Prairie Dog Blog

Spent the last couple of days hobbling around on a crutch and it kind of reminded me of Long John Silver ..........Aaaaaarrrgh Little Jim HawrrrkinsWhere's my grog? I thought that as of yesterday that my foot was NOT getting better, but today it seems that I have turned a corner...er my foot has turned a corner. The pain is still there but less severe. Because it hurts to have my foot level with my body or even elevated, I have been spending the last few days sleeping the night in my BCC (big comfy chair).....but tonight, tonight I may be able to sleep in me own bed.....ahhh.
What a crazy place the USA is. People have to register to vote. That is just another way of disenfranchising certain Americans, especially the blacks and the poor. In Canada everyone can vote, regardless of status. I don't think that most Americans could difine a true democracy other than in their own narrow terms. And that Jackass George Dubya.......it going to be quite a debate....Kerry sparring with an unarmed man!!!

Arrrrgghhh....Ever been to sea Billy?

An excellent propgram on PBS tonight from 7 - 9 PM CDT. With 200 to 400 BILLION stars in our galaxy, is there other life out there? Is there intelligent life on earth???...I mean besides Geaorge Dubya? Go to the link at the bottom.

Today I received a wonderful thing in the mail...a CD of Al Barber and the Wharf Street Blues Band. VERY good blues tunes....especially "Superstitious" but I am liking "Flip, Flop and Fly"too ...its a classic. What next Al??? The Vancouver Island Blues Bash??? I'd go and see that!! Anyhow, thanks for the CD!!

My foot is still sore but I got to get going.....things to do! I've got to get to the Museum for a shift tomorrow and I have a whole day planned at the University of Manitoba for Thursday. Catherine and I have to get out to the lake and close up the trailer on Friday and we have a huge 'all-you-can-eat' lobster dinner on Saturday night. People eat 4, 5...even 10 lobsters in one sitting!...all you do is raise your hand and another lobster appears. The proceeds go to Le Cercle Moliere . And Auntie Carol is coming for a visit too! She will arrive on Thursday and will be staying with her Auntie Merle at her house. Carol leaves (with Mother) for Victoria on Wednesday Oct. 6th. After a visit with all the kids and the kids kids in Victoria Mother will return with brother Gary for a visit in Winnipeg. Sounds complicated but it should work out fine.

Well, better go....Catherine wants to wheel me around to the duck pond at the park in the wheelchair! HAHA....well it is a beautiful day out there and I have been cooped up for a couple of days now.....sure, why not! So if she doen't wheel me into the pond itself!!!... I'll be back to blog again!!!

In the meantime "Don't get eliminated!!"...sorry wrong show...."keep blogging!"


"Origins"

Thought it was gout.....but noooooooo. My right foot was sore the last couple of days and I assumed it was gout because it was near my big toe, you know the one that went to market??...but now it has spread to the the toe that had roast beef!! My foot was so sore last night that I could not sleep. I got up and sat in my comfy chair for a while and let my foot dangle over the edge...that seem to make it feel better. The next thing I knew it was morning. Anyhow, my foot was still sore so Catherine packed me into the car and we toddled off to the Victoria Hospital. They hooked me up to an intravenous with antibiotics and gave me some crutches and sent me home. I'll be on antibiotics for 10 days. I also scored some Tylenol 3's to take care of the pain, because it is still so very tender and I can't walk on it. Normally, a break in the skin would be required to get cellulitus but with (this is *catch 22*) diabetes you can get cellulitus *without* a break in the skin. Wonderfulllll...now you tell me. Anyhow, I'll survive and the dog will stop running away when I walk towards her with the crutches. The lesson learned here is (1) take steps to care for your feet, and (2) don't get diabetes, and (3) don't step in bacteria or anything that looks like bacteria, and (4) get a dog that doesn't jump when you walk around on crutches.
Apart from that I'm OK. So, I will be hanging around the house for the next few days and it would be nice to read some blogs......blogs, get it. Lyn updated her blog, and now we all know what she and her family has been up to...way to go Lyn! huzza huzza. She has that Ousey sense of humour for sure. So keep on blogging ya'll

