I wrote on my Facebook page today the following message:
Today I sit in remembrancee of some one I lost 10yrs ago this day. If she had lived she would've been on her way to turning 103yrs old. A milestone that I see more and more these days at my job as a nurse working with the elderly. It would've been nice to visit her and wish her a happy day and tell her that I love her a great deal.
Due to the illness that lead to her death I said goodbye some time before it actually happened and when she finally did pass it wasn't the crushing blow it might have been but it still hurt because you can never truly prepare for the loss of a loved one.
Even though she was a petite woman of only 4ft.11 she was a powerhouse of a person that was loved and respected by all. I have many memories that make me laugh and cry, and I find that I cherish the memories of her more and more as the years pass.
Wherever your spirit is now Nonna I hope you are smiling down on us. As long as there is one of us around you will never be forgotten.
We love you.
We miss you.
As I was writing it I started to tear up with wonderful feelings regarding my Nonna (Italian for grandmother).
She died at the age of 92, less than a month before her 93rd birthday. At the time of her death she was 5 years into her dementia which had been triggered, we believe, by a stroke. Dementia and Alzheimer's are quite similar. Typically Alzheimer's has a slow progression and the beginning of it can be hard to determine. Dementia differs in the fact that it usually progresses quickly and the onset is easier to pin point.
Once she was back home after the stroke she appeared to be fine but little things started to happen that made the family start to worry. These little things multiplied and the family more concerned. Due to living in Victoria at the time I was not around for most of this so I can only go by the stories I have been told and from the times when I was there.
One of my saddest memories is sitting and talking to her and trying to tell her how I was doing and all the new things going on in my life. It was hard because she would ask me who I was every 5-10 minutes. If I referred to my self as 'Robert' then she would look at me with a quizzical expression and I just knew that she didn't know me. If I said my name was 'Robbie' then it was okay because she remembered.
With Dementia the patient starts to regress in their memories and they forget the present and the past becomes more real for them. As the Dementia progresses the farther back they go. At her worse she thought her own daughter was her mother. The hardest part is that as they forget who you are their emotions tell them that you are an important person to them and that makes it worse for the patient. They know you are a loved one that means the world to them but they have no idea who you are to them because the memory is not there.
Once it was obvious that my Nonna couldn't remember me I start my process of saying goodbye. Because I didn't live in the same city the geographical distance allowed me to put some emotional distance into my goodbye to make it easier. It was still hard though. I would go over to visit my aunt and she would give me updates on how it was going. My aunt would go to the nursing home 2-3 times a day to visit my Nonna because she wouldn't eat unless my aunt was there and in the end my aunt had to fed her. The whole process was especially hard on my aunt as she took the brunt of it all dealing with the decline of her own mother.
The end came one day with the advent of a seizure. I don't know the details but I was told that it was relatively quick. With the experience that I have in my 20yrs or so in health care with patients, epilepsy and seizures, I know that it can range from a matter of seconds to a few minutes. I does tend to be quick and the suffering short lived. Thankfully.
It is my hope that my Nonna went to her final peace with the knowledge that she was loved by her family.
I give thanks to her for the many things she taught and shared with me. My love of fresh, well made food comes from her, especially my love of Pasta! My love of my family and our heritage comes from her. Her strength is what helped hold the family together in some of the toughest times and it was her love that showed us how precious life was for all.
She was a remarkable woman that was quick to put you in your place if you ever did something wrong but she was also just as quick to show her love at the same time. She lived through much in her years and was always willing to share some of her wisdom that was gained along the way.
Ten years have passed and her loss still makes me cry but the memories are some of my most cherished.
Thank you Nonna.
I love you and I miss you!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
"I know, I know" - I am ranting and raving mad about it...
I was reading a Facebook status today and it brought to mind something I hear a lot of people saying all the time. I figured I would write a little rant about it!
Two people are having a conversation, one person talks as the other listens. The listener will often respond with "Yes", "No", "Okay", "Cool", "Nice", "OMG!", "Really!?" and so forth depending on the conversation topic(s).
The one response I hear too much of is "I know" or "I know, I know". It annoys me!
When someone is sharing their thoughts, emotions and experiences they do expect you to acknowledge them and provide empathy or sympathy, not a comment that claims you 'know' what they went through. Unless you have experienced the exact same thing, felt the exact same emotions and had the same thoughts; unless you have "been there, done that" in pretty much the same manner they did then you DO NOT KNOW!
