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Midweek

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It’s another cool spring day, with wind (which transforms the day to “need a coat”) and overcast.  More rain is forecast later this week, but right now it’s just gloomy.  I don’t mind the rain, as it leads to displays like this (from my friend’s garden in Hamilton)  Jerry is sitting contentedly watching his  support worker as she’s cooking supper.  He had a few happy wriggles and barks and got his tummy rubbed, so he’s fine with people in his space.  Don was dealing with some pain again, but it is at its worst when he first wakes up, and improves a bit through the day.  His team won the last game of the year (when it no longer matters) and he’s happy that they did. I took a sleep aid last night and slept for 9 solid hours, but I’m feeling a bit groggy today, so there’s that trade off.  We’ll try the early night again — without the pill — and hopefully it’s a successful experiment.  I had some (frozen) Chinese today — from my sister’s last visit — and we’re making supper.  I was teachin
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Tuesday

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It’s still poui season in Trinidad, so I’m getting several photos of trees in full bloom.  I always loved this time of year, when the trees are so glorious, so I’m going to share them with you.  Look at that golden carpet of flowers that fell from the tree!  Isn’t that beautiful?  Jerry is right now attacking a plastic bottle, tossing it around, trying to open it and having a great time playing with it.  He seems happy with it, just quietly gnawing on it, so I’ll leave him for a while.  He’s always been a “chewy” dog, and the only thing he can’t really destroy are rubber or plastic items.  Anything fabric is shredded in moments… Don needed to take his pain meds today as he said that his legs were bad, so that means that he may very well not get a good night’s sleep — the meds keep him awake.  We’ll see how it goes; his team has 1 more game this year before their ultimate elimination, so he’s got to find someone else to support! I didn’t sleep well last night either.  Insomnia seems to
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Thoughts.

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🎼🎶 It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring.  He went to bed and bumped his head and couldn’t get up in the morning! 🎶 I love the rain, actually, and it’s just going to encourage more tulips, like these that my friend photographed in Vancouver recently.  It’s also been cooler, so normal spring temperatures and it’s enjoyable.  Jerry is tired after a day of schnoodle… he’s been running around with his ball, jumping on and off of me and is now lying on Don, giving little puppy snores.  Don’s doing pretty well also; he’s relaxed, and had a decent sleep last night after watching Canadian women win gold in hockey.  The playoffs start soon, so he’ll be glued to the TV for the games for the next few months. I woke up this morning feeling really hungry, which is good.  The thing is, though, that after breakfast this morning (around 9:30) I didn’t eat again until 5:30… I just didn’t want anything to eat, although I did drink water.  I had to rest my timer so I wouldn’t go that lon
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Easter 3

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OK, it’s a lovely wet April, so the flowers should be spectacular  later on.  They’re not out yet — mostly.  There are a few in a couple of sunny spots, but anywhere shaded is still pretty bare, and the trees aren’t yet leafing.  Soon come, though, soon come!  I was debating pulling out a sweater today as it was all of 6C, but thought that there was no point adding to my laundry for one day!  Consider me optimistic, OK?  Perhaps even rushing the season, but it’s not cold enough to justify digging out the warm stuff that just got packed away.  As you can see, Jerry is extremely comfortable and living the life of Riley.  He’s right now rolled in Don’s blanket, pretending to be a little roti, all wrapped up and cozy.  Don is, again, watching some true crime stories — they’re mixed in with series of (real) court cases and what happens after arrest and so on… what used to be Arts & Entertainment is now all the worst of humanity all the time!  I asked him what’s the attraction for those
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Wet and windy

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Adding this thought for today… someone sent it to me, and I thought it should be forwarded on to share with everyone, complete with air hugs and pats on the back!  Jerry is in the other room at the moment, although he had a good nap on my lap, and sulked through some phone calls and a bit of internet browsing.  He stuck his nose in the camera and then tried to push the phone out of my hand to interrupt the call… 😞  Such a dictator!!  Don was watching true crime (again) and I told him that I’ll just leave a note for the RCMP if I disappear unexpectedly.  Then he fell asleep in the middle of one, so I switched to cozy mysteries instead… I’m waiting to see his reaction when he realizes that the murder isn’t particularly gory! I have a support worker today for 2 hours!  Just as I was about to call to ask if anyone was coming today (my regular person doesn’t work on Saturdays with me) she called to set a time.  😅  I’m catching up on my sleep, and I slept through the night last night for a
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Friday

