Evolution/Evolving/Changing????

What is evolution?

This question may conjure up many things in my mind.  Did humans come from monkeys???  I don't believe so but the word evolution brings that thought first to my mind.

This past weekend Bob and I were fortunate to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary.  I know, it hardly seems possible that two youngsters could be married that long.  It was a delightful celebration.  We drove to Spokane for the weekend.  Not to long ago we could be heard saying "no, for any holidays we won't be leaving Canada.  What if Bob needed medical attention?"  So here we are in Spokane with no idea of what is in the city or how we will spend our time.  We did have a place to sleep, booked tho!!!!!  Spokane turned out to be fun.  We are a bit of history buffs so we had our anniversary dinner in a renovated steam plant.  The restaurant is called The Stack.  It is also home to a micro brewery, pub and a number of offices.  The way this was done leaves much of the steam"stuff" in place and the booths and tables etc are filled in around pipes and dials etc.  We were able to walk around most of the whole building reading the plaques that explain the history.  There is three stories of cat walks so we could go pretty much right to the top of the building. The food was great and the beer? while the flavor I choose will not become a favorite.

On the first day of married life together we ate in a pancake house.  Sooooooo...  Bob found a pancake house for us to have breakfast at called:........Frank's Diner!!         Bob told me that the reviews were really great so off we went.  Well, this diner is a renovated train car.  The plaques once again explained the history of the car.  There was a fairly long counter, some two people booths, and three, six people booths.  The wait was about half an hour for us but some folks were going to wait almost an hour----we were early!!!!  Great food, great service and very cool surroundings.

We did not know that Spokane is the smallest city to host an EXPO.  The Expo 1974 was held in Spokane. There is a one hundred acre park in the centre of the city where the fair was held. This park has been left as a legacy to the city.  We took the "little train" ride around the park.  The tour guide explained all of the various parts of the park.  Canada"s pavilion was on an island.  We left them a totem pole!!!!  It was most interesting and some very beautiful buildings remain.

A gondola (redone and made longer) took us out over the river and the hydro dam that the city uses for power.  The gondola was also given by a country,( the name of which I cannot remember), to Spokane (not the new gondaolas!!!).

I will get to evolution, patience, my dear.!!!!!!!!

Then I rode on the carousel that was left by Germany for the city. This was part of the German pavilion and I think the beer gardens------41 years ago!!!  It is a beautiful, carousel, well kept and goes fairly fast for a grandma.

We also walked through a three story Nordstom store just to say we did!!!!!!!!!!

More heritage sites were part of the days events but I don't want to be a bore.  ;-}

We talked about a large number of things over the weekend but a lot about how our lives have evolved.  We talked about how we have evolved as individuals from those two young people who got married to who we are today and how we interact together.  The dictionary says that evolution is: a process of slow change and development.  I believe that!!!! 

For Bob and I this evolution played out on the trip home.  We have GPS, his name is Mordecai.  Mordecai showed the way out of the city of Spokane and theeeeeen we turned him off as now, we knew the way. "Of course the terrain looks different, we are going the other way.  Oh yeah we didn't see Silverwood, that was on the other side of the highway, it was raining when we came...of course it looks different,  I don't believe we drove through all this construction, must have, uh oh we aren't suppose to be in MONTANA.  Where are we???  Turn Mordecai on and he can only say: turn around, turn around-----not helping Mordecai."  So we were as calm as can be and thought we have gone to far to turn around on the Interstate 90.  We landed in St. Regis, Montana.  Mordecai was asking us to take a very similar route back, only through some serious looking mountains on roads less travelled.  The lovely lady at the gift shop provided us with a free paper map (I know, I know who uses paper maps?)  We voted against Mordecai and also chose not to go into Glacier Park but north to Kallispell and Whitefish all the way north to Hwy 3 (in Canada) and the ice cream stop.  It was a long journey, instead of getting home around 3:00  we got home at 10:00pm.  Our evolution is that this became fun and an adventure, not an anxious wife or a husband who was ticked off.................evolution.  We also learned that the Flathead Lake area has a micro climate that grows cherries!!!!  