Personally I find it condescending when someone responds with the "I know" phrase. I feel that a better response is "I understand". It shows that you are opening up your mind to listen, to try and put yourself in their shoes. It is true that you will not always be successful doing this but it shows you are trying.
Most use the "I know" answer because it is the common or automatic thing to say; it has become a regular part of our vernacular.
The problem I see is that when a phrase or comment becomes automatic then we have stopped thinking and started reacting thoughtlessly. A lack of thought in our responses to our friends in conversation shows we are not truly listening to what is being said as we are too focused on something else in our heads.
A good example happened a little while ago when I was up island with my boyfriend. My boyfriend's father was telling us all about the situation regarding his mother, my BF's grandmother. She is terminally ill and they were trying to organize and work out support care and to see if she could get placement in a care facility. My boyfriend Dan's father has taken charge of the whole thing and has been there since day one making all the necessary decisions. As he is telling us all about it, Dan repeatedly says "I know". He says it with that tone that gives the subtle message "You don't need to tell me as I know exactly what you're talking about". HELL NO YOU DON'T!
I found it quite disrespectful to his father when he said that each time. Dan does not live in the same community as his father or grandmother so he is not there that often. His family has also been doing their best to shelter him from a lot of the emotional stuff because Dan cannot handle it. All that his father was doing was bringing him up to date on things and seeking a little understanding and sympathy for the hardships they are going through; they do not need condescending, disrespectful comments from someone who does not know or will ever truly understand. What I found even more lacking in respect was that Dan would often interrupt his father with an "I know" comment. SHUT UP!
I could see his father was getting upset by this due to the pinched look on his face whenever Dan spoke up in that manner. I stepped in and suggested to Dan that he change his "I know" to "I understand" as it sounds more considerate and supportive. I also suggested that he stop interrupting all the time and listen. Allow the person to finish what they are saying before you respond. Give yourself some time to think before you speak as well. Dan just glared at me. His father smirked.
This is just one example that shows how people tend to not think before they speak. I am not saying I am innocent of this myself. Now that I am more aware of it I do take the time to formulate different responses that sound nicer and show that I am doing my best to actually listen to what is being said.
I think it is important to be more aware of yourself and how your act. Don't be just like everyone else. Be yourself, be honest, be respectful, be caring, and most of all - Be aware.
Two people are having a conversation, one person talks as the other listens. The listener will often respond with "Yes", "No", "Okay", "Cool", "Nice", "OMG!", "Really!?" and so forth depending on the conversation topic(s).
The one response I hear too much of is "I know" or "I know, I know". It annoys me!
When someone is sharing their thoughts, emotions and experiences they do expect you to acknowledge them and provide empathy or sympathy, not a comment that claims you 'know' what they went through. Unless you have experienced the exact same thing, felt the exact same emotions and had the same thoughts; unless you have "been there, done that" in pretty much the same manner they did then you DO NOT KNOW!
Personally I find it condescending when someone responds with the "I know" phrase. I feel that a better response is "I understand". It shows that you are opening up your mind to listen, to try and put yourself in their shoes. It is true that you will not always be successful doing this but it shows you are trying.
Most use the "I know" answer because it is the common or automatic thing to say; it has become a regular part of our vernacular.
The problem I see is that when a phrase or comment becomes automatic then we have stopped thinking and started reacting thoughtlessly. A lack of thought in our responses to our friends in conversation shows we are not truly listening to what is being said as we are too focused on something else in our heads.
A good example happened a little while ago when I was up island with my boyfriend. My boyfriend's father was telling us all about the situation regarding his mother, my BF's grandmother. She is terminally ill and they were trying to organize and work out support care and to see if she could get placement in a care facility. My boyfriend Dan's father has taken charge of the whole thing and has been there since day one making all the necessary decisions. As he is telling us all about it, Dan repeatedly says "I know". He says it with that tone that gives the subtle message "You don't need to tell me as I know exactly what you're talking about". HELL NO YOU DON'T!
I found it quite disrespectful to his father when he said that each time. Dan does not live in the same community as his father or grandmother so he is not there that often. His family has also been doing their best to shelter him from a lot of the emotional stuff because Dan cannot handle it. All that his father was doing was bringing him up to date on things and seeking a little understanding and sympathy for the hardships they are going through; they do not need condescending, disrespectful comments from someone who does not know or will ever truly understand. What I found even more lacking in respect was that Dan would often interrupt his father with an "I know" comment. SHUT UP!
