Learning and understanding

These snowdrops were sent to me from Central Park, New York, with many thanks to my friends who found and sent this to me.  Aren’t they lovely?  We are still covered by snow, so it’s a while before we can see snowdrops or crocuses or daffodils or narcissi or any of the signs of incipient spring!  I’m watching Jerry and Don playing with a ball; Jerry is hopping to get Don to throw the ball, and play growling.  I’m fascinated by his little nub of a tail that’s waving madly.  It’s adorable and very cute, and his little butt wiggles wildly as he hops around and chases the ball.  I’m smiling a lot as they play, as it’s so fun and relaxing.  It’s Saturday night and there’s no hockey!  That’s highly unusual, but they’re playing various challenges or something — my interest is lacking — and poor Don has a few days with no sports.  The NFL is off until next weekend, the NHL likewise, baseball isn’t on yet, and there’s a whole lot of unused TV time whi...

This was actually yesterday; I’ll fill you in below.  The last couple of days were still grey, overcast, and miserable, although the weather forecast says that the “January thaw” is now over and winter is ramping up.  This is not my idea of fun and enjoyment, I tell you!  I’m clearly in the wrong country or at least the wrong city for mild winters!  Jerry is on my toes again, after some time on my lap.  He doesn’t approve of me being on my iPad, and was putting his paw on my screen so I can’t read my book or watch a video or anything else.  So I put it down, and he sits up to block the TV.  Clearly he’s on an anti-screen campaign and wants my full attention!  Don was glued to various sports, as usual, and then was watching a 48 hours marathon which I said was for him to learn new ways of disposing of my body… In retaliation, I put on several Law & Order  episodes so the criminals were all caught and tried.  There are, though, more t...

It’s going to be a week of very cold overnights (below -10) with milder days where the snow and ice might melt slightly.  It’s still mostly overcast which just makes things gloomy as opposed to encouraging.  Ah, well, January is effectively at the end, and as they keep saying “February is a short month” (like that day makes a big difference) and in a couple of days the rodent will predict whether we have 6 more weeks of winter or a month and a half until spring.  There is NO NEED to email me that it’s the same thing.  I know.  Everyone knows.  It’s just one of the jokes we make to get through the cold.  Jerry is happy that his  support worker is back today, although he sulked that she dared  to show up carrying an extra bag and has been looking after me.  He got a new buzz collar, as the button on the old one no longer works — he tore open the package, sniffed at the collar and went to work shredding the box.  He’s wearing it now, w...

It’s a grey, damp day where the cold seeps into cracks and crevices and finds chinks to slip into so you reach for the blankets and start searching for new cardigans!  (No, I haven’t ordered any, I’ve got several that will last this season then go on to new homes.). I got this photo of daffodils from some friends in New York, where it’s apparently been so mild that they’re popping out.  We’re still snow covered.  Jerry went nuts today when my regular support worker came by; he refused to stop barking when she was doing other things, and finally had to get his buzz collar.  He’s quietly sulking now, because he thinks it’s unfair for him to be punished for being happy to see her after a week!  Don is unaware of my existence as there is a sport on now, and any time I talk to him, I have to pause it, wait for him to look at me, ask my question, get a grunt in reply, and he restarts it as though he were the one on the playing surface! Last night I took one of my slee...

January weather continues, and while I’m not its biggest fan, I’m even less  a fan of traditional February weather!  In the past 25 years, it was a standing joke that a condition of my continued employment was a month in the Caribbean.  😝  The first time I stayed here in February was also the first time I experienced -50 temperatures, with windchills close to -60!  I vowed that never again would I do that!  I did fairly well until the pandemic, then, well, all bets were off.  I think I need a Star Trek- like transporter so I can be in Trinidad, soaking up sun, warmth and many hugs instead of here with the sad grey skies… Jerry is hiding out with Don right now and has spent the afternoon on his lap instead of mine.  I’m admittedly jealous as usually I’m the dog-bed-du-choix!  Don’s going into withdrawal, as one of his sports is coming to an end.  There were FIVE games on today!  FIVE!!!  Men just morph into a couch and don’t mo...

Gee, I look like my mom in this photo.  Although I suppose that I look like her anyway, but it stands out more here.  I’ll get more into this in a minute, I need to fill you in on other stuff.  First off, the weather is busy being Ottawa winter grey and gloomy, so it’s not encouraging in the slightest.  Dark when you wake up, overcast during the day, dark early… no wonder Jerry doesn’t want to be away from people and cuddles!  He’s perfectly happy to sit on a lap and be stroked when he’s not rampaging around playing with his toy!  Don didn’t sleep too well last night; according to him, he ‘missed his cue’ to go to bed and was awake for hours watching… yes, you guessed it!  He napped a little this morning, but I hope he’ll get a better rest tonight.  Although it’s Saturday, and that means… 🏒 and tomorrow is 🏈 so I’ll just dive into a book somewhere. Yesterday I went in to the hospital to do my blood transfusion.  There was a mixup… I got the...

