Jebeneezer!

Wow!
In July, Valancy and David told us that we were going to be grandparents!
And now we know that Val is expecting a little boy.

You can check out Valancy's news at: http://reynolds.typepad.com/the_reynolds/
and
http://zazzy.typepad.com/dailymeow/

They are having trouble coming up with a name.

Dave suggested Jebadiah or Ebeneezer. This became Jebeneezer, which we are starting to call him as a nickname. Valancy prefers names that start with a vowel.

Mike has already bought Jebeneezer two stuffed horsies! One from the V&S store in Almonte, and one from the Lippizanzer Stallions show we saw on November 12. I have bought him a cozy zippered sweater from Old Navy -couldn't resist - it was the only one.

Valancy is feeling good and starting to to show a bit of a tummy. So cute!

A New Obsession

Something weird happened to me this summer.

I made a birthday card for my younger sister that featured Michael Landon as "Little Joe" on Bonanza. She always liked the harmless "pretty boys": Michael Landon, Davy Jones, Paul McCartney, David Cassidy.

I, on the other hand, liked the intellectuals. The men who weren't reticent about their opinions. They had their own values and lived up to them, rightly or wrongly. Adam Cartwright. Palladin. John Lennon.

I liked "Adam Cartwright" best. In looking up "Little Joe" for my sister, I rediscovered Pernell Roberts. To me, he epitomized the penultimate man: thoughtful, intelligent, certain, passionate, strong, brave, virile.

I have started taping Bonanza episodes. I watch Adam over and over. I have started dreaming about him. I collect his pictures. I know that no real human being can ever really be Adam Cartwright. But I think men should aspire to be him!

Pernell Roberts is 78 years old. His son, who died in a motorcycle accident, was born before me. He is the only survivor of the original cast of Bonanza. I find that very sad. I hope he is healthy and lively. I have a major crush on his 30-something ghost. I wish men were all like he was.

Is this menopause????

Jan Holdaway

This is me in July of 1974.

I'm standing at the side of a road in North Dakota, on my way to Lake Metigoshe. I'd promised Hans' little brother, Bodo, to take him camping there (Hans had died). My friend Denise Korski took the picture; we were waiting for her then-boyfriend Zeke to return with his truck, as only three people could ride in the cab and he went back across the border to pick up Bodo.

I'd met Mike the night before this picture was taken. Mike recalls that the band that night was playing "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" from Steely Dan's new album, Pretzel Logic. I think I am wearing the same clothes, more or less! I have a bandana around my neck (the night before, I'd worn a silky paisley bandana on my head - what I think they would now call a "do-rag". The hat was a good idea - it was sunny! I have Denise's sweater - which I don't think I ever returned.

I don't look like a girl who just met the man she was going to marry. Mike called me that weekend again, but I was away camping and he spoke to my sister (who would often pretend to be me when guys called - but this time she didn't, thank God.

Wish I still had the legs!

RUDY 1987-June 9, 2006 - My Sister's Queen Cat

My sister Pat's oldest cat, Rudy, died on Friday night at 11:55 pm. Pat was stroking her fur.

She had been getting progressively sicker: not eating, and then not drinking. So she took herself to her favourite spot (the top of the old clothes dryer in the basement) and rested on a blanket. Pat kept a tea-light burning and kept the light off. As she was replacing the tealight, she found one that was already partly burned down - and then thought that perhaps Rudy would go out with the candle. So she found a full one. Sure enough - when Rudy drew her second-last, deep breath, the candle sputtered, then went out before the last breath.

Pat called Rudy her "Grief-less cat" - no messes, no getting caught in cat-traps, no dead birds or rodents on the doorstep.

My Daisy passed away last year and was also the "Queen Cat" of our house.

Here's to Queen Cats and Cat Lovers everwhere.

Spring Rain

Wonderful for the garden, but the rain on the weekend keeps us inside.
Today, we experimented with photos, hung up the ribbon spool holder Mike made me, and a number of black and white photographs. I usually hate pictures of myself, and am always making a face. However, by using artistic filters in Adobe, I don't look quite so static, wrinkled or pudgy. I have not coloured my hair since March of 2005, and really like it. It's more me.

At work, there have been many changes. Our Deputy Minister left last week, and we now have a part-time one. Since the Directors General are also relatively new and from organizations that are not exactly people-oriented, it has been an uphill battle against varying degrees of depersonalization of operations and some outright disrespect for us "touchy-feely crap" types (their perception). It is difficult to maintain the equilibrium and compassion necessary for the work. I have not been affected as deeply as some, but then, I've been around a long time. I was re-engergized somewhat this week by attending the resumption of the United Church-initiated Roundtable on Truth and Reconciliation. It helped me refocus and remember what it's all about.

Mike continues to be healthy. His PSA count after radiation was about the same as it was 3 months before treatment began. We were depressed about that until Mike did a graph of his PSA counts over the past year. They had been on a steady rise, and had started to climb more steeply. However, the counts plateaued from October of 2005 to March of 2006. The radiation oncologist told him that prostate cancer grows very slowly, and that after radiation, the cancer cells don't die until they try to divide. That interruption in their growth appears to mean that the radiation targeted the right area and had some effect. His next PSA test is scheduled for July.