I could see his father was getting upset by this due to the pinched look on his face whenever Dan spoke up in that manner. I stepped in and suggested to Dan that he change his "I know" to "I understand" as it sounds more considerate and supportive. I also suggested that he stop interrupting all the time and listen. Allow the person to finish what they are saying before you respond. Give yourself some time to think before you speak as well. Dan just glared at me. His father smirked.
This is just one example that shows how people tend to not think before they speak. I am not saying I am innocent of this myself. Now that I am more aware of it I do take the time to formulate different responses that sound nicer and show that I am doing my best to actually listen to what is being said.
I think it is important to be more aware of yourself and how your act. Don't be just like everyone else. Be yourself, be honest, be respectful, be caring, and most of all - Be aware.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Christmas 2012 was one to cherish!
Well here we are and January is already over. Wow, it is hard to believe that just over a month ago we had Christmas, then New Years and now Ground hog's day is just around the corner. Time is moving quickly with Family day ,our brand new statutory holiday, arriving soon with Valentine's day just a step beyond it. I think the February will go by quickly too.
But while we are contemplating the days passing us by quickly I thought I would take a moment or three and reminisce about my Christmas 2012.
I originally thought that it would be like many of my past Christmases in recent years; a nice relaxed enjoyable time that left me feeling good. Little did I know or even realize that this would be one of the best in recent history. This Christmas ended up being one that evoked memories of my childhood when I had some of the best times during the winter holidays that I can ever recall.
It started with all the usually plans and activities. We dug out of storage all of our decorations, assembled the tree and made the usual preparations for the family visits that happen every year. As always I look forward to the time when my uncle brings my grandmother to visit. Due to the geographic distance, work schedules and the expense of travel I do not see my grandmother as often as I would wish. Most every Christmas my uncle travels to Victoria to see his daughter & grandchild, his two nephews and brings his mother along so she can visit with her grandchildren and great grandchild.
For those of you who know the geography of British Columbia you will appreciate the effort my uncle makes to help each Christmas become one that involves family. My uncle Pat lives in Kamloops BC which is pretty much in the central part of southern BC. He travels East from Kamloops to Nakusp BC to gather up my grandmother, returns to Kamloops to pick up my aunt and the three of them travel all the way West to Victoria to see the grand kids. My uncle usually does this twice a year (Summer and Winter) for the benefit of all of us. When he does that it is like a birthday present and christmas present for me. I can honestly say the I appreciate my uncle for who he is and what he does. Family togetherness is as important to him as it is to me.
So let me get back to my story here. Things were shaping up to be the usual type of Christmas. My family was coming to town and my partner Dan's family was coming to town as well. The usual. What made 2012 reminiscent of my childhood years were two moments which evoked such wonderful feelings that I still smile when I think of them over a month later. One moment involved my family and another involved Dan's family.
The moment that involved my family was at the end of a particular evening visit. My uncle and I had made plans for him, Betty (aunt) and my grandmother to come over to our place for a visit, hang out, watch a movie and just enjoy our time together. We had a general plan for the evening and pretty much just went with the flow of things. We decided almost last minute to go out for dinner then come back to the house to hang out. Dinner was tasty and the movie we rented to watch at home was a good one. At home I spent the time watching the movie sitting beside my grandmother arm in arm with her enjoying every moment I had. As much as I love all of my family there is just something special about a grandmother that makes you want to cherish them even more. At the end of the evening when they were leaving it was a comment that my grandmother said that made my night something worth remembering for a long time. My grandmother thanked me for the invite and for making her time so enjoyable. It was her comment "I felt very comfortable and welcomed here at your place tonight." That simple comment was so heartfelt that it made my heart burst with pride and love for my grandmother. I felt pride because they liked the home I had with my partner and by being myself I had shown my family that they are always welcome at my place. I felt the love because my grandmother's comment showed her love and appreciation for me and my partner and the home we had created together that was open to those we cared about. I am an emotional sap at times so moments like this mean the world to me. It is moments of this nature that help to evoke all the best of the holidays feelings we all look forward to each year.