cellulitus

I been sick the last few days. I got it from Catherine.....THE FLU.....or a virus with flu like symptoms. I feel crappy. It started as a sore throat, then it went down into my chest, then back up into my nose, and in the mean time it caused (either directly or indirectly) gout in my big toe (right foot) and back spasms....but that could be the kidneys stones... *Kidney stones*! damn it caused them too.................swine flu. Anyways, I haven't been able to get to the Reh-fit Centre to workout lately. Hell, I was up for a couple of hours last night and this morning it was all I could do to get up by noon! I shuffle around the house with my head down and the dog is doing the same thing, follows me all over.
Well, I am writing this at 6 AM because I could not sleep. I think my sinuses are clearing up. We are planning to get out to the lake later on today. The weekend is supposed to be nice, so we shall have to take advantage of it. I hope I feel better so we can go. I can't stop thinking about the cinnamon buns with my name on them at the Gimli Bakery! mmmmmm
Well, keep on blogging. Oh, and Chelsea......stop trying to grow up too fast! A lot of people have done just what you did so don't feel alone...but you know that the smart thing to do is to learn from it and carry on. Remember to listen to your Mom and know that people love you and care about you!


*cough*cough*hack*hack*

Thats the only latin I know and I picked it up in catholic church when Mom dragged me there as a kid and the services were in latin. Anyhow, that is a kind of prayer for the 'little Burro'...my spunky little 1992 Toyota Carolla LE. I took it in for an oil change because it has been sitting around all summer not being used. After the oil change there was oil leaking in the driveway. I took it back and they replace the oil and filter but....still leaking. "Must be coming from the oil pan!"..."Looks rusty!". He was right it was leaking oil, as if by osmosis, right through the oil pan! they put it up on the hoist and attempted to blow away some accumulated gunk off the pan when the air from the gun (barely blowing) opened up a huge hole! I guess it was being held together by the rust! To replace it would cost 4 hours labour ($300.00) and say $100.00 for a new pan. And then there is the exhaust pipe that had rusted off and was hanging down, and the leaky rear engine gasket....golly. Well, sir that was the last I saw of that car...up on the hoist looking forlorn. Bought it new and I always said that I would drive it as long as I could..... well may she rest in peace..........
I think I'll get it bronzed and put it on the mantle .....if I had a mantle.

Anyone who plays dominoes and vobiscuum......

Snowing in Calgary today! Last Sunday in Winnipeg it was 32 degs C. and today it is 16..... We had a drenching downpour yesterday. It must be the remnants of hurricaine Ivan.

Last Friday we made pies.....Catherine and I made 10 apple pies from apples picked off old George's apple tree (at the back). Catherine made the pastry and it was my job to use the apple peeler, break the apple strips into bits, and finally to use a straw and suck the air out of the freezer bags ( a job for a very dicerning baker...er...baker's helper). We had one of the pies on the weekend and mmmmm it was gooooood. Hot apple pie with ice-creammmmmm. The cinnamon hits your nasal passages like a train hitting a wall....pow...mmmmmm. With just a hint of, of, of......well that item is a secret and I am bound to secrecy by the head baker.

I guess I picked up the bug that Catherine had last week. My throat is sore and I feel all punky. but that did not stop the old trooper from going to the Air Museum yesterday!...what a trooper. You can bet that had I still been working at Bristol, I would not be going to work. I just hate to miss volunteering at the Air Museum. I'm back there tomorrow morning.

I got a call from the Diabetes Research group yesterday and they said that although I have protein in my urine (not good), it is not bad enough to keep me in this current study. I am a failure but I guess thats OK. I was not crazy about that study anyways. I will be going in to have a follow up with Dr. Penner, a renowned nephrologist, so that is good. And there are other studies that I may qualify for. I am only at a loss now as to which medications I should be currently taking....I have been given many and I have quite a stockpile. This morning it was, hummmmm lets see, I'll have one of these and one of those, and this one makes me feel good....oh and a couple of Tylenol for the stones. No not the Rolling Stones.....kidney.

Catherine is just back from Lunch with her friend Ruth and is now off for groceries. Tonight is the first night of her Hip-Hop class. She is taking a 10 week course at a fitness place over on St. Mary's Road. She loves that hippitty hoppitty stuff.

Must go now......remember...... keep on blogging....ha!



Weird weather

Another beautiful day25/26 deg today and looks like...dare I say it? 28/29 deg for tomorrow....better weather than we've had all summer. doesn't that put the shizzle back in your pizzle?!
Catherine picked up some bug when she subbed the other day. She has not been feeling well since Wednesday. But, she is feeling better today! So we will go over to Pat and Paul's place tonight and play some Trivialis Pursuitis.......The professional edition (not available in stores)...amateurs need not apply! TAKE NO PRISONERS TP!!!!!
Kevin dropped in for a visit today. He is working at Bristol (has been for a year) as a production engineer. He went back to college and completed a two year course and now he has a certificate in engineering. He went out to Calgary and picked up a motorcycle...nice one, looks fast even standing still. He has an e-mail address, its kchapman@shaw.ca . Drop him a line. He has been losing his hair rapidly, so he shaved it all off.....can't beat em, join em!
We watched the movie "Seducing Dr. Lewis" last night. The Criquet game is hilarious and the movie takes you back to a time when men and women made love on a regular basis, as shown in the first scene! It was a real little gem. In French with english subtitles. Two thumbs up there!!!! Worth a look see....available on DVD.