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A beautiful drone-taken shot of the north coast of Trinidad… sharing some sun and sea on a chilly, damp spring day 😊  Longing to get into that water myself, but… soon!  Jerry is pacing around, he’s been evicted from my lap and is looking for an excuse to get into mischief; he’s thrown his ball at my legs a few times and is standing by Don, wagging his little stumpy tail.  Don’s watching a true crime documentary, with some particularly gruesome details.  There were a few games last night, so he was up quite late catching up on them! I slept better last night than the night before, which is great.  I didn’t especially want to get up this morning, as I was warm and cozy, but I did and got on with the day.  My sister-friend dropped by with lunch (including dessert and drinks!!) so I didn’t have to worry about that.  Yay for friends who  drop off lunch (and thanks to the one who dropped off lunch, tea and donut yesterday!!)  My tummy is happier today than it was, although I find that I get
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Tired

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This photo of the Queen’s Park Savannah is in stark contrast to today’s chilly wetness.  I’m not complaining, the rain is needed, and it’s not affecting my plans, so it’s all good.  Jerry has just vacated my lap and moved over to Don.  He’s been using me as a trampoline and got thrown off a few times for bouncing on me!  He’s been rolling his ball around, wanting it thrown for a while, too.  Don is OK, but is running out of shows to watch, so he’s liable to be a pest for a while… with getting into all sorts of trouble because he’s bored.   I had a bad night last night due to an unhappy tummy and issues related to that.  I accidentally ate some pickled peppers (I didn’t know they were in a sandwich until I’d eaten one) and my stomach has been protesting ever since.  I didn’t feel much like eating last night or this morning, but I did… and my tummy continues to grumble.  My support worker had an accident yesterday and had to head to emergency, so I’m again without help since yesterday; i
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New day

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It’s 20C today, and sunny!  How lovely, and just a beautiful introduction to spring!  Jerry is sulking a bit because his  support worker spent time looking after me and not just playing with him 😜  He also got thrown off my lap for digging his claws into my one sore spot and then plunking his full weight on me.  Don is loving the warmer, but not humid, weather, and was out on the balcony for a long while this afternoon.  He has caught up on both his PVR and sports shows, so he’ll be wandering around like a lost puppy as he works out what to watch next… streaming services are still available, so we’ll see what he comes up with! I’m sorry to report that I seem unable to eat Indian food still.  I had some small servings of Indian yesterday and today, and both  times I had ‘digestive issues’ within an hour so it’s clear that it’s the food that’s to blame.  I’m not pleased by this, as curry is one of my favourites, but my system has been rejecting it since I’ve been on chemo for a while no
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Eclipse day

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Shot of the total solar eclipse sent by my sister from the Niagara region; this was taken at their home.  At 3pm the sky looked like night, and the street lights came on.  Isn’t that awesome?  In Ottawa, the sky got crepuscular (isn’t that a really cool word?  Means “like twilight” but sounds so much eerier!) and it looked like dusk, nowhere near as dark as in Niagara.  The sun was on the wrong side of my building, so I was in no danger of looking directly at it.  We watched the live coverage to see the corona and all the other super cool effects without the risk of eye damage.  Jerry spent the day moving from one lap to another, seeking cuddles and peering.  He was in that kind of mood all day, then he had an attack of the zoomies once the eclipse had passed over and the light returned to normal.  Don is currently clanging around in the kitchen, doing I don’t know what, but I’m hoping it has something to do with making dinner… He’d turned on the TV coverage early to not miss any of it
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Sunday after Easter