The second moment involved a whole day spent with Dan's family when they came to visit us. One of our plans for the holidays was to spend a day with Dan's sister Monica & her husband Julian, his niece Bella, his brother Jim with Ashley (Jim's girlfriend). They all arrived at our place on the 27th for a day of traditional family time - presents and a big dinner. Monica, Julian and Bella spent the previous night at our place so we could all sleep in and have a leisurely morning together. Once Jim and Ashley arrived we spent some time opening our presents with Bella playing the Christmas Elf handing out the gifts. Afterwards as everyone relaxed and played with their new toys I prepared our dinner. Ashley had provided a beautiful Turkey. The fixings to go with it were provided by Dan and I. Being someone who loves to cook I took it upon myself to prep our big dinner. I did accept some minor help here and there but when it comes to cooking I don't like a lot of people in the kitchen with me. The turkey turned out perfectly and the dinner spread was greatly appreciated by all of us. It was one of the best Christmas dinners I believe I have ever made. The overall time spent with Dan's family opening gifts, having dinner together and just enjoying our time with one another made it a Christmas that evoked many of my cherished childhood memories.
By being ourselves, having a good time and just making the most of what we have turned Christmas 2012 into one that I will cherish the memory of for some time. I look forward to future Christmases with family with the hope of creating and evoking wonderful memories.
 |
| Our 2012 tree |
I originally thought that it would be like many of my past Christmases in recent years; a nice relaxed enjoyable time that left me feeling good. Little did I know or even realize that this would be one of the best in recent history. This Christmas ended up being one that evoked memories of my childhood when I had some of the best times during the winter holidays that I can ever recall.
It started with all the usually plans and activities. We dug out of storage all of our decorations, assembled the tree and made the usual preparations for the family visits that happen every year. As always I look forward to the time when my uncle brings my grandmother to visit. Due to the geographic distance, work schedules and the expense of travel I do not see my grandmother as often as I would wish. Most every Christmas my uncle travels to Victoria to see his daughter & grandchild, his two nephews and brings his mother along so she can visit with her grandchildren and great grandchild.
For those of you who know the geography of British Columbia you will appreciate the effort my uncle makes to help each Christmas become one that involves family. My uncle Pat lives in Kamloops BC which is pretty much in the central part of southern BC. He travels East from Kamloops to Nakusp BC to gather up my grandmother, returns to Kamloops to pick up my aunt and the three of them travel all the way West to Victoria to see the grand kids. My uncle usually does this twice a year (Summer and Winter) for the benefit of all of us. When he does that it is like a birthday present and christmas present for me. I can honestly say the I appreciate my uncle for who he is and what he does. Family togetherness is as important to him as it is to me.
So let me get back to my story here. Things were shaping up to be the usual type of Christmas. My family was coming to town and my partner Dan's family was coming to town as well. The usual. What made 2012 reminiscent of my childhood years were two moments which evoked such wonderful feelings that I still smile when I think of them over a month later. One moment involved my family and another involved Dan's family.
The moment that involved my family was at the end of a particular evening visit. My uncle and I had made plans for him, Betty (aunt) and my grandmother to come over to our place for a visit, hang out, watch a movie and just enjoy our time together. We had a general plan for the evening and pretty much just went with the flow of things. We decided almost last minute to go out for dinner then come back to the house to hang out. Dinner was tasty and the movie we rented to watch at home was a good one. At home I spent the time watching the movie sitting beside my grandmother arm in arm with her enjoying every moment I had. As much as I love all of my family there is just something special about a grandmother that makes you want to cherish them even more. At the end of the evening when they were leaving it was a comment that my grandmother said that made my night something worth remembering for a long time. My grandmother thanked me for the invite and for making her time so enjoyable. It was her comment "I felt very comfortable and welcomed here at your place tonight." That simple comment was so heartfelt that it made my heart burst with pride and love for my grandmother. I felt pride because they liked the home I had with my partner and by being myself I had shown my family that they are always welcome at my place. I felt the love because my grandmother's comment showed her love and appreciation for me and my partner and the home we had created together that was open to those we cared about. I am an emotional sap at times so moments like this mean the world to me. It is moments of this nature that help to evoke all the best of the holidays feelings we all look forward to each year.