The freezing rain forecast last night left a sheet of ice everywhere this morning.  Thankfully Don is good at handling that sort of thing, and it had begun to thaw by the time we had to leave.  There was still ice when we were out, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.  There’s another freezing rain forecast for tonight, which doesn’t fill me with any enthusiasm.  We’ll just cope with whatever comes, right?  Jerry has been yipping periodically for some unknown reason.  When he gives up on that, he moves onto a lap for cuddles, or will daintily eat his dry dog food and crunch it loudly.  He’s got treats and is spoilt, so don’t believe the puppy dog eyes and the little paws pressed into your lap.  He’s a professional mooch.  Don, thankfully, took me in, waited in the rain, picked me up, and is currently having a nap.  I think there’s a sports thing tonight, I’m not sure, but I’m heading to bed early.  I had to be awake early thi...

Of all types of weather, and all the many variations that we get here in winter, I cannot make it clear just how much I hate, despise, detest, abhor  freezing rain.  It has no redeeming qualities.  It turns otherwise normal walking surfaces into a hazard, breaks tree branches and is just horrible.  The forecast tonight is for ice rain for several hours, to be maybe followed by rain.  I’m not thrilled by this, as I’ve got an appointment early tomorrow, but we will cope.  Jerry had an attack of sulking today, as Don went out to do some repairs to the car.  There was nowhere for him to take the dog, so he stayed with me.  Well, Jerry does not approve of this situation in the slightest, so he sulked, grumbled and generally let me know that I am very much a second or third class citizen in his view!  Don’s back now, everything handled smoothly, and Jerry is changing whose feet he sits on every few minutes as if to ensure that everyone is where the...

It snowed yesterday as I mentioned, and a few more flurries added to the overall piles — there’s a pile from our parking lot that’s over 4m high at the entrance.  I watched some small children climbing on it and shrieking excitedly as they slid down!  I just couldn’t get warm easily in the car, and that made it more challenging to breathe.  Jerry was cuddled against me in the car, and has been somewhat hyperactive all afternoon.  Don just went down to the garage to do something, carrying an empty box with him, so he’s probably taking some excess stuff out of the car.  Jerry came to complain about this unacceptable behaviour and is firmly planted on my toes, refusing to move even as I try to get comfortable.  I’m told that tonight is a “big night” as there are 2 games on — the women’s league (who I’ve commented play much better than the men) and the men, who have won 1 game in the last 3… I’ll just leave it at that, but in either case, I’m not watching the s...

Today went from sunny to whiteout in what felt like the blink of an eye.  It also warmed up above -10C, which is a good thing for me, not so much for the winter bunnies who seem to enjoy having frozen faces!  I forgot to mention yesterday that it was the birthday of one of my closest friends, although he’s a twin and that apparently means that his birthday is 2 days 😝  Luckily for him (and me) his birthday present arrived late yesterday, so I was able to gift him today when he very kindly dropped off a tea and donut on his way home from an appointment.  Happy birthday Paul!  Jerry is curled into a ball resting up from an afternoon of schnoodle.  He unearthed another toy — I have no idea where he’s finding them — and is happily protecting it and chewing off the fabric.  Don was feeling somewhat more energetic today which I very much enjoy.  He was also happily watching several games where his team won after losing something like 5 in a row.  ...

It was a deceptive day today.  The sun was shining brightly, causing the the ice and snow to glitter, and everything looked picture-postcard winter wonderland, but it was bitterly cold with temperatures below -20 (“break out the heavy  winter coat” weather)   Very Canadian thing to have multiple winter coats of varying warmth, accompanied by a range of thermals, lined pants and assorted multiple layers to be able to cross the street!  I was saying that my preference is for temperatures ranging between 15-25C, where I don’t need thermals, scarves, coats or boots except as fashion statements!  Jerry stuck his nose outside long enough to register a protest agains the chill, and is lying on my feet under my blanket getting as warm as he possibly can.  He somehow found one of his older toys which had been lost for a while, and is lying on it now, protecting it from being hidden away.  Don is lost in a sports game — the one where men run around a field and p...

🎶 It’s very very cold, I’m very very chilly… I know it will be warm someday but I can’t wait till then because I’ll be old.  It’s terribly cold! 🎶  I tend to revert to Sesame Street songs on days like this, when I recall one that speaks to my feelings.  We’ve been about -16C today, with winds making it feel much colder, and it’s dropping below -20 overnight.  It feels like I’m encased in a block of ice, and my many layers aren’t doing much to help.  Jerry spent the night with me last night for the first time in over a week.  He made himself comfortable in the crook of my knees and seemed to sleep very well.  It seems like he missed me when he was sleeping on the sofa, and he was just being cuddle some.  So he’ll get let in again tonight; he’ll be banished if (a) he decides to use me as a trampoline in the middle of the night and (b) for a few nights after chemo as I’m potentially toxic to him.  Don’s doing well, he’s planning a few errands ...

