Sleepless in Fredericton

It is 2 a.m.  Can't sleep -- again.  Am I getting older?  Is this why?  Or is it because I had two naps this evening?   One around suppertime, and the other about 10 pm.  Could be the reason.

You shouldn't really have a nap around suppertime.  Tell you why.  Because you do dumb things when you wake up and try to prepare supper.  Like having bacon cooking in the oven in your Pampered chef pan (which comes out 'fabulous, darling'), and a portobello mushroom and onions on the stovetop, then deciding to thaw a gluten-free bagel in the microwave because you would like to toast it and have a portobello and onion 'hamburger' on a bun.  You punch in '12 seconds' on the microwave to thaw the frozen bagel.

Then you go to the computer to write on your blog about your husband's retirement.  After a few minutes (5 minutes), you hear the smoke detector go off and look to see the whole kitchen fuming with smoke.  You assume it's the oven because it's always going off and you are baking bacon.   Not it.  You look at the stovetop.  Not it.  You run over to the toaster, as you assume you've burnt the toast again.  No toast.  What is it?   You panic -- you look up and down and all around and can hardly see the kitchen for the smoke.  You cannot locate the reason for the smoke, and THEN you realize what you've done -- punched in 12 MINUTES on the microwave, and the bagel is frying in there!

All the windows come open in the lower layer of the house for many hours.  It's raining out, a gentle Christmas breeze wafting through the window, but the smoky stench still lingers, now five hours later, despite the scented candles I had going all evening.

I just put out a couple of air odor-eaters.  I'm hoping they'll do the job.  Baking soda in the microwave.  Just opened it -- smells the same as when I retrieved the burnt bagel.

What bothers me is this:  how could I be so dumb?  Is it the pre-Christmas brain?  Or the brain with too much in it?  Perhaps.

Will I get to sleep tonight?  I was just lying in bed for the past 1 1/2 hours thinking of everything, including the fact that in 2012, we have moved out of four places -- Jonathan's house (helped him move out of it; his house closed today); moved Mom & Dad out of their  house on Bird Avenue to our house;  Doug's mother out of her house to the special care senior home just last month; and now Doug has moved out of the home he has had for 22 years -- his work home.

Lots of moving going on -- 2012 -- the YEAR OF MOVES.   Perhaps 2013 will be the year of staying.  And hopefully sleeping.

Happy Retirement!

It's official!   Doug's last official day at the Rehab Centre was TODAY, Friday, December 21, 2012.  The winter solstice.  He has been with the hospital corporation since 1989 -- almost 22 years.

Now, on to his own business!  Whatever, wherever, whenever!

Happy Retirement Day, Love!

deb
x0

Christmas Party

Had a great Christmas party at V & S's with carol singing (three guitars, mandolin), skating outside for the kids and lots of munchies.  L took this picture of me playing the guitar.

Today I just finished PJs for four grandkids for Christmas -- the "Bake It Make It or I Won't Take It" project we are trying to adhere to.  Thanks to my sewing instructor, D., who traveled here from far and wide to help me accomplish this Christmas task.

I have others to finish and time is running out.  Will she make it?  Yes she will.  Or, as Bob the Builder says so succintly, "CAN WE BUILD IT?   YES WE CAN!"

12- 12- 12

Today was Dec. 12, 2012 -- 12-12-12.   A unique number day in history.

A unique day -- a good day -- I went to have my four year check up with Dr. B, the surgeon, two weeks after a mammogram.   ALL CLEAR!   Yes!  She is pleased.  I am pleased.  Going to get a consult with a plastic surgeon, however, for some plastic options.

A unique day -- and I felt like celebrating all day -- because it has been four years, and because this is another year I have survived.   And I WILL live many more years -- til HE appears.

Rejoice with me...


(PS:  This type of date won't occur for another 88 years, on Jan 1, 2101).