The second moment involved a whole day spent with Dan's family when they came to visit us. One of our plans for the holidays was to spend a day with Dan's sister Monica & her husband Julian, his niece Bella, his brother Jim with Ashley (Jim's girlfriend). They all arrived at our place on the 27th for a day of traditional family time - presents and a big dinner. Monica, Julian and Bella spent the previous night at our place so we could all sleep in and have a leisurely morning together. Once Jim and Ashley arrived we spent some time opening our presents with Bella playing the Christmas Elf handing out the gifts. Afterwards as everyone relaxed and played with their new toys I prepared our dinner. Ashley had provided a beautiful Turkey. The fixings to go with it were provided by Dan and I. Being someone who loves to cook I took it upon myself to prep our big dinner. I did accept some minor help here and there but when it comes to cooking I don't like a lot of people in the kitchen with me. The turkey turned out perfectly and the dinner spread was greatly appreciated by all of us. It was one of the best Christmas dinners I believe I have ever made. The overall time spent with Dan's family opening gifts, having dinner together and just enjoying our time with one another made it a Christmas that evoked many of my cherished childhood memories.
By being ourselves, having a good time and just making the most of what we have turned Christmas 2012 into one that I will cherish the memory of for some time. I look forward to future Christmases with family with the hope of creating and evoking wonderful memories.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Smelly Cat
I am sitting here at my computer and like usual my cat walks in, meows a few times for attention and then walks over to her litter box to do her 'business'. The litter box is behind me so I cannot see her as she does what she does but I can hear it all happening and then.... the smell!
I rush over to the shelf to get the airfreshener, give a quick spritz to make it all smell better while I am holding my nose. Of course I have to also bury her deposit as she doesn't seem to know how to do it well enough. I don't think she was with her momma long enough to have learned this particular nicety. After the spritz I end up with a nice flowery smell with an underlying scent of 'smelly cat'.
I love my cat and she is adorable but unfortunately regardless of what I feed her she is quiet nasty when she uses the litter box. I guess there is always the down side to such things.
This reminds me of that song Phoebe Buffay sang on friends. She only sang a couple verses of the song on the show but I was able to find the whole song. Supposedly you can buy the soundtrack to the Friends series called "Friends Again" and the song "Smelly Cat" is on there.
Here are a couple links featuring Smelly Cat. Enjoy.
Friends clip featuring Smelly Cat song
Smelly Cat music Video
Song Lyrics
Three, four...
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
It's not your fault
They won't take you to the vet
You're obviously not their favorite pet
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault
You may not be a bed of roses
You're not friend to those with noses
I'll miss you before we're done
Or the world will smell as one
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
It's not your fault
(Phoebe) Oh are we done?
One, two, what's that smell?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
You're getting fat
I think that I'm gonna be sick
It's your ears, and nose and pick
Part of it, tempt me
One, two, what's that smell?
All the dogs in the neighborhood
Are saying this for your own good
What, you're fat, so you can't run
No fun, I bet, No fun
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
Porno makes you eat like that
I saw you in the shopping mall
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault,
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault
We know what was in your food
They say it might affect your mood
You smell like something dead (3x)
One, two, what's that smell?
(Phoebe)Yeah, that's not the song
I rush over to the shelf to get the airfreshener, give a quick spritz to make it all smell better while I am holding my nose. Of course I have to also bury her deposit as she doesn't seem to know how to do it well enough. I don't think she was with her momma long enough to have learned this particular nicety. After the spritz I end up with a nice flowery smell with an underlying scent of 'smelly cat'.
I love my cat and she is adorable but unfortunately regardless of what I feed her she is quiet nasty when she uses the litter box. I guess there is always the down side to such things.
This reminds me of that song Phoebe Buffay sang on friends. She only sang a couple verses of the song on the show but I was able to find the whole song. Supposedly you can buy the soundtrack to the Friends series called "Friends Again" and the song "Smelly Cat" is on there. Here are a couple links featuring Smelly Cat. Enjoy.
Friends clip featuring Smelly Cat song
Smelly Cat music Video
Song Lyrics
Three, four...
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
It's not your fault
They won't take you to the vet
You're obviously not their favorite pet
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault
You may not be a bed of roses
You're not friend to those with noses
I'll miss you before we're done
Or the world will smell as one
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
It's not your fault
(Phoebe) Oh are we done?
One, two, what's that smell?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
You're getting fat
I think that I'm gonna be sick
It's your ears, and nose and pick
Part of it, tempt me
One, two, what's that smell?
All the dogs in the neighborhood
Are saying this for your own good
What, you're fat, so you can't run
No fun, I bet, No fun
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
Porno makes you eat like that
I saw you in the shopping mall
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault,
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault
We know what was in your food
They say it might affect your mood
You smell like something dead (3x)
One, two, what's that smell?
