While shopping for groceries, I came across stalks of   gladioluses at the floral section for $7.00 a bunch.  As soon as I saw these long stem beauties, I could hear my grandfather’s voice, telling me all about gladioluses.

He would store the bulbs in the basement each fall, hoping that they would survive another year.

He knew how long the leaves needed to grow after the blooms faded to ensure the bulbs would have enough energy to survive its winter rest. Just after the first frost but before the ground froze, he would dig up the bulbs.  These he would place on the basement shelves by colour and favourites.   Grampy did not have the extra cash to buy new bulbs each year.  He replenished his crops by splitting the corms or trading with other gardeners.

Grampy would always remind us not to touch the bulbs, to avoid damage and germs spread by grimy little hands.

Andrea was 8 months old when my grand-father passed away.  How happy he would be knowing that she too grows glads in her  garden.

Can you say antiphospholipid syndrome

Since February I have been undergoing blood test and folks the results are in! I do not have von Willenbrand disorder. I have been diagnosed with  antiphospholipid syndrome  (trying saying that three times fast) otherwise known as ASP.  Which is a disorder of the immune system.

The disorder is  also called phospholipid antibody syndrome or Hughes syndrome in honor of the doctor who first described it. The antiphospholipid antibody (a protein) is not considered a normal blood protein and has been found to be associated with a number of illnesses.

In the past I have displayed two very different symptoms, deep vein thrombosis (blood clot ) twice and thrombocytopenia (many times), which is a decrease in platelets, blood cells necessary for clotting.

The nasal surgery which was the original reason for the blood test is back on but I will be admitted to the hospital and monitored before and after the surgery.

“Antiphospholipid antibodies, such as anticardiolipin, have also been associated with decreased levels of prostacyclin, a chemical that prevents the clumping together of normal blood clotting elements called platelets. The treatment of patients with anticardiolipin syndrome has substantially evolved since they were discovered to be clinically important in the mid-1980s. Each manifestation of the antiphospholipid syndrome, and each individual patient with the condition, is treated uniquely.“

Told you I was special.

Altimers and casserole pants

I put the golden girls back on the bus Friday and true to my words, went home for a nap.  They wore me out! Their 3 day visit was a whirlwind of activities.   When I arrived at the bus, they were the first ones off.  Apparently half way through the trip, the bus driver asked them to sit up front with him.  More than likely to keep an eye on them

After a quick lunch we hit the malls and thrift stores. With each of time talking at the same time and vying for my attention, I felt like a mother with a couple of toddlers in tow.

It was a great visit.   The Canada Day flea market was a gold mine of bargains.  So much so that Mom had to buy an extra traveling bag to take home her treasures.

At the parade my Mom managed to get a front row seat.  She would talk to a stick on a good day, so she had no problem chatting up a little old lady next to where we were standing.   Before the parade started, the little old lady’s husband had given up his lawn chair  and Mom was well on her way to getting their life history.  On the drive back home she informed us of all the old lady’s medical and family history.

The only complaint of the day was the amount of food Mom and Gina ate at my friend’s barbecue.  There was so many dishes, and of course they had to try a bit of each.

I was too tired  to stay up until 10:00 to watch the fireworks so I went to bed with a new stack of books from the yard sale.   Gina and Mom set up giggling and talking until midnight.  I knew the exact time they shut down the house as my aunt came in and woke me up to wish me a good night.

My aunt is a sweetheart and always tells me how much she loves me.  When she gets excited, she has a tendency to mix up her words.  It took me a few minutes to figure out that casserole pants were really casual pants.  And that my uncle was suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Overall a great visit, we were too busy to take pictures.  But they are threatening to come back in two weeks time to take in the Irish Festival.

Things my mother never told me

until now.

Did you know that you smell burnt toast just before you die?

If your lips tingle, you are having a mini stroke.

If you eat too much lettuce, it will stick in your throat and you will die.

The world according to my mother.

This will be a long weekend.

Golden girls

My aunt Gina and my Mom are arriving on Wednesday to spend Canada Day with me. That may not sound so special, but for those two, it is. Since the death of my aunt`s long time companion last January, she and Mom have been hitting the road by bus. Mom and her sister Gina are a year apart, in their mid seventies, neither one can drive a car.  My Dad is quite happy to stay at home with the peace and quiet.  So they are hopping on a bus early Wednesday morning heading to the Miramichi.