Sermons and Parties

Got home at 10:30 tonight from the birthday party at Jon & Alicia's in Bristol.  On the way up today, I  worked on my sermon while driving in the car, on the TransCanada highway, with lap desk and computer.  it was wonderful.  Told Doug he should take me for a drive every week and say, "Deb, it's time to write your sermon" -- no interruptions, just me and him and the Spirit of God.  We stopped at the sugar bush and Doug walked in the forest to help Steven and Jon put on a roof on the sugar shack.  I stayed in the car and worked on my sermon -- in a random field by the sugar bush, in the land of my ancestors (my great great great grandparents are buried next to the field I was writing in).   And to think I was writing a sermon in a field about shepherds in a field.  Then I took a break and walked to the sugar bush to see a steel roof.

Before traveling to Bristol, we decided to visit the Pioneer cemetery at the end of the road where my ancestors, James and Jane Page, were buried.  They came from Ireland in the potato famine.  This led Doug and I to travel to another cemetery up the road in Williamstown to traverse through yet another graveyard.  We've been doing this a lot lately, as Doug is into geneaology of late, and I take pictures.  Seems weird, but I guess it's something you do in middle age.  Oh, I'm admitting this!

Then on to Croy's birthday party....mayhem -- 9 children under 7, plus two sets of grandparents and Becky&Steven, Natalie & Sean, Jon & Alicia.  Alicia made monster (monstie cupcakes) for Croy.   looked like little cookie monsters....he holds up two fingers -- and smiles... Ate pizza and pizza dip and cake & homemade ice cream, veggies and coffee and birthday cake.  Sang carols with me at the piano, Afton at the piano, Jack even played.  Kalia and Afton sang "Twelve Days of Christmas" to the top of their lungs while I tried to accompany them.  It wasn't your traditional song, however, but the Canadian book, Porcupine in a Pine Tree, complete with Canadiana and RCMP officers.  It's a great book.  My Natalie gave it to them a couple of years ago.  

I played on the floor with several children with horsie and fire trucks and excavators.  Came home to print out my Sunday sermon -- no ink.  Oh well, there must be ink in somebody's printer.

Happy Birthday, Croy....you are 2 today!

'Am Deb and Papa'"

Croy is Two on Saturday!

Hard to believe that Baby Boy Croy is going to be two on Saturday.  We will be celebrating the little man's life with homemake cake and ice cream, carols and games.   Happy Birthday, Croy Douglas MacDonald!

What a varied day!  A wacky Wednesday, I should deem it.  Wrapping presents to send off to The Pas, Manitoba for Nat and the kids.  Do I sit on the floor to wrap them, sit at the table or what?  So uncomfortable.   Finally got the box packed and fought with the packing tape, then a flight off to Lawton's to the post office.  Prayed for favour on the price -- $24.00 for the box.  Not bad, considering.     Back home to conjure up a tomato onion avocado sandwich in the cast iron pan, and teach guitar, then piano.  Then a flying trip down to the Heights again to teach two piano lessons  -- traveling minstrel I am at times.  Back home again, jiggety jig to teach more piano til six o'clock.  Then a flying trip down to the Heights again to teach piano and guitar to two young students, and experience a fantastic Simon & Patrick guitar.  Wanna sell it, Mr. Christie?  It's not like I don't have any guitars, but the sound is wonderful.

Dropped Doug off at M & L's so I could go teach and he could watch Master Chef prepare supper.  I joined them at 7 and we enjoyed salmon, carrots, potatoes, and a melange of shrimp, mango and mushrooms, etc.  Beautiful.  Then a nice decaf coffee and chocolate in the living room, all decked out in Christmas lights.  A lounge on the couch and a Christmas movie about a man who forms a Christmas choir of homeless men who perform in the subway.  Based on a true story -- a Canadian true story.  It was nice to just be and sit and recline on the couch and almost go to sleep.

Our life is way too busy right now.  Thanks, M & L for the nice evening of rest.

I want to sleep tonight, since I was up writing a shepherd sermon at 1:30 last night.  Christmas is a 'comin' and I haven't got anything MADE, BAKED or bought.  I need a personal shopper and a personal baker.  Any takers on being a maker or a baker?