(Phoebe)Yeah, that's not the song
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
My Grandmother's China
Since I was a child I recall seeing my grandmother's china cabinet and all the pretty pieces inside.
Of course I was never allowed to touch anything as I could break it.
Children often do not realize their own strength or understand how to be delicate with precious things. That is why we say to them all the time "Don't touch". That is often why parents with young kids do not take their children to go shopping in a china shop.
The china is a Royal Albert pattern called "Blossom Time". It is a beautiful pattern with gorgeous trees full of pink flowers in Spring. It reminds me of ornamental apple blossom trees like the ones we have here in Victoria. I think because I really like the colors and the fact that it was my grandmother's china makes it something I love a great deal.
I remember her displaying it in her cabinet (which was much bigger than mine) and back then it seemed like she had so much of it. Now that I have it in my smaller cabinet and have done an inventory of all the pieces I now realize when she displayed it, she had it all spread out. I have to stack the plates and such to fit them all into my smaller display cabinet.
As you can see in the picture of the salt and pepper shakers what the colors and pattern looks like. The little bowls shows you that it is almost like an orchard of trees you can walk through if you follow the road/path. All of the pieces have this wonderful pattern on it.
After doing the inventory I discovered that I have 100 pieces and that is only part of the whole set that was created. With all the plates I have I could do appetizer, dinner & dessert for 12 people. I have a teapot and enough teacups to do tea for 9. There are several odd pieces that you could be use for various other functions as well. Now that I have the china I think I will start looking around for pieces to fill in the blanks.
One of the things I do not have enough of is soup bowls; I have one. The bowl are usually harder to find as they were typically used most often and would break from usage. It is unfortunately a discontinued pattern so I may not be successful in finding the pieces I want but that is something I can live with. Sometimes the hunt is all part of the fun of looking.
Just so you all know, my grandmother is still alive and doing well. She decided earlier this year that her house was too much for her. Many years ago when my grandfather died the huge house they once owned was too big as my grandmother was having difficulty going up/down the steep flight of stairs. She felt it was the better option to buy a smaller home that would better fit her needs. She ended up purchasing a prefabricated 2 bdrm/2bath home that was all on one level. It was perfect. Not to big to keep clean, no stairs, close to town and she had a guest room/bath for when company stayed over. She enjoyed that house.
Over the years as time went on she started having more and more difficulty in maintaining this smaller 2bdrm home. She suffers from osteoporosis and as her bones deteriorate she cannot get around too well. Earlier this year she decided it was time to downsize her home and belongings. She moved to a one bedroom suite in a seniors housing building. She is still getting her stuff organized. In the process she decided that it was time to pass on the china. My aunt said she didn't want it. I did.
As you can see in the picture, all the china fits my little cabinet quite nicely. The cabinet is glass on three sides and even has a light at the top that just needs to be connected.
In time the cabinet might be less packed if my cousin decides she wants some. Grandma wants me to share if with my cousin and her daughter. So we will see if she wants some.
All I need in addition to this is a really nice set of Silverware.
Of course I was never allowed to touch anything as I could break it.
Children often do not realize their own strength or understand how to be delicate with precious things. That is why we say to them all the time "Don't touch". That is often why parents with young kids do not take their children to go shopping in a china shop.
The china is a Royal Albert pattern called "Blossom Time". It is a beautiful pattern with gorgeous trees full of pink flowers in Spring. It reminds me of ornamental apple blossom trees like the ones we have here in Victoria. I think because I really like the colors and the fact that it was my grandmother's china makes it something I love a great deal.
 |
| the shakers |
 |
| dessert bowls |
I remember her displaying it in her cabinet (which was much bigger than mine) and back then it seemed like she had so much of it. Now that I have it in my smaller cabinet and have done an inventory of all the pieces I now realize when she displayed it, she had it all spread out. I have to stack the plates and such to fit them all into my smaller display cabinet.
As you can see in the picture of the salt and pepper shakers what the colors and pattern looks like. The little bowls shows you that it is almost like an orchard of trees you can walk through if you follow the road/path. All of the pieces have this wonderful pattern on it.
After doing the inventory I discovered that I have 100 pieces and that is only part of the whole set that was created. With all the plates I have I could do appetizer, dinner & dessert for 12 people. I have a teapot and enough teacups to do tea for 9. There are several odd pieces that you could be use for various other functions as well. Now that I have the china I think I will start looking around for pieces to fill in the blanks.