Well, better go and study for the TP game tonight!!!LOL Remember "Beep on Klogging"


Saturday in the Park....I think it was the 4th of July///

Reminiscent of the 30's and 40's serials......Who is the mysterious Doctor Totenkopf??....What terror awaits on Monster Island?? I went to see this movie at a 'preview' on Wednesday night. You peons can see it this coming Friday.....but it'll cost ya! haha The museaum got a bunch of free tickets for the viewing. It was quite good. Filmed in black and white with sepia over tones. Very dark and mysterious. Good action sequences, especially if you like P-40 Warhawks and Stukas! These menacing buggers will even fly underwater! There is a story line but the movie is all about the action (and Gweneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie...at least for me!)...Oh yeah, Jude Law is in it too. All in all it was enjoyable and I would give it a 7 out of 10...because I really like the way it was filmed...kinda reminded me of Orson Welles 'Citizen Kane' with its shadows and light and various perspectives. AND THE GOOD GUYS WIN....OOPS I GAVE IT AWAY!

I received some wonderful pics of some new aquarium with plants designed by Joel...Ever nice! Good on ya Joel! As soon as I get my Photoshop back up I will convert the files to jpg files and send them out to some people. Gotta see these, they are great!

Spent the whole day today runnin round doin errands....books, watch, CD, prescriptions. Did I tell you that we saw the movie "The Lady Killers"??? Another Coen brothers work! Wonderful, and Tom Hanks was great! Its out on DVD now and it is really worth renting! BTW there is a language warning for those with sensitive ears!...not me! Two thumbs up here!!! We also rented "Second hand Lions" which was also very good and ...no language warning here...very suitable for family viewing!...two thumbs up there. We also rented a Canada/Quebec film called "Seducing Dr. Lewis"...its about a a community that having lost its doctor is trying to convince another doctor to come to serve in their community....should be good, in a "Local Hero" sort of way.

Busy day tomorrow. I go to the Diabetes Research group in the AM and we are going to go around and drop off some of Catherine's 'marriage commissioner' cards at some of the hotels, wedding places, etc. ....gotta get to the Reh-fit too!

The new Survivor starts tonight! And Canadian Idol ends tonight. My vote is for Kalan! Although Teresa is good too.

Better go ...so remember Frau manger NASA and keep on blogging!






"Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow"

Just reading about Einstein in the Sept. issue of 'Discovery' magazine. Theory of relativity and quantum physics...not subjects that I am familiar with but nevertheless interesting. I have been sitting at home wondering about relativity.....like as in 'who's your daddy?' and being bored because I just can't get around and do too much, yet. I have not passed any stones yet... So its a waiting game. I do what I can for safety...I make sure the dog is 'out of range' and close the bathroom door. I don't want to 'put her eye out!' with an errant stone. My aim is not as good as it used to be. heehee I know that there are things that I could be doing but they will just have to wait. I am scheduled to work at the Museum tomorrow and I think that I shall go...I just can't walk too much.

Catherine is off Substituting today. This is her second day at the same school. The phone has been ringing off the hook trying to book her services....she has bookings in November already. She is happy to be back doing something that she likes.

Well better go for now...in the meantime 'bongo gel peking'..........(448 more anangrams to go!)






Cure for cancer.......why is there air?

