Even though I managed to burn a batch of syrup last week, I've filled several pint jars so far! 18 sealed jars, and about 1 enjoyed already!
We've discovered that maple syrup is a delicious addition to a bowl of shreddies or oatmeal porridge for breakfast, and of course, it's great on vanilla ice cream, and pancakes, and.....
The flow of sap has slowed down some due to the above-zero nights. I don't want to admit it, but I do hope that we get some of that cold stuff that's being forcasted....more sap to syrup next week! I'll have to sell a couple of jars, though, to help pay for the propane!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Oma's Little Girls
While Martin and Stevin enjoyed a few days with Michael at Lake Louise, Emily and Baby Maria came to eastern Ontario, and spent a couple of days on the farm with the Schuler's and a couple of days at the lake with the Geertsema's. But two and a half days is not enough when getting acquainted with a little one! So I simply soaked in as much Maria-time as I could!
Maria really enjoyed her time in this Jolly-Jumper. She'll likely be getting her own, soon!
Most little girls enjoy dressing up, and these girls are no exception. No doubt Maria will join them as soon as she can, because Naomi is a good teacher! 
Petra is cute and lovable, and is usually quite easy to get along with.
I finally got my wish for a photo of me and mine!
Noami really enjoys holding her little cousin Maria!
And I do, too!!
Maria really enjoyed her time in this Jolly-Jumper. She'll likely be getting her own, soon!
Most little girls enjoy dressing up, and these girls are no exception. No doubt Maria will join them as soon as she can, because Naomi is a good teacher! 
Petra is cute and lovable, and is usually quite easy to get along with.
I finally got my wish for a photo of me and mine!
Noami really enjoys holding her little cousin Maria!
And I do, too!!Monday, February 16, 2009
Cousins on the Ice
The days and evenings since surgery have been extraordinarily busy! John has started going to Indiana again, and between working at Kriska and church activities, I have been putting in some very long days. I'm seeing signs in me that I need some down time.
We were looking forward to a relaxing family weekend when we heard that David and Stephanie were planning to come, and Stevin and Katrina and the girls planned to come some time, too. But when we heard that Mom G. wanted family over, too, I must admit I stayed in high gear instead of moving into a lower gear.
But as you can see by the pictures, Sunday afternoon at the lake was a good thing! If you've read David and Stephanie's blog, you know that John and David spent some time on Saturday preparing a skating surface for the younger kids to enjoy. Take a good look at the pictures - you'll see that the older kids had just as much fun!!
Naomi is just beginning to discover the world of skates, so she got a little help from Daddy.
But she quickly discovered that Josina's nifty contraption allowed her to move along very nicely!
Resting at the feet of her Opa gave Naomi the chance to watch how the others do it!
What's a winter day with boy cousins without hockey?
David made sure Hadiya was included in some swinging time, too!
Who needs a fancy rink or arena, when a sunny day on a frozen lake and a couple pairs of boots for nets will do just as well or even better! These cousins know how to have winter fun!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Belly-Buttons
I showed Naomi all my little incision marks on Sunday - she was quite fascinated, asking the usual why and what for and commenting on the colour of the bruises around the incisions. On Monday, she asked to see them again - twice! She was checking to see if they were getting better yet.
But she was also quite amazed at the difference between her belly-button and mine."Oma, why does yours look like a hole?" You see, the incision is just above the navel, and it is larger than all the others. It's also the most colourful! But the swelling around it right now is making the navel look, well, like a hole in my tummy. "But mine doesn't look like a hole" and up went her skirt so I could see hers. "Look - my belly button is round. Why isn't yours round?"
But she was also quite amazed at the difference between her belly-button and mine."Oma, why does yours look like a hole?" You see, the incision is just above the navel, and it is larger than all the others. It's also the most colourful! But the swelling around it right now is making the navel look, well, like a hole in my tummy. "But mine doesn't look like a hole" and up went her skirt so I could see hers. "Look - my belly button is round. Why isn't yours round?"
