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.