Evolution also occurs as I learn from the many life situations Bob and I have walked through and walked alongside other folks in their journeys.  I have learned to trust the Lord, truly believing that everything passes through His Hand before an event happens to me or those I love.  My relationship with God is a very personal, intimate one.  I know that Bob's relationship is also very intimate.  The Lord is only interested in who we are as people, as followers of Jesus.  It becomes important then, how we react to life, how and who we trust with life situations.  Bob and I are choosing that our desire is to bring honor to the name of Jesus and to trust Him in this cancer walk we are on.  We do not want to be bitter, angry, ungrateful or try to lay blame.  We are grateful for the years that have already been added to Bob's life.  We are so thankful for the employment, benefits and the people in the company that Bob works for.  We are thankful for God's leading when I made the decision to leave my job at the preschool.  I wasn't totally sold on any one reason but knew leaving was what I needed to do.

Evolution also came to our thinking about one of the first line procedures in treating multiple myeloma cancer.  That would be stem cell transplant.  We heard about it and prepared for it early on in this journey.  Bob was disqualified for the reason of a heart attack which we believe he suffered during the time he was in immense back pain, prior to the back surgery.  Over time we decided that this procedure was just to horrible for Bob to undergo.  Bob had the regime of the first line drugs and lived with the side affects.  The first line drugs have now run out and Bob's numbers are once again on the up swing.  The stem cells have already been harvested.  As we listened to Dr. Bahlis and Dr. Neri's presentation this time, we understood everything much better, some things they have changed to hopefully make the transplant more acceptable physically.  Bob's age is also on the up swing.  Right now Bob is in reasonably good health and the transplant is the BEST option.  It will give him at least a couple more years and in the mean time there are more drugs in the development stage.  One of these drugs is noted on FB today from a friend of ours--Gloria---who also is battling multiple myeloma.  I shared that write up on my FB page.  I copied, below, some of what is written.  This is the type of research that gives hope.  God in His mercy gives these doctors and researchers more and more glimpses into the amazing bodies He created.

In the one-year study, UCLA researchers analyzed the effects of an experimental drug called compound 11 in myeloma cell lines. They combined it with another drug, bortezomib (Velcade), which was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in 2008 for use in the treatment for lymphoma. Results showed that the drugs working in tandem targeted a specific protein to stop cancer cells in the bone marrow from replicating, and eventually causing them to die.

“Compound 11 will prevent the transmission of the Myc RNA into Myc protein, and prevent the Myc protein from being synthesized in the multiple myeloma cells when those cell lines are being stressed by the drug bortezomib,” said Lichtenstein, a UCLA professor of hematology and oncology. “Though this research is only in the preliminary phases, we hope that it will eventually lead to human clinical trials and the development of new treatments for this devastating disease.”

 We really needed to get back from Montana as the appointment with Dr. Bahlis was this morning!!!!  Our special weekend away included lots of talking about this option and praying that the Lord will lead each step.
Sooo in our evolution of thinking, the process of Bob having a stem cell transplant has begun.  Bob will need to pass all of the tests that will take place in the next weeks. Plans need to be made tho, so Bob will finish work on Aug.7 and start on short term disability and then if needed long term disability down the road.  The central venous catheter will be put in on Aug.10.  The large dose chemo (melphalan) will be given on the 11th, Bob will also receive 2 doses of velcade.  Blood cells transplanted on the 12th.  He will be able to come home until his blood counts disappear and then will be in the hospital, pretty much in isolation.  This will also be his sickest time.  Potentially he could come home by the end of the month depending on the recovery of the blood counts.  Until Dec. Bob will be avoiding germs and resting. Infections of any type are the biggest worry.  We are not sure what this will look like but Bob is thrilled he will not need to go to a mall or do any Christmas shopping.  At first for sure, no germs from other people or other homes.  We will be travelling once for sure but perhaps 2x a week to Tom Baker during this time.  Fresh flowers, fruit baskets are not allowed in the hospital for sure. They suggest cards, pictures and non latex balloons.

Please add Bob and me too! to your prayers.  We will see Dr. Bahlis on Aug. 4 at which time we will know for sure if all of this evolution-----of planning----- will take place.