Friday, January 30, 2009
A Pajama Day
Well, it's done.
I had my laparoscopic cholecystectomy yesterday. At 11:00, it felt strange to walk into the operating room, rather than rolling in on a stretcher. After several minutes of rather painful searching for a vein in my left hand for the IV, they successfully inserted into the right and 30 seconds later I was out. I wakened around 1:45 and went home at 3.
It hurts to cough, and I need to cough because apparently they also inserted a tube down my throat to keep my airways clear. My voice is rather on the hoarse side.
The four incisions are tender, and lying on either side is uncomfortable, but a good supply of Tylenol 3's take care of that. The doctor had said that some people go to work the day after surgery of this kind, but he didn't recommend it - and neither do I!
John finally got a call to go to work this week -wouldn't you know it -leaving on Thursday. He didn't leave until I was home, though.
And I'm having a relaxing-do-what-I-feel-like kind of day - I haven't spent all day in pj's in a long time! Although I am up to providing simple meals like oatmeal porridge and tea and toast and canned soup, Mom G. has brought over a couple of meals, and some pink carnations.
So I do feel kinda spoiled with it all.
I had my laparoscopic cholecystectomy yesterday. At 11:00, it felt strange to walk into the operating room, rather than rolling in on a stretcher. After several minutes of rather painful searching for a vein in my left hand for the IV, they successfully inserted into the right and 30 seconds later I was out. I wakened around 1:45 and went home at 3.
It hurts to cough, and I need to cough because apparently they also inserted a tube down my throat to keep my airways clear. My voice is rather on the hoarse side.
The four incisions are tender, and lying on either side is uncomfortable, but a good supply of Tylenol 3's take care of that. The doctor had said that some people go to work the day after surgery of this kind, but he didn't recommend it - and neither do I!
John finally got a call to go to work this week -wouldn't you know it -leaving on Thursday. He didn't leave until I was home, though.
And I'm having a relaxing-do-what-I-feel-like kind of day - I haven't spent all day in pj's in a long time! Although I am up to providing simple meals like oatmeal porridge and tea and toast and canned soup, Mom G. has brought over a couple of meals, and some pink carnations.
So I do feel kinda spoiled with it all.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Snow much fun!
We had a fun day today. The Fisher Price house and barn was played with; the dolls got cuddled; a fahion statement was made with several strands of beads around the neck while a camouflage cap was worn on top of the head; and markers and papers were found, too. 
In the photo on the left, Naomi is trying to tell a story to a very interested Petra. On the right, Petra found a hat and Opa's shoes to wear, while Naomi counted out straws to drink snow when we got outside.
We tried to slide down the driveway in boxes at first, but they soon gave way to flying carpets instead, so that we could see who could go the farthest.
And we discovered that it is hard to drink snow with straws, so Naomi tried to catch the snow falling from the trees with her tongue instead!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
On moving, renovations, grand-kids and snow.........
It was a good day yesterday; Terry and Linda, Matthew, Stevin and Katrina and Naomi and Petra, and John and I moved Mom from room 329 on the independent living floor to room 123 on the assisted-living floor. We didn't think it was going to involve an awful lot, but we were all there by 9am and the last of us didn't leave until about 3pm! The furniture moved down first, followed by the pictures and the clothes and - and -- you get the idea.
But the room is a nice one - it's a little bit smaller, but it has a lovely window that Mom can look out of while seated in her chair. The pictures are up, the plant-shelf got adjusted to the new window and the plants are in place, and the phone is on the table beside Mom's chair.
We discovered that the finish on the coffee table( made from a burr from a BC tree) has actually lifted, making the table unsafe to use, so Stevin is going to put his cabinet/furniture finishing skills to work.