We went to the Humanist dinner on Saturday night. I felt fine when we got home, although my back has been sore lately (nothing new there). While watching the news I got some severe stabs of pain in my lower right side (starboard for all you sailors out there) and from then on it the pain could be described as being stabbed in the back....you actually get used to it but if you move slightly, then the knife cuts into you more....thats the best way I can describe it. I could not lie down in bed and could barely walk all Saturday night. I was resigned to spending the night in my easy chair in a position that was 'the least painful', generally the fetal position. Catherine tried to stay with me , sleeping on the sofa but ended up in a power struggle for sofa domination with the beagle. Catherine gave the sofa up to the 'Princess' went back to bed but would appear as if by magic whenever I had to go to the bathroom. The pain is much worse for a while after you urinate, so I was glad that she was there to help me struggle back to the easy chair. By Sunday the pain was easing off to just a stabbing pain when I move left...as it is today.....so I spend ll my time making right turns. Its a good thing that our house rooms can be accessed either in a clock-wise or counter clock-wise direction because it saves me from bumping into walls.
Mom was here dog-sitting since Thursday. We celebrated Catherine's birthday with a Jeannie's cake and plans to go out for dinner on Sunday. For obvious reasons, we did not go out to dinner on Sunday, postponing it until another time. Catherine received a beautiful book on dragons from Margot. This is a gift I know whe will read over and over again.
Speaking of Catherine, she had a good time in Saint John, NB visiting her Dad. Her Dad is not in the best of health and at 81 it is to be expected. But...the old guy is still in love with his best girl Sue. According to all who know her, it is a race between Bob and Sue as to who is going to bleed Gordie dry of his money (what little he has left) first! Well, maybe it is not so bad that Gordie is 'in love'. He always must be 'in love'...it is an imperative where Gordie is concerned, and if it makes him happy in his later years, then so be it. Let him be happy. But I can't help thinking about Gord's daughter Bunny who has MS and his son Gordie who died of ALS...both of them could have used or could use some help from Gordie but it is the people like Bob and Sue who are devious enough to get at it.
Anyhow, I understand that Gary and Carol are ...or should be getting back to Victoria this afternoon. Of course Gary will want to stop at a garage to check out the terrible rocking motion that the RV was making as they crossed the strait on the ferry!!......on warrant of course.
I've got three words for you all.......well figure it out from two words.....can U guess?

Like a rolling stone.......kidney stone that is.

We had some bad news this week...a great Winnipeg humanist and peacemaker by the name of Cec Muldrew 81, passed away. He was involved in many things and at his memorial service today he will be remebered by many including Catherine and I. For his obituary go to the Manitoba Humanists link in the margin.
Tomorrow we have a birthday party to attend for a friend and later in the afternoon we have a dinner meeting of the Humaists Assoc. of Manitoba. There will be several new members there. Later on in September Catheine and i will be manning an information table at the University of Manitoba handing out info on the Humanists. The hope is to find someone to start a 'free thinking' Humanist group on campus to combat these born again campus groups and their very narrow religious dogmas.
Well......'Big Brother' (the TV show) is coming to an end. There are 4 people left and its a toss up as to who wins the half a mil. 'Canadian Idol' has come down to two people, Kalan and Teresa. We hope Kalan wins. And the coup de grace of the fall TV schedule is 'Survivor' ...starting next week!
Looks like Gary and Carol are on their way back from visiting Mike and Charlene in Northern BC. They should be back home early next week. I wish them a safe trip. I wonder, after monitoring Mike's and Charlene's blog site if they will post again soon or will it be another year.
Well, better go and get ready. TTFN...keep blogging! This blog took me only 22 minutes to write and I included links!.............think of the possiblities!


Busy busy...keeps me off the streets!

Just back from the lake . It was not very nice weather...around 20 and rainy both yestereday and today. We drove up to Hecla Island today. Man there are some nice houses going up there...nice big ones in the 'Icelandic' style. That style is kinda shaped like a big witches hat only flat on top and the roof overhangs on the bottom all around with the underneath forming a hyge veranda (porch). We saw loons, cormorants and several eagles.
Keep on blogging!

Back home from the Lake...trala

Sunday. Time to..........
do the crossword.
have a big brunch.
pick apples in the backyard.
browse the web and check out blogs.
spend time with my honey.
listen to Diana Krall.

I see Jack and Gary have updated their blogs. some great pictures on Jack's blog, especially the one of Mom looking out the window into her past. Gary is in northern BC visiting his son Michael and his family. Nice picture on Gary's blog of Mike and Charlene's kids.

A pretty mellow day here with no real plans. we had planned to go out to the lake today or tomorrow....looks like tomorrow. There has been kinda shitty weather lately but that was supposed to clear up today, but it looks like Frances the Hurricaine is stopping this system from moving south. Well, we shall have to get out to the lake tomorrow for sure because there is a great bakery there...er, ooops, I mean the grass needs cutting. We will have to be back for Wednesday because of the commitments . haha

Sounds like Jack is back into the swing of things down at SO SU...ME. The digital class he is traching sounds interesting. I wish that I could take it!..I got Adobe Photoshop! canI? canI?

I don't understand the Krall song "Popsicle toes" ...what the hell is that? How about "Toosie Roll Nose" ? I could be a song writer.....

Better go for now.....Hey the Bombers play tonight. Its the Labour Day classic with Saskatchewan. The bombers should have a chance because the regular Q-back is not able to play! Yeah, Kahari 'wrong way' Jones is hurt. Should be a good game.