Last day of January---Triage---

  With all the news stories about the plummeting oil prices and the financial devastation that is befalling not only Alberta but all of Canada our trip to the South Calgary Health Campus last evening proved uplifting. 
 The promised new cancer care centre has been seemingly delayed again. This time due to the poor oil prices and the empty financial purse. Tom Baker Cancer Centre has been to capacity for many years already and since Bob and I have been regulars, past 6.5 years, it has gotten more and more congested.  The hall ways have boxes of supplies stacked everywhere.  People are sitting in every possible nook and cranny waiting to see doctors, social workers and the myriad of other professionals who work in cancer care.  One time we may see our docs in an out patient clinic , the next time in day medicine and the next time down the hall , through the waiting room and into an area that at one time stored boxes of supplies.  Yes, the facilities are crowded but staff is wonderful and they take time with you as needed.  They only seem to be harried in between patients.
The people of Alberta and the disease of cancer are not going anywhere so build the facility already and when oil prices go up the government can take all the kuddos plus the kuddos for building a new cancer centre when the cost of construction is down.   

Last evening we made the short trip to the new hospital which is only a few miles south of us.  Bob has struggled with this horrible cold, or more of a cough for a month now.  Around suppertime he couldn't get his breath.  That was very scary, we got him calmed down and sitting.  Bob could hear the crackling but we had to wait for 15 minutes until the baked pancake was baked.  It was my Sunday to provide morning snack for the worship team and pastors as they are at church for all three services.   However, I digress.  We arrived at the hospital around 5:30pm and only waited maybe 10 min. to see the triage nurse.  The hospital is new and big and did not feel the least bit crowded.  Bob was given a bed right away.  Him, being a senior, coughing, short of breath and with chest pain ...yeah right in.... on the machine lickety split.  A young lady came in with another neat machine,  She said it was to take a look at his heart.  To me it looked like another machine that measured the heart rhythm.

Now we found our way to a "real room" in the emerg department.  Bob was now more or less in quarantine.  There was a steady line up of nurses in and out with blood sampling needles and vials of all different types, someone to hook up the vital signs stuff, heart monitoring equipment.  The procedure to come in was to gown, mask, glove and the gloves up under the gown.  I was beginning to feel very vulnerable.  Lots and lots of questions ---where had we been, have we been on a plane, who else is sick.  THEN a nurse came in all dressed plus had the clear visor on covering the whole face and mask.   I said to Bob you either have Ebola or that chicken flu.    Off to have a chest x-ray.  Back again.  Sheesh I didn't get time to sit and look at any reading material.  Altho, at this hospital, there really isn't any reading material out and about. Any books or magazines handled by a patient is recycled not given to any one else to read.  I had volunteered here for a while and stopping the flow of germs was highest  on the list.  I still wonder about the puzzles as a few of them belonged to the hospital but any playing cards etc were a patients.  I was always a bit pleased I could say "sorry  I don't play crib".

This time we had a nurse come in and give Bob lessons on how to use a Ventolin puffer.  Bob's blood oxygen levels were not what they liked but were pretty much always in the 90s.  Bob did two rounds of the Ventolin plus another drug through the puffer. Tat particular drug kills bacteria.  This of course meant carefully rinsing the mouth so the good mouth bacteria didn't get killed.  Bob did two rounds of this and thought that yes the breathing was improving.  By now the results were all coming in from the blood samples and x-ray.  At one point it was all I could do to keep my hands off of my phone camera.  Two doctors and a nurse were standing in a row talking to Bob.  They had matching yellow gowns, purple gloves all matching and the blue/white masks covering nose and mouth.  The doctor in the centre wore a hijab that was also a two tone purple, along with a purple long sleeve shirt that I could see.  Three sets of eyes going back and forth, they looked like three Easter chicks all set out to enjoy the Easter festivities!!!!!!!   OK another aside-----there could be a place for a sewing entrepreneur to make hijabs for doctors and nurses.  I see the need that these doctors  have so their ears are free.  The face masks generally hook around the ears, the stethoscope goes into the ear.  I was thinking ..................like a big button hole that the ears could pop out of when needed.  I could see that these actions were a little frustrating and took some finagling to get the ear free.

One of the emerg doctors put an antibiotic IV drip in for Bob.  His thinking was that they didn't know what they were dealing with and so he went with antibiotics plus more prednizone.  His idea was to keep Bob in hospital for a couple of days and monitor everything.  The young pharmacist came in to go over ALL the drugs Bob is taking and could we bring in the pomalyst as she wouldn't be able to get that for a few days?   She didn't even worry about her ears just held the mask up to her mouth.  "Yes of course if Bob stays I will bring whatever you need."