I am realising that where there are children, one needs to have a camera around one's neck! There were several camera moments: Naomi marching to the dining room with her plant for Great-Grandma; Petra sitting in a small box; Petra riding on the cart; Naomi having her lunch right behind Great-Uncle Terry; Petra putting her hands in the box of laundry detergent and wondering at the feeling of the powder; Naomi with her new-found 'homework book for high-school' (her words!); Petra leaning against the elevator wall for the ride up or down - the picture moments go on and on! It's wonderful being a grand-parent! It's a well-worn saying but it's so true: if we had known grandparenting was so enjoyable, we would have had the grand-kids first!
Here on the home front, John and Stevin and Reuben are finishing up with the renovated bathroom at Dad and Mom G's. We had a serious issue with paint colour, though. The shower tiles and floor tiles are two different beiges so the walls need a "bolder" colour to keep the room from looking washed out. Because no-one could make up their minds, the person in the paint store made a suggestion - and although it would have made the room look spectacular, that first coat got covered up with something else! It is now a nice golden yellow.
It snowed a bit again today. People are saying that they're tired of the snow already. I think everyone is forgetting that this is Canada after all, and what is winter in Canada without snow!
Tomorrow, Naomi and Petra will be coming here, instead of me going there, and I hope we can enjoy some of that white stuff! Better remember that camera! I've always said that if it wasn't for the snow, children wouldn't have anything to do outside in the winter-time!
But the room is a nice one - it's a little bit smaller, but it has a lovely window that Mom can look out of while seated in her chair. The pictures are up, the plant-shelf got adjusted to the new window and the plants are in place, and the phone is on the table beside Mom's chair.
We discovered that the finish on the coffee table( made from a burr from a BC tree) has actually lifted, making the table unsafe to use, so Stevin is going to put his cabinet/furniture finishing skills to work.
I am realising that where there are children, one needs to have a camera around one's neck! There were several camera moments: Naomi marching to the dining room with her plant for Great-Grandma; Petra sitting in a small box; Petra riding on the cart; Naomi having her lunch right behind Great-Uncle Terry; Petra putting her hands in the box of laundry detergent and wondering at the feeling of the powder; Naomi with her new-found 'homework book for high-school' (her words!); Petra leaning against the elevator wall for the ride up or down - the picture moments go on and on! It's wonderful being a grand-parent! It's a well-worn saying but it's so true: if we had known grandparenting was so enjoyable, we would have had the grand-kids first!
Here on the home front, John and Stevin and Reuben are finishing up with the renovated bathroom at Dad and Mom G's. We had a serious issue with paint colour, though. The shower tiles and floor tiles are two different beiges so the walls need a "bolder" colour to keep the room from looking washed out. Because no-one could make up their minds, the person in the paint store made a suggestion - and although it would have made the room look spectacular, that first coat got covered up with something else! It is now a nice golden yellow.
It snowed a bit again today. People are saying that they're tired of the snow already. I think everyone is forgetting that this is Canada after all, and what is winter in Canada without snow!
Tomorrow, Naomi and Petra will be coming here, instead of me going there, and I hope we can enjoy some of that white stuff! Better remember that camera! I've always said that if it wasn't for the snow, children wouldn't have anything to do outside in the winter-time!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
My Dad
If you've been following the posts of my children, you now know about Dad.
It's been a busy couple of weeks: Martin and Emily arrived in Ontario with Maria on the 13th; the Sunday School play was on the morning of the 14th; Dad and Mom were here for that weekend, so that they could come with us to Stevin and Katrina's on Sunday afternoon to meet Maria. For the last several weeks, Dad kept asking when he would get to meet Maria!
They both enjoyed the weekend with us, and of course, fell in love with Maria. And as usual, they enjoyed the antics of Naomi and Petra.
I brought them home on Monday, the 15th. Dad was saying how tired and breathless he felt, but we all attributed that to taking care of Mom, and that weekend he had forgotten to take his puffers along for his emphysema.
Tuesday the 16th, I arrived home to find out that he had been taken to hospital with atrial fib and shortness of breath. After the preliminary routine xrays and bloodwork had been done, it was evident that they needed to dig a little deeper to find out what was causing his symptoms.