They are as different as sisters can be. Mom started dating by father when she was thirteen. They have been married for nearly sixty years. Gina has been married 3 times, divorced one, buried the other two. Mom worries about everything, Gina couldn`t care less.

We will spend Wednesday shopping, Thursday (Canada Day) going to yard sales, the parade and a barbecue at a friend`s. Friday morning we will check out more stores, taking in a bit of the rock and roll festival before I put them back on the bus mid afternoon.

By Friday supper time the cat and I will be curled up on the chesterfield, happy to see them visit, glad to see them go.

Happy Father`s Day!

My Father

When I was: Four years old: My daddy can do anything.
When I was: Five years old: My daddy knows a whole lot.
When I was: Six years old: My dad is smarter than your dad.
When I was: Eight years old: My dad doesn’t know exactly everything.
When I was: 10 years old: In the olden days, when my dad grew up, things were sure different.
When I was: 12 years old: Oh, well, naturally, Dad doesn’t know anything about that. He is too old to remember his childhood.
When I was: 14 years old: Don’t pay any attention to my dad. He is so old-fashioned.
When I was: 21 years old: Him? My Lord, he’s hopelessly out of date.
When I was: 25 years old: Dad knows about it, but then he should, because he has been around so long.
When I was: 30 years old: Maybe we should ask Dad what he thinks. After all, he’s had a lot of experience.
When I was: 35 years old: I’m not doing a single thing until I talk to Dad.
When I was: 40 years old: I wonder how Dad would have handled it. He was so wise.
When I was: 50 years old: I’d give anything if Dad were here now so I could talk this over with him. Too bad I didn’t appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him.

By: Ann Landers

Happy Father`s day Poppa.

A whole lot of growing going on

My sweet DH is still in Nova Scotia on a job site, so he is missing quite a bit of the growing season. The showiest flowers so far have been the irises in the side yard. I love the combination of blue and yellow in the house, and it works in the garden as well.  Due to the hopeful sale of the house this year, DH did not plant a garden other than snow peas and the rogue lettuce from last year.

While watering the mushroom stumps this morning I was very pleased to see the first mushroom this year on the logs from two years ago. The log in the back with the white round dots is one of those that we set up a month ago. The new logs may or may not produce this year, it depends on a lot of factors, including my DH being home to look after it.

And of course, this little munchkin is growing leaps and bounds. She is already 8 weeks old.

Happy Birthday Carl

There are moments that change your life forever…………that’s what happened when I met you.  Have a happy, happy birthday!  Love, me and the kitty

Yard saling with a mission

Cousin San kept me company this weekend as DH is still on a job site in Nova Scotia.  She and the doggies have new digs and were in desperate need of new curtains.  So the only reason we went yard saling on Saturday was to find fabric or curtains for San.  Yeah right.   San is just learning the ins and outs of yard sales so I had to show her a few tricks.

1. Bring money, especially change.

2. Bring a list of the yard sales.

3. Map out your route.

4. Hit the multi-family or community yard sales first.

5. Be sure to find a fund raising barbecue – hot dogs hot off the barbie are the fuel of all good yard salers.

6.  If shopping for curtains or fabric, make sure you have the measurements, regardless of how small the piece of paper they are written on.

7.  You can buy more if each time you have an arm load you take it back to the car.

8.  The four letter `F`word all yard salers love to hear is FREE!

Here`s the loot we drug back to the house on Saturday.  Together we spent the grand total of $22.00 for a morning of fun and laughter.

San found  one signed limited edition Ducks Unlimited print, five original drawings from the local high school, one side table, 3 large pieces of fabric, one stuffed toy.   I brought home two baskets (one free) a metal lunch box (free), a small Black and Decker crock pot, a glass ornament with hanger, a bag of clothes (free), and  eight fat quarters.

At a community yard sale one lady was giving everything away for free.  The stuff belonged to her sister who was too busy gabbing to look after it.

My best purchase was  a counted cross print framed picture,  `Families are like a patchwork quilt, bound together over time with smiles, tears, love and memories. Rather appropriate for the day.

I am blessed

with a DH who knows how to find four leaf clovers, as many as four at a time.

And a great grand-daughter who is getting cuter every day!  She also rolled over all by her self.  How smart is that?