Shift Change.  From what I could tell only the doctors changed.  "Our" nurse came in and talked about going home.  The tests didn't show anything definitive and if the Ventolin helped would he like to go home?  The cultures wouldn't be back for a couple of days and if they showed anything Bob would be called and back he would go to their department.  First the nurse thought Bob should take a walk to see how he was breathing.  Shoes on ready to go and the nurse sits down .   "Oh You are still officially infectious, you need to walk in here.  Ha Ha really down one side of the bed across the foot of the bed up the other side, turn around and away we go again.   The hospitalist was called and boom before you could turn around he was standing in the door way introducing himself door and was off to read the chart.  These guys loved Bob's chart because they of course could read all the stuff from Tom Baker, all of Dr. Bahlis' notes (which are apparently very good) and seemed to enjoy the complexity of who Bob is.  Bob could not be admitted unless this hospitalist admitted him as the ER doctors don't have admitting power.  Our hospitalist turned out to be a resident in internal medicine.  A  very young resident in internal medicine.  He also checked Bob out very carefully and very fully.   The nurses had talked with him "our' nurses.  He came back in and visited for a while and decided that staying in the hospital may not be the very best option as there were some very sick people up stairs.  All the options were left open for us to decide.  We could return at any time by ambulance if necessary.  So, no, he wouldn't admit Bob.  A nurse came in to unhook Bob and said  "good, glad you are going home".   The new ER doctor that came in at shift change discharged Bob.

Naturally leaving didn't go smoothly.  Somehow I got hand sanitizer on the parking ticket?????  The machine couldn't read it even when I insisted on trying several times.  This is a hospital, hand sanitizer happens.   A phone call later and after paying, a new ticket was issued out of the parking machine.  How does that happen???   Five hours almost to the ten minutes we were back home.   Amazing, the best care with the greatest of attitudes, a myriad of tests.  No waiting for anything or anyone.  We were both tremendously blessed by the health care Bob received and has received over the past nine years.  Praise God for His Hand of care through all the people we have come in contact with in the health care profession in Alberta.

Amen

Woot Woot Another New Year

Time to think and wonder where the years have gone.  I am not only wondering because we are now looking at the year 2015 to come bouncing into being, during the next couple of days.  I am wondering because I am so pleased to have celebrated my 65th birthday.  Mostly I am pleased because I am not ready for the other option.  I think I am prepared but not ready.  At one time, not that long ago 65 seemed very elderly.  I don't feel elderly and yet I begin to notice my body and energy isn't what it once was.  Bob has ordered each of us these special headphones so we can watch TV and hopefully catch the whole drift of the story.  This is especially important with the new Downton Abbey series starting soon,  without one of us saying: "what did he say?"  "I don't know".

 I am now able to receive CPP and OAS---old age security.    At one time a person would have to be 70 to receive OAS and undergo a means test.  Since 1952 no means test is required and now down to age 65 years old------yeah for us.    Trivia question:  In what year was CPP established?  This answer totally surprised me?   1966!!!!!!  That means that for our entire working life the boomer generation has contributed to our CPP.  Of course everyone who has come into the work force since----including our kids and some of our grandkids  are contributing.  However we have all contributed so I am totally happy to collect.  GIS was introduced in 1967 as a temporary measure to reduce poverty among seniors!!!!!!!  For Bob and I, our retirement booty was not well prepared but God the Father has cared for us in unbelievable ways and as these golden years are creeping upon us we are looking forward to how He will continue to guide, give wisdom and care for us.  My mom says the years are not really golden but rather a unique shade of rust.

Bob and I now can advertise that our business has a combined total of 130 years experience.   Only trouble is we don't have a business!!!!!!  We do have life!!!! 

We were at Tom Baker Cancer Centre on the 23rd to see Dr. Bahlis.  For you medical types--WBC  4.,  RBC 3.4,  HGB  122, Platelets 115,, neutrophils  1.6 ,Kappa Free  44.70, Lambda Free 16.20  Kappa/Lambda free ratio  2.76  plus Bob's weight was up.   The side affects that were becoming more pronounced, Dr. Bahlis believes is because we haven't handled the diabetes as well as we should.  It is the prednisone that causes the high blood sugar.  Our family Dr. and the nurse that cares for Bob at the diabetic clinic thought things were ok but Dr. B. is our final authority  so we are working better at getting the control of the sugars.  Bob has now started the next 3 weeks but in reality the weeks change very little.  He is doing OK and does his best not to complain.