Later...remember only You can prevent blogidosis (fear of blogging!)



Diana Krall is sooooo mellow.............

Well I'll be darned. Nephew Mike and his wife Charlene have a blogsite or two. This is great because without the blogsites people would not know that (1) Mike is still alive and busy! and (2) Charlene has started her won business!...a coffee shop. You can find Mike and Charlene's blogs at http://mikeandchar.blogspot.com and http://mycoffeeshop.blogspot.com . I will have to link them to my blogsite. Ain't blogs great............
Nice to hear Gary and Carol made it to Mike's place. I know this because he blogged it! Ain't blogs great..... A new Wal-mart in Terrace! .... Well I'll be hornswaggled, pretty soon you RVers will need no campgrounds at all!....now if they could just instal a dump station........
Catherine is back home and boy was the dog glad to see her...she started howling and bowled Catherine over. I was glad to see her too but chose not to howl...much! She had a real good time visiting her Dad, even though, like the hope diamond, he came with a curse....BOB. Catherine met her Dad's girlfriend and she appears to be in love...at least until he runs out of money. She is a cleaner at a local hospital and old Gordie picks her up everyday after work and they go to the Legion and then he drives her home...the rest you don't want to know. Catherine stayed at her cousin Lucy-ann's place and Lucy-ann was a great hostess.
Anyhow, better go and tend the garden............keep on blogging!

Woo-Hoo another couple of bloggers!

Here is a picture of Mike and har and some of the kids taken at a dinner in Victoria. That's Mike in the grey shirt and Charlene off to his left (kids in between). 

It's noon here now and Catherine will have left NB for home. Better go and clean up the place Suzie has been a real messy girl! Later......
Remember only you can prevent blogger block!

Catherine is coming home today!

Catherine and her Dad. 

Imagine 1800 protesters arrested in New York for expressing their opinion of Dubya and his GOP cronies. Someone said the other day that Dick Cheney was in his 'Air Force 2' airplane and had a near miss...... George Bush went into a panic thinking that he alone may have to take on the role of President!
I talked to Catherine today. she is having fun in Saint John. She took everyone, including Bob, out to dinner yesterday. Glad to hear Bob didn't choke on it! Catherine's Dad's gal asked if she could bring along her son.....sure, why not ...poor booy has to be fed. Gee...think of it, if Catherine's Dad marries his young gal, Catherine will be older than her Mother.
Anyhow, Catherine is coming home tomorrow....and not a day too soon! I have to go to the Diabetes Research group in the AM and then stop in and see Mom, then get home because someone is coming to clean the furnace and then I will pcik up Catherine at the airport at around 5 PM....ish.
...Better get to bed...later...keep on blogging!

hey hey ho ho George Bush has to go.....

One can only take so much freedom...then you gotta wash the dishes! I couldn't sleep so I got up and had a shower......and now I'm wide awake. I'm watching TV in the corner of my computer...it's a show called "Sex and Death" ...I think its a comedy. They are deciding which religion is the 'true' religion by having muslims, catholics and jews nude mud-wrestle. Makes as much sense as the religions themselves! This is one of those wildly crazy shows that they have on in the middle of the night. Curry powder in the underpants funny! Ahhh...I knew it ...the catholics won....not sure if its the Greek Orthodox branch or the Roman branch. Wait, there is a story here after all.
Went to the museum todayand I'll be working there tomorrow....keeps me off the streets. This evening I had an executive meeting with the Humanists. We had a nice meal and discussed programs for the year. Everyone is worried about the new Muslim tribunal being setup in Ontario to arbitrate business and family matters. I think that it is crazy to have muslims come to Canada to escape thier old countries and their ways only to have a group want to bring it here. The muslim laws (Sharia) favour men when it comes to family matters such as division of property after a divorce or settling of estates and the problem comes when a muslim woman could be coerced into using the tribunal to settle problems. Sure the tribunal cannot go against Canada's civil laws but the Jews have a similar tribunal and the Canadian courts have never once intervened.
September 1st already. Where did the summer go? We'll have to get out to the lake this weekend because its supposed to be nice weather....we'll have to see what Catherine feels like when she gets back on Thursday in approximately 36 hours and 49 minutes from now.
Well, start blogging or keep on blogging...you know who you are!
PS: Nana called to say the she got your letter, Margot and she was happy to receive it. She also likes the butterfly. That was thoughtful of you, cheers.

Missing you Catherine!!!!!........... Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell.


Missing Catherine.........