One of the things I do not have enough of is soup bowls; I have one. The bowl are usually harder to find as they were typically used most often and would break from usage. It is unfortunately a discontinued pattern so I may not be successful in finding the pieces I want but that is something I can live with. Sometimes the hunt is all part of the fun of looking.
Just so you all know, my grandmother is still alive and doing well. She decided earlier this year that her house was too much for her. Many years ago when my grandfather died the huge house they once owned was too big as my grandmother was having difficulty going up/down the steep flight of stairs. She felt it was the better option to buy a smaller home that would better fit her needs. She ended up purchasing a prefabricated 2 bdrm/2bath home that was all on one level. It was perfect. Not to big to keep clean, no stairs, close to town and she had a guest room/bath for when company stayed over. She enjoyed that house.
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| My cabinet |
As you can see in the picture, all the china fits my little cabinet quite nicely. The cabinet is glass on three sides and even has a light at the top that just needs to be connected.
In time the cabinet might be less packed if my cousin decides she wants some. Grandma wants me to share if with my cousin and her daughter. So we will see if she wants some.
All I need in addition to this is a really nice set of Silverware.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Life is getting craftier...
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| My work station |
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| Some of my supplies |
I like to make jewelry, mainly for women. I make bracelets. I have also expanded to include earrings, pendents & necklaces and crystals to hang in windows. It has been quite a pleasure for me to let my creative juices flow and create small pieces of art.
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| Some of my creations |
I am not a professional. I am just someone that enjoys being crafty and making things for others. I allows me to feel good. To make something for someone else and have it appreciated gives me a sense of accomplishment and even pride in my achievement.
I know that I will not get rich doing this but that isn't the reason behind what I am doing. I need an outlet for my creativeness and to receive some praise as well. A little bit of an ego boost for sure!
Selling my creations helps pay for the supplies so I can keep going. I have started what I call a "productive circle". I buy supplies, make pretty stuff, sell it so I can buy more supplies to make more pretty stuff. A win/win scenario I feel!
By doing this I give myself more opportunity to feel good about what I do and why I do it. I also make others happy and that works too!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Canoe Camping trip (August 20-25, 2012)
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| In Port Alberni buying our camping food. |
My partner on the other hand was all excited about the adventure and he could not wait for it to happen. He loves living off the land, traipsing through the bush, cooking on a campfire, hunting,etc. He is a small town boy that wishes we still lived in the pioneer days.
The night before we were going through our things and getting it all ready. I was taking my time and he was rushing around to get it all done. We had a argument about how to pack stuff. I told him to leave me along as I would do things my way just as I have always done. He wanted me to do things differently as he felt his experience would be more beneficial as he had gone on a trip like this before. I was tired and cranking due to having worked all weekend and didn't want anyone telling me what to do. I told him to that I didn't want to go on the trip and was only going because it was something for US to do together, so if he didn't leave me alone to do it my way I would not be going. Typical Dan, he left me alone for all of 10 minutes. I had to tell him in stronger language to back off. He left me alone for the rest of the evening that time. I was nervous and uncomfortable with the upcoming trip as it would entail doing a lot of what I am not really in to doing and his whole demeanor towards me was not helping.
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| Canoe with spray skirt |
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| Our friends in the sea kayak. |
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| Breakfast the first morning |
- Night #1 : Marinated pork ribs with rice/veggies
- Night #2 : Maui ribs with rice/veggies
- Night #3 : Smokies with mac & cheese
- Night #4 : Ham steaks with rice/veggies
- Breakfast every morning was bacon, eggs & toast.
We brought a cooler that held all our food with two ice blocks that lasted five days. We brought camping dishes and a grill from our BBQ to cook on. I did all the cooking, Dan made the fires, Friend #1 chopped the wood, Friend #2 did the dishes. With assigned duties it worked well.
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| Posing with the canoe during our explorations |
The second day was fun as we leisurely paddled around and made a stop on an island that looked interesting and spent some time exploring. After a few hours paddling the arms are tired and the legs are cramped so any kind of break is nice. We ended up finding a really nice beach on the southern part of Flores Island that second day to make our campsite on. That day was so hot and sunny that after everything was set up and dinner was being made Dan and I took turns bathing in the ocean. The water was a little chilly but it felt so good washing off all the sweat and grime from the day. The beach at site #2 was the nicest of all the sites visually. The sun, sand, sea shells and kilometres of open ocean with islands all around was gorgeous. I picked several sand dollars and a couple handfuls of ocean polished shells from the beach. They would be my souvenirs and also part of a future craft project. Dan found a neat shell that had some amazing purple color to it and was pitted so much it looked like coral, that was his souvenir.