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🎼🎶 Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day!  I have a beautiful feeling everything’s going my way  🎶  A yellow poui tree in full bloom from Trinidad, which is like sunshine on a tree!  Isn’t it lovely?  It was beautiful, sunny and (fairly) warm today.  It’s currently about 15C, which is perfect for this time of year.  Jerry is sulking on my feet; he was having an attack of the zoomies this afternoon and played tug o’war with a blanket, which he managed to tear.  (He’s got really sharp teeth!) He got a small yelling, and has hmphed his way onto my toes!  Don was griping about the pain in his legs today and has been resting quite a bit, in between sports recordings.  No comment on those LOL I was out for a bit this morning; I was “kidnapped” for a quick coffee and time by the river with my sister-friend.  I’d delayed to today just to give myself time to recover from treatment, although it’s been easier on my system than the last time.  She’s a very accommodating kidnapper
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Frustrated

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What a lovely, mild day we had today.  Bright sun, 10C and generally lovely.  Spring preview in effect, I guess!  Jerry is being a cuddler.  He spent almost the whole morning on my lap and every time I pushed him off, he came back like he’s on a retractable cord!  Cute, but also painful as he digs in to the one sore spot on my tummy, which only hurts when he puts pressure on it.  Don is fine, watched some sports — his day is empty without that, it seems — and we’re now catching up on some PVR programs.  He’s going to be making supper soon (well, as soon as I tell him that he’s on cooking duty, anyway LOL) So I had a minor tummy issue today, which I can’t attribute to the treatment, as it has happened before unrelated to any medication.  It means that I feel weak for a few hours and then I’ll be fine - and I’ll probably sleep well, because that’s been the pattern.  My support worker (not my regular; she doesn’t cover me on a Saturday) was over 2 hours late because she “had to go home an
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Chemo 2-2

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We had 2 days of wet, icky weather, with yesterday having 15cm of wet blowing snow.  It was below 0, windy and generally miserable — heck of a day to have to go out and deal with appointments.  The roads were slippery and the wind actually fought the car!  All’s well, though, and Don has strong wrists, so it was all uneventful, thankfully.  Jerry is more settled today as the wind has calmed down and moved to the other side of the building so it’s not unsettling him too badly.  He’s curled up on Don’s blanket on the sofa, pretending to nap, but he’s alert to any movement or crumb falling in the area 🥹  Don’s ok, watching a game, which I think was recorded, but he’s awake and fully absorbed in the game, which is one of those that just drags on with no useful resolution.  I’m told it’s a “game of strategy” but honestly, it’s not cricket and the level of spitting and scratching cancels any potential interest! I’m happy to report that chemo had ZERO reactions yesterday!  This time I follow
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Showers…

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🎼🎶  Though April showers may come your way, they bring the flowers that bloom in May 🎶  That old song was in my mind when we headed to my appointment this afternoon.  It’s been raining with high winds since last night, and it’s bitingly cold from the damp!  To make up for that, you get a lovely moonlit poui tree taken last week in Trinidad.  Jerry dislikes the wind, which was blowing strongly for most of the night and he was trying to find a place to hide from it.  He gets nervous at the sound of high winds, especially since they’re rattling my windows and finding cracks through which to seep.  He just rolled himself into a blanket and is hiding out there away from the bangs and bumps.  Don was up pretty late last night watching his game… then fell asleep about an hour before we were due to leave.  I could feel the wind buffeting the car on the way home, and it was so nice to return to a cozy house out of the weather which is not at all encouraging to be out.  I have a feeling that
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April

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So it’s officially  spring now!  April, the month of showers and flowers and all that lovely stuff… and, because I live in Ottawa, it also means snow !!  They’re calling for 15cm of the white stuff over the next 2 days — days when I MUST leave my house and go to hospital appointments!!  Today is mild, sunny and lovely, but if the forecast is right, I’ll have to find my boots again.  And maybe a heavier coat.  I was getting used to just a sweater.  Jerry is being very attached to me again… I pushed him off my lap about 5 times, and he just bounces back up like a rubber ball (remember those super bouncers that could go really high and just keep bouncing?)  Then I tried pushing him off and he just dug in his little paws and refused to move… and then lay back and fell asleep.  Don is on tap to take me to my appointments over the next few days, while grumbling about the increased price of gas… it went up yesterday again.  He managed to record 3 games last night, plus had reminders for 4 mor
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Easter Sunday