After the CT scan on Thursday, they knew what we were dealing with: lung and liver cancer.
The xrays had shown some spots here and there, but the scan made it very clear. It was decided that he could go home as soon as his vitals were stable, and further investigations and treatments could be done on an outpatient basis. But then they decided that it would be better to do everything as soon as possible.
And of course, he was quite upset that he couldn't go back to take care of Mom. I had to reassure him several times that Mom was ok.
At that point, he was given about a year to live, but he didn't want to know the prognosis yet.
A week later, after the bone scan, it was evident that he had less time. The cancer was into his bones as well. The doctors were giving him up to half a year now.
All this time, his bloodwork was quite abnormal too. It was the type of cancer that does erratic things to the blood, and his was no exception. The blood was very thin - meaning there was not much there for clotting. If he were to cut himself, he would bleed -a lot.
On Christmas Day, he looked and felt pretty good. His heartbeat was finally down to a normal level, and the doctor said he could go home if it kept up. That night, he decided to ambulate by himself, and he fell. The next day he was in the acute monitoring area - under observation all the time.
On Saturday, the doctor called me and said we needed to come talk with her. So, Mom and Terry and I received the news that his condition was grave, the plan was to apply to the Elizabeth Bruyere Centre for palliative care, and that he had weeks or less to live. And he still didn't want to know how bad it was or how much time he had left. The doctor told him anyway.
We were hopeful for a few weeks of grace, but it wasn't to be.
He passed on to glory in his sleep on Sunday morning - at a time when we all are usually getting ready to go to church.
A family friend told me yesterday, that he had once told her that if he found out he had cancer, that he wanted the time to be short - his wish was granted!
We're coping as well as can be expected - we were just beginning to absorb the information and the implications, and then he was gone.
Mom's doing well -she's reacting normally and that's good.
The service yesterday was upbeat with lots of singing, and quite reflective of the man he was.
And now life continues - please keep us in your prayers. Mom especially will need support in many ways. I do hope that friends will visit her often - it will be quite lonely for her with no one to chatter at and for her, now! They were married 58 years!
It's been a busy couple of weeks: Martin and Emily arrived in Ontario with Maria on the 13th; the Sunday School play was on the morning of the 14th; Dad and Mom were here for that weekend, so that they could come with us to Stevin and Katrina's on Sunday afternoon to meet Maria. For the last several weeks, Dad kept asking when he would get to meet Maria!
They both enjoyed the weekend with us, and of course, fell in love with Maria. And as usual, they enjoyed the antics of Naomi and Petra.
I brought them home on Monday, the 15th. Dad was saying how tired and breathless he felt, but we all attributed that to taking care of Mom, and that weekend he had forgotten to take his puffers along for his emphysema.
Tuesday the 16th, I arrived home to find out that he had been taken to hospital with atrial fib and shortness of breath. After the preliminary routine xrays and bloodwork had been done, it was evident that they needed to dig a little deeper to find out what was causing his symptoms.
After the CT scan on Thursday, they knew what we were dealing with: lung and liver cancer.
The xrays had shown some spots here and there, but the scan made it very clear. It was decided that he could go home as soon as his vitals were stable, and further investigations and treatments could be done on an outpatient basis. But then they decided that it would be better to do everything as soon as possible.
And of course, he was quite upset that he couldn't go back to take care of Mom. I had to reassure him several times that Mom was ok.
At that point, he was given about a year to live, but he didn't want to know the prognosis yet.
A week later, after the bone scan, it was evident that he had less time. The cancer was into his bones as well. The doctors were giving him up to half a year now.
All this time, his bloodwork was quite abnormal too. It was the type of cancer that does erratic things to the blood, and his was no exception. The blood was very thin - meaning there was not much there for clotting. If he were to cut himself, he would bleed -a lot.
On Christmas Day, he looked and felt pretty good. His heartbeat was finally down to a normal level, and the doctor said he could go home if it kept up. That night, he decided to ambulate by himself, and he fell. The next day he was in the acute monitoring area - under observation all the time.
