this at five and Blogger wasn't working. Now it's eight and Putfile is having problems. I'll put up music when I'm able. For today, So Quiet In Here and Why Must I Always Explain by Van Morrison. I believe the reason Putfile was down is that they were making some changes...changes that confused me a bit. They're back up now.

Coming and Going

The surgeon called this morning to tell me how much our medical system sucks. He thinks I should write a letter to the minister of health. I am being admitted to ER tomorrow as there is not a bed for me and because his allotted hours of OR time is up. I will be on urgent standby waiting for any orthopedic surgeon to fix me up. I think he is feeling a little guilty for not doing x-rays three weeks ago. The ER doctor called it correctly but the ortho just didn't really do the proper care. It has become more damaged in the last three weeks because of his neglect. I am being admitted at 8 am tomorrow.

A friend told me this afternoon that she had a friend in much the same situation earlier this winter but with a broken leg. Since she had to be surgery ready for the whole time she could have nothing by mouth and could only have an IV. She was in a bed behind the ER for three days before she got her surgery with only the IV for sustenance. This is what awaits. Our system is severely broken and as the Dr. told me this morning, ready for collapse.

I want fun music today. I love the jumpin' jive era of music so here are some songs from that time. These songs were written in that era, I should have said. These are from Joe Jackson's 1981, Jumpin' Jive, his tribute album to his father's roots. I checked that date on my cassette and was surprised. I thought it was from the late seventies. Anyway, here are You Run Your Mouth and I'll Run My Business and What's The Use Of Gettin' Sober. Here are more from the era: My favorite, the first song I posted on this blog, Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby by Renee Olstead, the same song by Louis Jordan, and by Joe Jackson. There's also Jack You're Dead.

I have no idea when I'll be back home so keep listening to the music. Page One and Page Two in the links have 542 songs for your listening pleasure.

The Bad News

I found out today that I must have surgery on my shoulder. It is considered urgent. It will be Thursday or Friday or next week at the latest. The surgeon didn't have his schedule and couldn't get his office on the phone so will let me know tomorrow. I'm dreading this for many reasons but will not get into that.

This truly could have been determined weeks ago and it really irks me that I have to start the process of immobilization again. It will weaken my muscles and physio will be harder and more time will have passed until I'm back to normal. Our medical system sucks!!!

I'm a bit pissed off so short post but four songs. You've Got To Move is considered one of my essential songs. I had two versions up in the past that are gone. Here's Greg Brown, Tracy Grammer and Dave Carter with one fabulous version, Mississippi Fred MacDowall ( my favorite) with one, and Two Gospel Keys with another. I know I have more but am not going to take the time to look. Instead, because it's late, Steve Dawson brings us At Arm's Length.

By the way this photo is minutes before my accident. I had my arms outstretched and was screaming to the gods, "I love my pond. I love it out here." Then that hockey stick that is visible at the very left edge was passed to me.....

L'Acadie

I've had a generous offer to help me in the genealogical research for my mother's grandfather. I had sent an e-mail to compliment a site I had come across, tho site owner emailed back. Through several back and forths since yesterday, I've offered to show her the earliest Acadian cemetery in PEI and she is putting me in line for a cool event. She heads a genealogy group where they take one query or one name a week and each group member researches it. Her (and her husband's) last name is the name I am searching for and her mother is of the same last name.

A great percentage of Acadians stayed a very homogeneous group, living among themselves in various pockets of the world. They shared an extraordinary history, a unique culture, and a language. I lost out somewhat along the way as I don't speak French fluently but my kids attended French Immersion until grade 12. Here's the quick and dirty Wiki version of the Acadian story. We had our 400th anniversary in '04, the oldest European settlement in North America....unless you count the Vikings, who didn't stay. It is very interesting genealogy to work on with the same names criss-crossing over and over. It makes you dizzy.

I've got tons of Lennie Gallant and Rheal Pelletier cd's but nothing on my computer. They're PEI Acadians, both whom I've known the thirty one years I've been on the Island. Instead I'll treat you with Daniel Lanois who I'd consider an honourary Acadian. The Collection of Marie Claire was a favorite 'car song' for my kids. If this song isn't just the best.... Also, here's Jolie Louise.