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What a beautiful day for Easter Sunday.  It was sunny, mild, and really lovely.  The sky is a lovely blue, with a few puffy white clouds and in another place, would be perfect to be on the beach with a cold drink in hand, and a fried bake and kingfish for stuffing into your mouth!  Can you tell where my thoughts are today?  Jerry is in affectionate mode today, and has been guarding me all day.  He just jumps on my lap and settles in comfortably, ignoring any and all attempts to displace him, attract his attention or to tease him.  His concentration is amazing when he wants to ignore people.  Don is doing well, he was watching his sports earlier, and is now catching up on the news.  He’s been moving stiffly, but isn’t in more pain than usual, thankfully.  He’s right now the recipient of puppy affection, with the little dog curled on his lap and being petted like a small teddy bear and Jerry is lying on his back, long legs stretched up and he’s settled in for what looks like a prolonged
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Glorious Saturday

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It’s a beautiful day, with mild temperatures and bright sun.  If the old farmers are right, it’ll be a hot, dry spring and summer, so here’s hoping they’re mistaken, although there are already burn bans in effect.  Jerry has been banished from my lap, as he seems to be able to find the one sore spot on my tummy, and then plunk his full weight on it.  He’s sulking at me and complaining to Don who is “watching” baseball (there are little snores that I’m hearing…) I was really sleepy last night, and conked out for about 12 hours, which was great this morning!  I felt more alert than I have for a few days.  I have to admit to being a little lazy this morning and not wanting to get out from under my cozy blankets.  Once again I have no support worker today, and I’m getting frustrated leaving messages with the agency asking “Where are my helpers?” I’d promised to share a short poem by Tagore, and I think today is a perfect time to do that.  I hope that you find it as touching as I did. Go no
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Good Friday

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Hot cross buns, one a penny, two a penny, if you have no daughters, give ‘em to your sons… My “brother” made a batch and tormented me with photos!  It’s been a lovely mild, windy few days — and it will be a bad year for crops as there was no rain (or snow) today!  Jerry is in major cuddling mode, and was slapping my face with his paw because I wasn’t rubbing his tummy enough this morning.  Don’s doing pretty well, although he had trouble sleeping last night.  The TV woke me up at 3am as he seemed to be having an argument with voice assist… Very annoying recording that just wouldn’t go away!  He finally sorted it out, which was a relief, around 4am. I slept well, other than the hour and a bit that the voiceover was announcing loudly everything on screen.  Today I didn’t have the energy to make some of the things I wanted to eat, but I had some salmon and macaroni and cheese for lunch.  I will see if I can get the energy to make what I want to eat, as I know that’s something I’d enjoy.  
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Holy Thursday

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Mild weather is here 😀  I hope that there’s rain tomorrow, as rain on Good Friday is supposed to mean a good crop yield in the summer.  I don’t know where that originated, but I had been told that by an elderly parishioner many years ago on a very wet Good Friday.  It’s different in the Caribbean, but here it’s apparently linked to enough rain for the crops!  Yesterday the little dog got groomed — there’s a lot less of him since his thick, shaggy winter coat is all gone.  He’s an affectionate little guy again, and his legs seem to have extended further!  He looks like a mini-greyhound right now.  The groomer nicked him just above his eye, but the vet checked him over and he’s ok.  He’s burrowed under the blanket and is snuggling up to Don who’s watching the opening game of baseball season.  Can anyone explain to me how you can have a “World Series” award when only one country plays in it?  I mean, in a sensible game like cricket, when there’s an international it’s literally between di
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Grump…

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I’m not really grumpy, it’s just… well, I’ll explain below.  Another day where the temperature flirted with moving above zero, but with a coyness that would make a Victorian heroine blush!  I’m so eager for spring temperatures, hovering between 10 - 15C, with flowers popping up… I’ll probably regret this when the humidity moves in!  Jerry is temporarily not speaking with me today.  I have ONE sore spot on my tummy, and that’s where he tends to plunk his little 10lb self!  I threw him off because he was causing me pain, so he took himself to the sofa and is sending me recriminating glares when his back isn’t turned to me.  Don is playing on his computer, in preparation for his game later… although I think his team is now officially eliminated from the playoffs.  I won’t say anything, because apparently hockey is not “just a game.”  (I said that once and thought I’d stepped on a land mine!) My sleep is good, my appetite is decent and I’ve been sorting through various cupboards to try and
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