Bob has one resolution for the New Year.  He wants to learn how to live in the condo!!!!!  Sheesh we have been here for 6 months already.  How do we get to the point where one does not think one has to be doing something all the time???  Reading, writing etc are ok to do and not only in the evening!!!!  One does not have to built, fix, solder, sand, or nail something.  Arranging the storage shed can only be done so many times.  However with each arranging time we do seem to get more room!!!!!!!!  Today Bob and Ashton are putting up a new ceiling fan (not the new year yet).  Bob had to wear a hat with the other ceiling fan as the wind made his head to cold--- he he.

I had a very special birthday.  Since my birthday is at the end of the year I move into the new year 2015 in a new era/age/undertaking-----whatever at a new age in years.  I can hardly wait to see what is ahead.  Already things are poised to change in our Calgary family.   Life is one continuous time of change.  Trusting we will reach out and take possession of whatever changes may be before us in 2015.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Merry Christmas

I just returned from the Christmas concert put on by the kindergarten class where our Shamus goes to school. It did my heart good to see these little ones sing and perform.  Watching children's concerts, my heart, becomes in tune with the Christmas season.  It was special to be able to watch 3 boys from last years four year old preschool class perform.  Neat to see how grown up they have become.  I love hearing a young voice saying "Hi Miss Shirley".  Next week are our concerts at preschool.  The kids are practicing very hard and it is always a special time telling everyone that Christmas is about Jesus.

As I type this the weather is warm and our snow for all intents and purposes is gone.  From out of our window we can see a great hill perfect for sliding on .  It is used a lot and this year with the 2 big snowfalls we've had already, it has been busy.  The fountain park area is also flooded for skating.  It is melted again----second time we are down to concrete.  However I will be content to see the grass and hear the kids on their skateboards and bouncing basketballs.   We can also see the church that is on the corner across from our building.  They have a great nativity scene out in front of the church.  I am thinking that now that there is brown grass all around it, the scene is more likely what it was in Bethlehem all those years ago.  Sheep and shepherds out in the fields keeping watch in the dark night, protecting the flock.  Can't see any snow in that picture.  Trusting that Nativity scene will stay snow free while it proclaims the meaning of Christmas.

I was lax in blogging the past two months for any number of reasons BUT Bob is doing well again.  In the last blog we had been thrilled with how well he was managing to live with all the drugs he takes.  We decided that Oct. would be a great time to take a trip to MB.  We got to spend time with all of our siblings and their families along with a visit to a few friends.  Visiting with "old" friends was easy as we celebrated Gerry and Claire"s 40th anniversary with them.  Crystal and Kevin hosted a  surprise party for them.  We stayed with my mom this time and that turned out to be great, having time with just mom.  We also got to spend a bit of time with our granddaughters Katja and Natalia. Shortly after we got home---Oct 22----  Bob went to see the oncologist.  Bob had been coughing a lot but with the season and all we trusted he would get over the cough and cold.

Now off to Edmonton to share time with Mike and Cori and the kids.  Always special and always busy but always fun.

Now we were off to Niagara Falls on Nov.6.  Bob really began to feel unwell and was very tired.  He is tired but somehow this was different.  We had a good visit with dad and Reta.  We celebrated Christmas with them---turkey and all the trimmings.  We also had a visit with some of Bob's aunts.

Bob was very unwell by now and we were extremely concerned.  Bob was off of the chemo drugs beginning Nov.15, with an appointment to see the oncologist on the 19th.  I went with Bob this time to see if the blood work showed anything different.  It did. Not sure if I will get all of this right, but the test showed Bob was hemolyzing----the red blood cells weredestroying themselves.  What a condundrum.  Dr. Bahlis went out and asked us to wait.  He came back aaaaaaaaawwwwwhile later and looked like he was the cat that had swallowed the canary.  He believed that the antibiotic, that he had given Bob at the Oct. appointment, could have this side affect.  Dr. B said it was unusual but could be the source of the problem.  It was decided that an abdominal ultrasound would be done and another round of blood work PLUS another week off of drugs  )(*)(%%-/%$$#))@!! (happy dance) so that Bob's body could get over this.   Back on the chemo Nov.29 minus an antibiotic for pneumonia.