On the May long weekend, we planted a lot of perennials. Nowadays, it takes me a week to recover! But they have all taken very nicely, even the seeds and the root of astilbe. We planted more lilacs across the back, peonies, bleeding heart, hollyhocks, delphiniums, foxglove, cosmos, morning glories, day lilies, columbine, sweet peas, portulaca, phlox and baby blue eyes. There were already some lilacs and lily of the valley. My lilacs were glorious while they lasted - and I cut many for vases around the house. The scent was nostalgic.

My Home Office

I spend a lot of time in this room, on the computer, editing and printing photos, doing crafts and scrapbooking. Mike installed some new shelves and a paper rack on one side of the closet. I use the other side for storing off-season dresses.

The formica table was from the old farm. It was new in 1968, I think. The corner desk was one that we'd bought for Valancy in her university days to use in the dining room. The printer table is actually an old TVand stereo stand, with a rack that held LPs and tape cassettes.

This room had been a child's nursery; the walls were tan and with sage green beadboard as a wainscotting. I painted the beadboard glossy black and the walls pale yellow. I haven't got around to hanging my B&W photos in B&W frames yet.

The light here is great for most of the day. There are two six feet high windows with decent sills, and another just outside the door. It is pleasant and roomy; warm in winter and cool in the summer. The wide-plank pine floors are easy to clean and allergen-free - except for the odd bit of glitter!

Key West Truck

I have been looking through my digital pictures and printing a few, such as this one taken in May 2005 at Key West, Florida. I have a series of B&W photos that I want to hang in my office in black frames with white mats. Lacking such frames, I printed this in sepia to go into a cream-matted frame. The truck in this one is actually a vivid turquoise, very Florida, which is why I took it at the time. But now this photo looks like it could have been taken in the 40s. I like the detail of the palms and the bridge reflection in the truck window, although the truck itself could be in better focus. Maybe Hemingway could walk into this picture. Although I never cared much for Hemingway, I discovered that he liked cats, so he couldn't be all bad.

 

Uh, gee - thank you?

Today I was at a scrapbook store, and they were selling off their older paper racks because they didn't fit new papers that are bigger than 12X12 inches. The racks have 30 slots. So I bought one, and waited for Mike to show up (he'd gone to wash the car - scrapbook places are not places men hang out, unless there's free beer).

So I see him pull up and get out of the car. I go out the door, carrying this big thing. He runs up to meet me and says, loud enough for another woman to hear:

"Wow! You got a big rack!"

I started laughing right away - took him a few secs...

Finished!

Mike finished his radiation on Thursday, two doses short because of side-effects that concerned his doctor.
He is so perky today!
He will still have to stay home for a bit. I was working from home and going into the office when he had his radiation treatments each day. Now I'll have to brave the traffic alone.

I'm looking forward to Mike getting his strength back. He was so tired that the one-time insomniac was taking naps daily and still going to bed early. Plus, he has to avoid insoluable fibre, so our diet has taken a bit of a hit. I didn't realize that we ate so many whole grains and vegetables until we started cooking without them.

On with life!

ELECTION? Oh, I thought you said...

An old in-joke between Mike and I.

Today, we voted and will await the results tonight.

As a public servant, I don't believe the public service should be politicized. A good, traditional public servant should support and further the people's will. Consequently, I have worked for and voted all kinds of ways in municipal, provincial, and federal elections. A government needs to be changed when it begins to narrow its agenda too much, when it politicizes public institutions, or when there is corruptions and a sense of entitlement to other peoples' money. The federal Conservatives were soundly and rightly turfed out of public office in 1993, and the current government is in need of just such a humbling. Both governments were out of touch with pressing needs 50 km west of Ottawa. The century has turned; the country is no longer just a French/English, Catholic/pagan mix.

And if a new government can shake up this ancient status-quo, we will be better off. On the other hand, if they too need humbling at a later date, it shall be done.

Radiation Begins

Mike started his 34-session series of radiation treatments on January 18. The radiation technologist took a series of pictures for us; this is one of them. They are very nice there.

Mike is feeling positive and optimistic now. The first day (whenb this picture was taken) we had to drive in through a blizzard and freezing rain - then once into town, Mike realized he had forgotten his wallet, so he dropped me off at work and went back to get it, thinking that they wouldn't take him if he didn't have his health card. Well, when we got there, he offered it and the woman said, "Oh, that's OK - we've got you all set up."

Got some good news yesterday; my former boss, who has liver cancer, is doing much better.

We have cleaned up all the Christmas decor, and are back to normal at home. Huge snowfall today.

Monday, January 24 is the Canadian election. We do need a change in government; having been closer to the top these few years, I can't believe that it has become so wasteful. That happens with nearly every government. As a non-partisan public servant, I have seen this many times before. It will happen to a new government eventually, too, but fresh blood is required.