The winter people are having a happy, if frozen, week, as they wait for the canal to open for ice skating.  There’s hope that it will be opened soon as we’ve had several days below -10 which they needed.  It’s also my niece’s birthday — I did a screen shot of the birthday shoutouts on CBC this morning, where she’s all dressed up and looking lovely!  Jerry is in disgrace for not coming when called and just barking endlessly at the top of his surprisingly powerful lungs!  He is now stretched out on the blanket trying to look inconspicuous 😆  Don was very annoyed with Jerry, but is doing ok otherwise.  He’s catching up on some of his recorded shows and I’m getting a running commentary on some of them. I continue to be wrapped up in multiple layers… as it’s been so cold, I’m finding that I run out of breath easily.  I’m extremely annoyed by this, as I don’t like gasping like a beached fish, but so far I recover fairly quickly after I’ve been exposed to co...

It’s hovering around -20 today, with sunshine.  Don’t be fooled, though, that sunshine is not just deceptive, it’s an outright liar — on winter days like today, the sunnier it is, the more brutal the cold.  We’ve all got stories from our first winter of thinking that sunny winter days meant mild weather and having to rush to avoid frostbite and windburn.  I’m pretending to be a wrapped roti, with a double blanket, sweater and socks.  Jerry is under my chair hiding and, I think, trying to find warm spots.  He was very playful this morning, tossing his toy in the air, and then out of the door onto the balcony.  I’ll have to ensure that he doesn’t throw it off the edge accidentally.  I’ve had past experience trying to rescue various items that rolled off the balcony, thankfully into empty parking spaces!  Don, I’m happy to report, is in mainly good shape, and was doing his silly things this morning, before getting lost in a couple of true crime shows...

 It’s brutally cold!  It also snowed all day, although it was the “fluffy big flakes” which look pretty drifting down, but not quite the ones that lie.  This on top of a layer of ice, so I’m told it was slippery outside.  I can hear the snow removal equipment again as they try to keep up with the ploughing.  Jerry is on my feet, doing his best to climb under my blanket as he objects to the cold as well.  I think my heaters need upgrading, as they’re not coping well with the plummeting temperatures.  Don has been feeling more like himself today, something I always appreciate.  We were catching up on a new series (for us) and he was also watching some of the new women’s hockey league.  They play really well; fast skating, lots of shots on goal — all really good.  I wonder why people considered Christmas to be “bleak midwinter” when it’s barely cracked the start of the season? I gave myself permission to sleep in until 10 this morning as I ...

Hello Polar Vortex!  I’m happy that I’m not out West at the moment, where it’s a super cold -40, but Ottawa was at -20C this morning, warming up to -11… Jerry is happily shredding his “chew proof” toy and has detached the legs and is now working on one of the side seams.  It hasn’t been a month since Christmas, and while he really likes it, it definitely doesn’t rate as “chew proof”!  Don is watching Buffalo play football after they had to dig the stadium out from over a metre of snow!  It was somewhat unusual to watch snow piled that deep, with kids trying to find the chairs and build snowmen — while on this side of the border, there hasn’t been a flake of snow!  The snow all came off Lake Erie and just avoided anything north of the Canadian border!  We’ve had a big dump on the weekend, and promises of more to come. I had a little hiccup yesterday — I think I mentioned — where my IV slowed down tremendously.  It should have been 6 hours, and instead i...

Other than the temperature having dropped fairly sharply overnight into today, and a hazy sky, I have no idea what the weather was doing.  There’s apparently a lot of snow still in high banks along streets, especially in residential areas, while some of the major ones (like in my area) are a lot more clear.  Ah, January, when the wind blows cold and the snow piles up along the streets!  I heard from some friends in New York that flowers are beginning to emerge there!  Plus some photos from the UK show grey-green grass, which is a lot more colour than we have here!  Jerry is beginning to look like the original shaggy dog, and will need grooming soon, but it’s far too cold to clip his coat… I’d feel like a torturer if I were to arrange for a grooming at this point! He shivers badly when it’s 25C and there’s a cool breeze, so to do that to him at -10?  Don is glued to sports again… there’s a new professional women’s hockey league which he’s very much enjoying,...

Last night the snow arrived around 9pm, accompanied by howling winds that went on all night.  I woke up once or twice during the night and looked out the window to just see white… normally I can see the next building over, but it was whited out. We had quite a large dump of snow, and Jerry, as you can see, went exploring on a buried balcony!  There was also snow and ice in my window, so I know the wind blew from the east.  It’s calmed down now, with flurries, and it’s warmed up to almost 0, so it will be MESSY with melting and then probably flash freezing as it drops below zero tonight.  Jerry is on my toes, and as always spent as much time as he could on my lap today.  He got into trouble for finding and shredding a plastic bag and part of a newspaper… but he wasn’t in it for too long!  Don’s been dozing off and on for the day, as he didn’t sleep too well last night.  He managed to find sports to watch during the day, and then started watching the US ...