The ultrasound showed the liver has  "diffuse fatty infiltration but no focal lesion.  No intrahepatic biliary dilation."  The other organs were "unremarkable".  "No definite abdominal manifestations of multiple myeloma on ultrasound."  Praise God for His mercy and care.

The cancer marker numbers were down or static according to the blood work for the cancer.

We are thrilled once again of God's Hand of care.  This turned out to be a bad drug reaction not cancer gone crazy.

Next appointment with Dr. B. is Dec. 23 (which happens to be Tim and Barbie's 19th wedding anniversary).  Bob is back to the regular side affects and doing ok.

O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant..................a call to each of us to joyfully announce that Jesus, our Savior, came to earth at Christmas, triumphed over death and gives us that joyful hope of life forever with Him in heaven, once we accept Jesus as our Savior.  Carols are often sources of great truths, when we think about the words.  Sing those great, once a year, carols with renewed vigor this year.  (I was going to write --sing lustily-- but didn't want anyone to be offended.

Celine Dion sings:  "so this is Christmas for the near and the dear ones"  Merry Christmas from Us.

A Visual

Time is speeding by and yet this September seems to have gone on and on.  Maybe because so much has happened.  Experiencing all the seasons in less than 30 days maybe made it long for me.

We never had a gas fireplace before.  The fireplace works very slick and I like it very much.  Now that it turned "fall cool" we have put it on a couple of times.  Not sure what I thought a gas fire place should be like but today, with the cool wind, I noticed that the cool air come in via the fireplace.  Hmmm.  The wood fireplace was like that but the damper kinda blocked a lot of the cool air.  Loved the wood fire place.  We warmed ourselves at least three, nooo four times by having a wood fireplace.  First we dragged the dead trees out of the bush to a spot to be cut up with a chain saw.  Another day we loaded them into the front end loader and took them to the yard to be split.  At the end of this era we even had a hydraulic splitter.  We made a large pile with the split logs.  Another day we loaded them again into the tractor bucket----over and over, then went over to the "wood shoot" with the tractor and heaved the split logs into the basement wood bin.  When a fire was wanted we took our canvas log carrier downstairs,loaded it up and took the logs up to the family room. Then, we could burn the logs and SIT down and warm ourselves in front of the fire.  Wow, feel warm just thinking about that process.  Should have been simple to stay slim!!!!!  Oh yeah and then shovel the ashes into a bucket and take them out!!!!

Bob was to see the oncologist this week and we are very encouraged.  The drugs are working well.  The kappa free marker, that is one of the markers they follow, has come way down.  Platelets are 122, creatine 79, the kappa/lambda free ratio is 5.78.  Praise God all of these numbers speak of the cancer in different ways and the numbers have all gone down.  Bob is now back into a 3 week regime and the nurse is suggesting that they may cut down the prednisone for the next regime.  That would relieve some of the side affects.  Bob is walking without the cane which is great.  Neuropathy is still a problem.  It is up to the knee on his right leg.  The pain is down a lot and that makes a huge difference.  Please keep asking the Lord for healing or new combinations of drugs that could be tried later on.   We are so thankful to our God for His care and mercy.
The chart shows what happened when the drugs were changed.

Remembering September

The other day I was thinking about what Sept. means in our lives.  The one thing that comes to mind is harvest.  Living in the city one doesn't often think about what is going on out in the country.  Bob sees farm and ranch land on the days that he goes to work but I can go for months and not realize that the rhythm of rural life continues on.  That rhythm continues whether those of us who don't see the change.  So I began to reminisce a bit about fall.  

A big thing is back to school.  The best deal that I could find on lined loose leaf this year was ten cents a pack which is great.  I had to buy one----well...............just because it is fall.  Over the coming years I am sure we will use up all the packages that we have.

