The Best of The Holiday Season to you!

The Best of The Holiday Season to you!

It’s true that I haven’t written a blog in a few years but a good friend of mine elbowed me and since I learned that Blogs are unlike “letters” and I wasn’t very used to one way conversation. I thought no one read it.  So with another lesson under my belt, here is my yearly cap in my Christmas letter.

Not much new as my time has primarily been eaten up going to therapy sessions (physical, vision, speech, pilates, yoga, brain optimization, chiropractic in HR). I look at it as “my job”.  And S L O W L Y I’m getting better.  (Remember I am recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury so I use the TBI card when I need to).  I have been getting out to my different therapies here in Vancouver by bus and in the Gorge I have been helped by many good friends who help me get around.

When I looked at photos (proof) of what happened all year besides therapy, we were very lucky and proud to welcome Abigail (sister for Mikala, daughter for my niece, Tricia, GRAND daughters for sister Janet and Jack Gerrow)

I know it doesn’t seem like a milestone.  But I walked (ok sister Jan gave me quite a push) to the top of Sue’s driveway in West Vancouver.

 

(Right) I too became an Ex-step Grandma as this is my stepdaughter, Sara, and her baby Grayson.

I was treated for lunch by my ole

 (not old) pals, including; Jim Laing,

Don McQuaid, Bill Boultbee and me!

If you haven’t seen Canada’s funniest video - I have it! I tried to swing the club, I missed the ball and fell on my ass. Later my friend Jacquie took me for a round at the HR Golf Course. Ok, we drove in the cart!  But look there’s proof, we golfed.  Look out - I’m taking vision therapy and I’m sure that will REALLY help my golf! Look out!

Well what would a summer in the Gorge without a “Moe Night” It’s not like the Old days when we were “Dancing in The Street” but I got up and danced! With the girls!

 

  

I guess I can’t even use the excuse that there wasn’t any film in the camera or “it’s being developed.” So from now on, I’ll just tell ya.  I often laugh and call life BA (before accident) life #1 and AA, - life #2. Well I had a GREAT life #1 and life #2 is the complete opposite and it’s GREAT too! It is true that it takes me a lot of time to do anything.  I will one day walk unassisted and I will REALLY appreciate the small things that I didn’t even notice before, just as I am now.

In June I had a little celebration for Surviving 5 Years since my accident.  I had some professionals who have helped (and are helping me) along with friends and family for a gathering over in West Van at my sister Sue’s. It was good to gather and take time to appreciate the improvements and various people who helped me do that.

I have been looking into various things that help us be more healthy and support a healthy planet.  A Netflix Documentary that I watched and liked was Cowspiracy.  I don’t know how off course we got but it’s time to evaluate the path we are on.  If you are interested check out the documentary on Tesla, then watch the YouTube on the power wall.  For $3,500 to be able to store the Sun’s power and quit burning coal, building dams, etc,  Why not?

I was very pleased to see Justin Trudeau get elected and naturally, you American’s want to Trump us.  ??

I’m planning in Feb to go to the 50 year celebration of the ski area where as a family we all learned to ski up in Haliburton, Ontario at Sir Sam’s Inn. I won’t ski this year and maybe I’ll be too old before I get it together. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t LIKE to.

I have been enjoying swimming using a mask an snorkel makes it much easier and this year with help from my physio sister Jan, at the cottage, I walked (with a cane and her help) down to the dock went down the ladder and jumped in, went for a swim and climbed up the ladder and then the stairs.  I never looked at that as a big deal but it is a real accomplishment now.

I’m spending the holidays here in Vancouver with some gatherings with friends and family. Niece Kate is back from a year studying in India. She should have some good stories for her aunt. I was the one who ventured off to Banff at 18.  At 18 she has gone to India so we’ll have to see what the next chapter brings…

Well Christmas isn’t what it was when I was a child but I hope what continues for all of you is some downtime away from the hustle bustle and time with good friends, family to evaluate what you want to accomplish with whatever time you have left - then get at it!

Have a great Holiday!

All The Very Best!

Peg

Spring has sprung (2014)

Blog Spring 2014

Vancouverites! This bike wants to ride! So, if you have time, (I have a spare bike here if you like) and there are some fun trails along the Fraser River (just below here).  I need someone to let me “do it myself” to make sure I can do everything myself.  Sue still has some plans to contact the city because I can’t push the walk button and then get back to the curb. I should have something that lets people know that I ride on the sidewalks to the trails because I’m handicapped.  Ok I don’t know what to do about that - do you?  I would love to go and I usually don’t have any appointments on weekends, Wed pm, or most evenings. So call or email me and we’ve got a date then maybe we could have brunch or dinner at Romer’s Burger Bar cause it is on the tour!

I don’t know but I don’t remember the buds forming and the flowers popping as much as I’m noticing them here!  I hope you take time to notice them too, oh go ahead and smell the flowers!

Well I was very fortunate to go to S. California this spring to visit my friends Scott & Cathy Armstrong for a week and then to Tarzana (LA) to visit my friends the Munro’s.

Here is Scott & Cathy who trained me to stand up when greeting a friend and we had a marvelous bonfire on the beach with an old friend of mine Rene Kelly & her husband Jeff.

We were the number one tourists as we rented a douce coup and went for a ride and who else but me posed with the angel.

Ok forget pictures, I just have to write and get this off before the news is old.  Spring is here so I’m making my plans for summer (Much the same as last year - I plan to spend a majority in  the Gorge, with a little time here in Van.  On my trip to Ont I plan to visit the PM in Ottawa and see Jan & Jack’s apt and Mikala, my niece Tricia’s baby girl, and spend some time at Lake Kashagawigamog, visiting Windsor, my aunt Emily,

cousin Jane, Norma and the whole gang, and inspecting the renovation retired Mark and all extra hands on deck did at the 120 year old homestead so that Norma could have a cute apt upstairs and be close so she can take care of her 90+ year old mother Emie.

I am really liking my apt here in Vancouver as I cook my own food. shop for groceries, take a shower on my own, sit on my couch and watch Netflix in the evening and keep a schedule, take the bus to my appointments, keep track of my money and do my best to keep up with the changes in the world.. I had the neighbours over for tea today and I’m interested and learning more about their lives and what makes them tick. 

I usually take the bus over to Sue’s in Horseshoe Bay have dinner with her (& family) and sometimes brother Tom or my friends Betty Birrell Al & Sandi Safrata, Laura Vittery, Mark McConkey.   Last weekend my friend Donny McQuaid came over and we grabbed a late lunch or early dinner (boy I razzed him about that as it was 3 o’clock!)

I’ve got a good garden here.  Well I planted some kale, parsley and seeds for lettuce and some onions, last fall and they are now going to seed but I’ve been harvesting and will plant some new stock. Even though I’ve pinched them off, I plan to harvest them, plant a bit of Red Shard and tomato’s, then eat, eat eat. I read a lot about the community garden, (no gmo’s) and may copy this protocol, and see if we can do one in the town of Mosier.  You become good neighbours with the people you garden with and share the great organic produce. An idea anyways.

I’m quite proud of my niece Kate as she applied and won a trip with the Foundation “From Me to We” where she’ll go to India in Sept and then she’s doing a cultural exchange with a family in France and billeting a girl from France this summer.  I know we’re not leaving the nicest planet for the next generation, but they just seem to roll up their sleeves and make the best of it and say, “Next!” To learn more about this organization go to:  http://www.metowe.com/volunteer-travel/youth-trips/  Well if I don’t get this off it will be old news so you’ll have to tune back in to find out what happens in the next bat channel blog.   

Stay tuned. Peg