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| Late afternoon at site #2 |
The next morning I woke up to find animal tracks around our tent and the whole campsite. They were small tracks probably from a smaller critter like a fox or small canine. Nothing to concern ourselves with as they did not attack or take anything. Probably just checking us out. Just as the the previous morning we woke, had breakfast, made plans for the days worth of travel/paddling, broke camp and loaded up the canoe/kayak. Along the way we did see some wildlife. We witnessed an elk swimming from island to island, eagles, hawks, seals, dolphins, jumping fish and jellyfish. It was quite the experience to see so much wildlife as we paddled the ocean and around the islands.
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| Beautiful beach on Flores Island |
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| Dan built a windbreak at campsite #3 |
By the end of day 3 we had made it to a more northern part of Flores Island where there would be some hot springs, not the ones we wanted to see but small lesser known one. We realized along the way that at the pace we were going in our canoe we would not make it to Hotsprings Cove in the time we had. We would need to set aside another day or two to make it that far. At the 3rd site where the smaller hot springs was located at we discovered some trails that criss-crossed the island. As a group we wandered the paths trying to find the hot springs but were unsuccessful as there were no signs or markings to show us where they were, our map wasn't too helpful. We met others that were wondering around too and they didn't find them either. We also found a native reserve with a store so if we needed to we could restock our supplies. After setting up camp Dan and I explored a bit more and we found a smaller off-shoot of the springs. The water was warm and made for a nice bath. We felt so good after that. The only real down side to our campsite #3 was the wind. As you can see in the picture to the right we had to build a wind break to prevent the fire from going out. It worked well.
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| Paddling through a kelp bed on way back |
The following morning we were checking the weather reports (we actually had cellular service out there) and were told that there was a storm brewing with 10-20 knot winds coming our way. When you are in a kayak or a canoe that is dangerous as the waves and wind can capsize you quickly. The weather report was contrary to the weather we woke up to. Clear skies, sunshine and the water was almost as calm/smooth as a mirror. Dan and I decided to keep going. We had reached the halfway point of our trip and we wanted to make our way back in the same manner as we did to get where we were. One of our friends was overly cautious and refused to go back in the kayak so he and his companion (who wanted to continue as Dan & I were but there was no room in the canoe and someone needed to help paddle the kayak) paddled quickly to the native reserve and took a water taxi back to Tofino. Dan and I continued on and had fun.
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| Slightly rough waters |
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| Sand flats near final campsite |
The weather report didn't pan out, we had amazing weather. We did have some slightly rough waters but it wasn't difficult for us to paddle through it. We had such nice weather on that day that Dan and I were able to paddle all the way back to our first campsite in one day. We left site #3 at 8am and by 12noon we were near our final camp spot for the trip and the weather through the whole morning was nothing but sun, some wind and full of beauty. The picture to the left shows you the worse that we truly had to deal with during the whole trip. So while our friends took the water taxi back to Tofino and lounged in a hotel, the two of us enjoy more of our trip. We even found some nice sand flats to beach ourselves at to explore some more. At our final campsite (same as the first one) we set up and then relaxed for the afternoon. We had paddled non-stop for 4 plus hours and deserved a break. We laid down on the sand and tanned for awhile. The day that was supposed to be stormy with up to 20 knot winds and 3-4ft waves never materialized. Our overly cautious friend missed out on more adventure. Of course Dan and I were taking our chances. We wanted more adventure and we went for it. We had a plan in place, we would contact our friends via cell phone (there was service) every 6hrs to let him know where we were and if he did not hear from us in 12hrs he would send the Coast Guard out to find us. We felt we would be fine.
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| Final campsite |
We really enjoyed our trip that week. The storm we were threatened with did not happen as the sunshine stayed with us the whole time, we had no issues with wild animals, and the scenery was amazing. A trip that I didn't want to go on in the first place was one that I am glad I did. I told my sweetheart that I was thankful he planned it and pushed me to go. The plan now is to do an excursion like that every year. Next year we will take a full week and plan a little better. We did have some minor problems along the way but they are ones you learn from to make the next time better.
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| Back in Tofino before we went home |
This city boy still loves the city but he also loves to explore the great outdoors too.
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