This is also the month we dug up all the root crops in the garden.  I can still smell the dirt as you dig for potatoes.  The big deal was pulling the plant up and seeing how many potatoes stayed attached and how big they had grown.  We would usually start digging with a fork but would pierce to many potatoes, so then out came the spade.  The potatoes that were pierced or cut by the spade went in one pile so we would use them up quickly.  The small potatoes in another pile.  Now these small potatoes, that often were tossed over the fence, bring top dollar-----at least in the grocery stores.  The rest of the potatoes for keeping over winter in another pile.  Let them dry off and then we put them into grain sacks.  We loaded them on the kids' wagon and away to the basement to be stored.  The air was usually brisk with yellow/golden leaves falling---ah fall!!!  Then of course we had carrots and beets and even some parsnips make it into the house.  We would also make sure the onions dried down by pushing over the green stems to stop the growing and start the drying.  In my garden it was more stomping over the green than pushing over.  One year my mom-in-law braided all the onions together and we hung them in the basement and to use them ---- just break off the bottom one..

Fall also was time to combine the grain.  This could often be a very tense time of year depending on the weather.  There is nothing better than on a sunny, bright day to watch the combine hum along the rows and rows of swathed grain.  The grain would be a steady stream into the hopper.  These days had everyone smiling.  The part I liked was packing lunch or supper and taking the kids out to the combine.  The guys would stop and we would have a picnic together.  The kids and ladies stayed longer as the guys usually ate and went back to work quickly.  The nights that had no dew and the moon was full our guys often combined through the night. That was so pretty and so satisfying.  Perhaps I am romanticizing it a bit, looking back.  So,,,, Bob often said:" well, of course it doesn't break until you are using it".  We also had our fair share of breakdowns.  The kids and I would drive to town with a broken something to get a new something.


Take a sniff and use your imagination.  Can you smell the fire?  All the leaves have been raked and a few dry logs of oak are added and just like that, a bedtime wiener roast with everyone in parkas or wrapped in quilts.  To be truthful we only raked what was needed for the fire as we didn't have a lot of forest in our yard.  Now Gerry, well he raked and raked----using the grass picker upper attachment.  Gotta say Gerry and family had great fires!!!!!!

Oh Oh, I didn't mention corn.   Corn-- anyway you like to eat it--boiled, roasted, on the cob, off the cob with that wonderful butter dripping down your arms,--- yum.   This was of course after you beat the raccoons to the corn.  A radio out in the corn? For sure.  After a while the raccoons get use to the talking  and choose their own channels, usually country music!!!!!!  This too is fall.

Often times fall is very different.  Case in point: this year 2014 before the leaves even changed color a snow storm came through southern Alberta.  Sept. 5 and 6th we had almost a foot of heavy wet snow in our part of the city.  Lots of trees damaged by the sheer weight of the snow, power lines were down all over the city.  The newspaper claimed this was the earliest snow in a century.  Today is +25C. and the temp will be warm all week--way above average.  The poplar trees are a beautiful deep yellow and the catoneasters are turning red.  A different fall for sure.

The year 2004 also had a very different fall for us.  This was the month that we were leaving the farm for the very last time.  It took a lot of time and effort to empty barns and shops and garages and our house.  We sold 45 tons of scrap metal from Bob's storage pile  "may need it some time".  We had bought a house in Brandon with possession the beginning of Oct.  Bob already had clients for his handyman business.  I was still working at the school in the Hutterite Colony.  I had a wonderful ideal of what living in the city would be like, could hardly wait.  We were going to live with Gerry and Claire until Oct but were first of all heading to Calgary to visit Tim and Barbie and the kids.  They had made the big move from Thunder Bay in August and we hadn't gone out to see their home and new surroundings.  Tim and Barbie wanted to be in Calgary for the beginning of the school year, Colton going into grade 2 and Aston to grade 1.  Emily had another year at home before kindergarten.
I came home from school that day, Sept.23, and Bob quickly ran from the shop to meet  me.  He was upset and looked awful.  My first reaction was "oh no the sale of the farm fell apart".  Bob hugged me and said "Tim fell at work and is in the hospital".  West Jet was hiring later in the fall and with the flying hours Tim had, he was pretty much assured to be hired.  In the mean time he walked down the block and got hired on as a framer building houses.

