A Christmas Letter

Morning,

It’s been a little while since I posted so I thought I’d best put something together, perhaps a Christmas type of letter. 

But here’s some festive photos first and then if you want, you can continue reading an update into our life.

The wind is howling outside this morning and was yesterday too.  I honestly would take -12 and colder if there is no wind.  I know the Chinooks are great here in Alberta but I just don’t like the wind.

I have to go out today and finish the small stuff for Christmas.  It should be quieter if I go this morning, fingers crossed.  It’s hard keeping focused on what I need and what I want. 

The important thing is that we are together with our kids on Christmas and with a little addition to the family.  Little Milo is quite the little man.  I believe Crystal mentioned using a timer so that everyone spends quality time with him.  But that means changing diapers too if that’s your time J

I always want the house to look good and the table to look inviting, but it’s the conversation around the table and the laughs that are the things remembered most.  

Greg and I are still waiting for that surgery date.  Seems that my side is always on the slow side and Greg’s side is waiting for my side.  Because we have separate doctors and surgeons and he’s the recipient and I’m the donor, they don’t just chat every day to see how we are doing.  There are a lot of people just like us that they are caring for.  Anyways we have been given the month of January so we are still hoping this happens.  If not, February is good too.  But we know it is happening and that is both scary and exciting. Greg is pretty much nauseated every day with periods of vomiting.  I just can't imagine waking up every day to this.   He's also tired a lot and it doesn't take much to take the wind out of him.  Yesterday we did our recycling and when he had the truck loaded he was panting pretty good. He at least lets me do the shoveling.  Cold is another factor. He just can't get warm enough. But he is so determined and when I ask him how he's doing, he says "great" and two thumbs up.  Sort of ticks me off but I get it.  I know how he's doing but I have to ask.  

My dad will have his first Christmas with mom in the nursing home.  He’s stated that it is lonely many times but he’s getting more involved in the lodge playing bingo and helping with kitchen duties.  We are planning to go with the kids on the 24^th and see him and mom.  I think he’ll be very happy and probably cry.  We do these things because I know he is lonely and I don’t understand what it’s like to be in his shoes, I can only imagine visiting your spouse and then coming home to a lonely room and being ALONE.  It’s hard to say but I can’t travel that road for him.  I can only try to help. 

I haven’t done much of anything along the lines of furniture painting.  Truth be told I just cannot get excited about it at this time.  That’s why there hasn’t been anything to post along that line.  I still love gathering ideas and photos and one day, I’ll be back and crazy busy.

Have a wonderful Christmas with loved ones around you and give big hugs to everyone!!

Bonny

A 'SPOT' for Gunner

A New Spot for Gunner

With all the extra fabric I have on hand, 

I decided to sew Gunner and place that is his own.

A place we can tell him to go to when:

     ~ the doorbell rings

     ~ we are having a snack and he’s not invited

     ~ when company arrives and maybe they don’t like dogs

THIS little pillow has a special corner sewed 

where I can slip in some treats when he obeys.  

Also works for training to go to ‘his spot’.

Isn’t this a face you could just kiss all day?

Till next time,

Bonny

Looking Back and Ahead

I think it’s time for another update on what’s happening in our world.

I’d sure like to blog more like at least once a week but there just isn’t enough time.  There are too many other things that are more important at times and that’s just part of our life.

Greg’s been hangin’ in there and waiting patiently for his kidney transplant.  I do believe that everything happens at the right time.  There were so many instances that happened when Greg was in the hospital and looking back it was truly amazing how lots of things just worked out.  But, he’s definitely getting more and more tired and to top things off he’s nauseated every day, all day.  That’s the results of a failing kidney. 

Greg has an appointment at the end of September and we’re hoping for some good news like perhaps a surgery date.  I try not to think about the details and how this will all unfold.  As time progresses you can think about and deal with what’s on your plate and when the time comes, I hope we’ll be all good.

I’ve recently finished writing all about Greg’s hospital stay in Winnipeg.  It was hard to write and I found myself reliving the whole thing and weeping because the smells and the feelings all are still so real.  

I’ve inserted a brief passage of the day they transferred Greg to the ICU in Winnipeg.  If you also look in the column to the right you’ll see a ‘Featured Post’ that I wrote in September of 2014 before everything unfolded.  You should probably read this post first.  

Here's a short look into that day Greg was admitted into ICU.

 Five days later on Oct. 7, the Respirologist (sometimes referred to as pulmonologists, are medical doctors who further specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of lung disease, such as asthma, emphysema, or pneumonia) came to see Greg and said, “We have to move him to the ICU”. 

Ok, this was better.  By the time they rolled Greg into a space in ICU, we heard the doctor talking at the desk to someone regarding a transfer to the Health Science Center.  The name ‘Greg Esau’ rang thru the air.  We looked at each other.  Winnipeg!?  Really!  I began to panic inside.  Greg looked so sad and scared.  It all seemed so much and no one even was talking to me, they were too busy hooking up Greg, then their instructions changed as they needed to prep him for the transfer to Winnipeg.  There was no official ‘this is what we are doing’, it was unspoken.  I felt lost and alone.  It was happening very fast.  

I haven’t decided yet how I will post these writings but I’ll work on that as they are lengthy.

We celebrated our 37^th anniversary this month.  I began to think about how many times we had moved in our marriage and came up with this list:

First married we lived in a four-plex in Linden

. . . Craig was born

Moved to the family farm and lived in an old mobile home

. . . Crystal was born

Moved to town (Linden) into a newer four-plex

Bought our first home – a bungalow

. . . Craig started school

Moved back to the family farm into a newer mobile home

. . . Craig and Crystal rode the bus to school

Moved into Greg’s parents big house on the farm

Moved back into the mobile home on the farm

Built a new house in Linden

. . . Craig and Crystal graduated high school

Moved to Calgary and rented an old house by Confederation Park

Moved into a duplex that Greg’s brother purchased in Calgary

Moved into a townhouse in Calgary in Ranchlands

Purchased our second home in Calgary in Sandstone

Moved to Morden, Manitoba

. . . lived there 7 years

Moved back to Airdrie, Alberta

I wonder if we’re done moving?  Maybe not.

Anyways, we’re happy in our home here in Airdrie and I’m slowly getting the house painted.  Maybe in the new year it will be complete. 

Greg and I are looking forward to things taking on a new look in the new year and going camping and hiking and even renovating the house.

AND we have to take our new grandson to the zoo!  He sure has been a blessing and we’re waiting for those first smiles to come!

Gunner is being a true puppy at heart.  Boy, does he have energy

and sometimes at the wrong time.  He loves to jump on company and just wants to play.  He also thinks it’s time to race around the house when we are heading to bed.  I’m so glad he’s good company for Greg during the day.  Since we got him he spends a good part of the day in Greg’s office at this feet curled up in an afghan.  Sometimes I’ll be doing housework and I’ll find him downstairs with Greg.

My list of projects are still very much the same.  I just went to the Etsy Calgary event with my daughter and I got a little excited again to pursue the things I love to do most.  First and foremost I spend my time with Greg most evenings.  I just can’t work all day and then come home to say that I’m going to paint downstairs.  I’m not like that.  There’s a season for everything.

Well, I must go and make a cup of tea and see why it’s so quiet in the living room.  I’m sure I’ll find puppy curled up with Greg on the sofa.

Till later,

Bonny