On Saturday, the doctor called me and said we needed to come talk with her. So, Mom and Terry and I received the news that his condition was grave, the plan was to apply to the Elizabeth Bruyere Centre for palliative care, and that he had weeks or less to live. And he still didn't want to know how bad it was or how much time he had left. The doctor told him anyway.
We were hopeful for a few weeks of grace, but it wasn't to be.
He passed on to glory in his sleep on Sunday morning - at a time when we all are usually getting ready to go to church.
A family friend told me yesterday, that he had once told her that if he found out he had cancer, that he wanted the time to be short - his wish was granted!
We're coping as well as can be expected - we were just beginning to absorb the information and the implications, and then he was gone.
Mom's doing well -she's reacting normally and that's good.
The service yesterday was upbeat with lots of singing, and quite reflective of the man he was.
And now life continues - please keep us in your prayers. Mom especially will need support in many ways. I do hope that friends will visit her often - it will be quite lonely for her with no one to chatter at and for her, now! They were married 58 years!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
It's beginning to look like Christmas!
It's been awhile since I last wrote!
We had a lovely time in Dartmouth - a quiet sort of vacation. John did help Martin out at the church for a couple of days with some electrical and then some plumbing work, and he helped Martin get some electrical stuff done in the house, too.
The baptism of Maria was special -check out Martin and Emily's blogspot for pictures and the video.
I had another gall bladder attack on that Sunday night, which put me out of commission for Monday, and I didn't really start feeling myself again until late Tuesday.
I do have a large gallstone and am now opting for gall bladder removal. I finally saw my doctor this week, who has to send the referral to the surgeon, who will then set up an appointment to see me so that we can set a date for surgery. I hope I can last until then. I most likely won't be getting anything done until the new year.
So now we are into December and trying to get ready for Christmas. The guys are attempting to finish off the upstairs room next door, so that we can have the Geertsema clan over on the 27th.
I'll have to pick out some paint chips tomorrow . . . .
And I finally started cleaning house so Christmas decorations can go up! I stayed home all day today to do this!! Christmas CD's on and snow outside . . . .
My parents are coming for the weekend, and that means clearing things so there's room for more people to move around in here!! Every time we speak with them, they ask when are Martin and Emily coming to Ontario? They arrive with the baby this weekend, and will be visiting Steve and Katrina on Sunday, so there's the opportunity for them to meet Maria.
The Sunday school program will be presented during the service Sunday morning, and that will be nice for them to take in, too.
We had a lovely time in Dartmouth - a quiet sort of vacation. John did help Martin out at the church for a couple of days with some electrical and then some plumbing work, and he helped Martin get some electrical stuff done in the house, too.
The baptism of Maria was special -check out Martin and Emily's blogspot for pictures and the video.
I had another gall bladder attack on that Sunday night, which put me out of commission for Monday, and I didn't really start feeling myself again until late Tuesday.
I do have a large gallstone and am now opting for gall bladder removal. I finally saw my doctor this week, who has to send the referral to the surgeon, who will then set up an appointment to see me so that we can set a date for surgery. I hope I can last until then. I most likely won't be getting anything done until the new year.
So now we are into December and trying to get ready for Christmas. The guys are attempting to finish off the upstairs room next door, so that we can have the Geertsema clan over on the 27th.
I'll have to pick out some paint chips tomorrow . . . .
And I finally started cleaning house so Christmas decorations can go up! I stayed home all day today to do this!! Christmas CD's on and snow outside . . . .
My parents are coming for the weekend, and that means clearing things so there's room for more people to move around in here!! Every time we speak with them, they ask when are Martin and Emily coming to Ontario? They arrive with the baby this weekend, and will be visiting Steve and Katrina on Sunday, so there's the opportunity for them to meet Maria.
The Sunday school program will be presented during the service Sunday morning, and that will be nice for them to take in, too.
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