I didn't or wouldn't allow myself to think it might be really bad.  I was sure that by the time we arrived in  Calgary all would be well or almost well.  Bob seemed to grasp how serious it was for Tim.  Barbie cried and cried when we spoke with her.  I assured her over and over all would be well.  Sept 26 was the possession day of the farm so we worked like mad to get everything finished.  On the 25th of Sept we left for Calgary about four 0'clock in the afternoon.  We went straight to Foothills Hospital and the reality of Tim's situation and the situation of Barbie and the kids became all to clear.
This is the 10th anniversary of that horrible life changing fall.  Life changing for so very many people.  For Tim and Barbie, Colton , Ashton and Emily their lives were impacted in ways that are still unsettling and make me cry.  We have no idea this side of heaven what truly happened to each of them.  Perhaps this is not an anniversary of celebration but maybe one of reflection of the events, feelings, attitudes, goals and dreams, the good and the bad.  How will we go on now ten years older?
Shamus who is now 5 years old, starting kindergarten this fall.  Shamus is the picture of his daddy.  Shamus and the futures ahead for the big kids give hope for the times ahead.

"For I know the plans I have for you",says the Lord.  "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  Jeremiah 29:11

In the face of everything that fall of 2004 brought into Tim and Barbie's life that verse can seem callous to their situation.  Yet that is the very verse Barbie choose to take them through that beginning time.  I have learned that the future and the hope that Jeremiah speaks of is only found in knowing Jesus, really learning to know Him through reading His word  and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us what He desires us to know.  We can then know the hope and future.  We can discern what the Lord has for us each day as part of those  plans.

Fall is a lot of different things for us in a number of different seasons of life. 

September/Fall/Peace

Labor Day Standard

Labor Day---when we were farmers we thought that labor day was when everyone was working!!!  As I am typing this I am looking out my window, and now, I think labor day is when all the various shapes and sizes of campers are coming home.  Then again, we left Staples without printer ink today because the line ups were so long with those harried parents purchasing school staples for their school kids, like for tomorrow.  That is maybe what labor day is all about.  We are watching football--the labor day classic!!!Edmonton is playing in Calgary.  Hooh Ra go Stamps go!!!! That is really what labor day is all about.  Hmmm

We enjoyed having our three little ones from Edmonton with us.  They kept us hopping but were great kids and we had a lot of fun and really full days.  Once mom and dad picked them up to go home, Bob and I slept for two days!!(slight exaggeration).  A 1 year old a 2 year old and a 3 year old are very busy people.  This weekend we had Shamus stay with us.  He is 5 years old and starts kindergarten this coming week.  We enjoyed our time with him and I think he liked staying with us too.

A new concern for us, about our family, is for Michael.  He had bad chest pain on Fri. night that wouldn't go away so he went into emerge at the hospital.  After tests and such the doctor in emerge believes Mike has angina.  He is to try and have less stress!!!!! and walk more.  Then of course to see his family Dr. and if the pain comes back to high boot it to the hospital.  Mike and Cori were planning to head down to Arizona again, this time with all the proper paper work!!!  At the end, it didn't happen.  Mike has so much work in Canada now, that they really felt that God closed the door.  Now with this health issue for Mike, we as parents, really can see God's Hand at work keeping them in Canada.  Right now Mike is in need of someone to be "in the office" to answer calls and dispatch the guys.  Do you know a young fella in Saskatoon or Edmonton needing a job?  Mike is 40 years old now.  The right age for those heart attacks to happen to the young guys.  Say a prayer for Mike, please.

Bob saw Dr. Neri,one of the oncologists, on Wed..  Oh!!!!, Dr. Neri, things must be looking up because it isn't Dr. Bahlis.  The protein numbers have come down a long way, saying that the new mixture of drugs is working.  Bob is taking cyclophosphamide,prednsone, and pomalidimine.  The following numbers are for those few medical people who know what they mean!!!! The total protein in the chemistry dept is  64.  Kappa free is153.  Lambda Free is17.10  which puts the ratio at 8.95 down from 12.43.  As I look over the print out most everything else is within the alloted range.  The pain in the hip is somewhat lessened but is still severe.  Altho, some days Bob gets around better than others.  A number of you live with chronic pain, so you understand how it affects your daily life in every area of your life.

So for us this labor day isn't classic it is the standard that we should recognize by now.  The drug regime will work for a while and then things will get tense again, then a different drug regime will be tried and it will work and on and on.  We always live with a hope that a cure may be found so we will continue to try all these different regimes.  Please pray that Bob will continue to handle the drugs as well as he does.  Pray that I will continue to appropriate the Lord's grace, love and care.

Back to school and routine everyone!!!!