Genealogy Bug

I've been bitten by the genealogy bug once again. Every once in a while I open the files and start again where I left off. I began yesterday, have bookmarked about twenty-five pages, continued all day today and am going to take a break. I had a big breakthrough last year and am looking for the next one.

The above photo was taken in 1983 when there were still five generations in our family. This was taken in Ontario where my great-grandmother and grandmother lived. My oldest son is the same age as my niece in the front but he was home in PEI so I didn't get a five generation photo. There is one, in a way, because I was very pregnant at this time and if you could see through the belly bump in the photo, there was my daughter.

I'm very lucky to have the complete genealogy for my father and for my mother's mother's side (the people above) so am working on my mother's father's family. The big breakthrough last year came when I found the family in a different province in the 1911 census than in the 1901 census. For several years I exhausted every possibility in the province where I thought they were. Today, after searching for two days I thought I had reached a dead end. Then about an hour ago I had a call from a relative in this family and she told me she thought a cousin might have some leads. That's my next step.

Dead End Road by JJ Cale and Eric Clapton seems to be the right song for this post, as well as, On And On It Goes by Mary Chapin Carpenter. And now, my eyes and brain need a rest.

A Winning Week

My blog, Photos and Pursuits, is my answer to the daily photo challenges available to the photo community throughout the week. For each daily challenge, I either upload a shot from my Shutterchance blog or post a new one on Photos and Pursuits.

Some of the challenges have 'winners', some do not. Some of winners are decided by popular vote, some are chosen from a volunteer judge and some are chosen from the site owner. This week I was a winner in two of them and last week was a winner in one. What is so strange is that I was getting discouraged and this week didn't bother to enter two on Tueday or one on Wednesday. Here are links to the challenges which link to the winning photos. Today's Unique Exposures, last week's Unique Exposures, and Shutterday. I can't link to the specific week on Shutterday but the subject was Smoke 'em If You Got 'em. I like that this one is popular vote.

Today's music brings Sia. I like her kind of unusual voice that is so filled with emotion. Today I have Distractions and Soon We'll Be Found. Check out her My Space page. Here are a couple from before: Little Black Sandals and I Go to Sleep. Her song Breathe, which was the first I heard and really like, has disappeared.

Looking For My Muse

This has to be a first. I haven't taken a photo in almost a week. I've been out and I've carried my camera but the muse has been absent. We had rain and melting so there are no snowy landscapes to capture. The east missed 'the photographer's delight' that the ice storm was described as and I guess I just didn't see anything interesting enough.

Since I'm missing my muse, some talented young women who I've had the pleasure of seeing live, should provide some assistance. Today's music is from two young women who have changed places. The very talented Brooke Miller is a PEI girl who I've known since she was a girl. She married guitar player, Don Ross a couple of years ago and moved to Ontario. Jill Barber is a young Ontario who fell in love with the Maritimes and moved to Halifax to begin her indie career. They probably know each other as they were playing the same venues four or five years ago. This is a live version of Jill's Dance If You Want To. I have Brooke's first cd but not uploaded onto my computer. I have for you though, Country From the Dome Car from Brooke's newest album, You Can See Everything. I love the title track. It shows Brooke's trult remarkable talent. There are samples from both of her albums on her website. Her MySpace page has full cuts.

Icy and Dicey

Hmmm. Putfile seems to be having a bit of a problem and I can't seem to connect. I hope it is fixed soon as I sure am dependent on that site. I'm wondering what is going on with my little electronic world. Today I was burning a cd and the burn failed. It doesn't happen often but is nothing to worry about. The problem is that the little cd door will not open now for some reason. How many times have I said this? I need a computer friend.

I had three more exercises added to my therapy that I am to do several times a day. They're very difficult and cause great pain but necessary. I'm coming along well according to the physiotherapist. I also have two additional passive exercises that my son helps me with and I like those as he can do the movements for me that I can't do for myself.

Speaking of my son, he had one leg fall into a hole on the bay when he was doing something outside his friend's ice fishing shack yesterday; Right to the groin. He was pretty cold when he got home. They use my propane camp stove as their source of heat in there but I had him take it home in case we lost power in Monday's ice storm. I guess it's safe to let them bring it back down to the shack.

We're back in business and here are a couple of Brandi Carlile songs for your listening pleasure. Fall Part Again and Throw It All Away are fine examples of her enormous talent.