Another Kitchen Helper

Speaking of kitchen helpers.......today I was getting supper ready, and I looked down to see my little Maya.....

You REALLY need to be careful when you have little feathered ones wanting to join you to "help".  Sometimes it's easy to not hear them coming across the floor - especially the smaller ones. Two of my birds are flighted (Bella & Elmo) for specific reasons, so they can get to me by flying if they wish.  I try to make it a habit to always look down before I move away from the sink......  Many times I see this when I look down......

Accidents can happen so quickly, so it's always a good idea to check and see if anyone has come to visit me at the sink.

Funny....Or Is It?

Connie, Stephanie and I went to Ikea today.  We had a great time, and I got a few little things that I didn't know I needed, but I really did!  :-)  I got a strainer that fits across the sink, a new squeegee for our shower doors, a few other things I can't remember right now, and two funnels.  Well, when I got home, I was putting the funnels into the dishwasher and lo and behold.......they looked like this......

Pretty regular-looking funnels, right?  Well, that's what I thought, too - until.......

As a breast cancer survivor and having gone through two mastectomies and reconstruction, I couldn't help but notice some similarities.......LOL! 

Kitchen Helper

I was busy in the kitchen today.  I was cleaning up some dishes and getting the birds' breakfasts ready.  Abby wanted to help me.  It's not always a good thing having an African Grey help you in the kitchen.  I requires lots of "stuff".....

Stuff helps to distract said African Grey from chewing the coffee maker and the wires.  Notice all the plastic cups, measuring cups, empty milk containers, cardboard? These are the distraction materials.  Other parrot owners will surely agree.  Of course, as good as my intentions were, somebody was not impressed.....

I think Abby was onto my scheme of trying to keep her occupied with the "stuff" while she was "helping" me.  She also did NOT like me taking her photo......

At least she didn't chew the coffee maker ......

.....but MAN, she was NOT impressed with me!!! 

Thanks to my sweet Abby for the being my great kitchen helper today!!  I sure had a lot of "stuff" to clean up when we were finished!!

Under The Weather

I've been a bit under the weather this past week.  Just a yucky cold, but it has had me on the couch for a couple of days.  Just feeling really congested with a fever and no energy.  Very frustrating when thinking of all I SHOULD be doing!

My Dad has lost out on his trips to Timmy's while I've been not feeling well.  I missed getting him out Thursday and Friday. Dad quit driving back in July(ish) and I try to get him out every day for his Tim Horton's fix.  It's a bit of a handful some days trying to squeeze that in, but I never begrudge him (he is 80) and I just try to appreciate and enjoy him while he is here.  He has advanced prostate cancer, so his time with us may be short.  For now, he's asymptomatic and still able to enjoy his Tim's, so I try for every day, although that doesn't always happen.

On Thursday evening, I attended the once a month Women with Cancer support group in Abbotsford. My  friend, Deborah, came with me.  We were treated to a fabulous speaker that evening - Feather Janz.  What an amazing woman!  She's 39 and has had breast cancer twice (once at 23 and again at 35).  She's a young mother of two and is in the process of going through a divorce as well.  A trying time for her, for sure - on top of what she has already had to deal with.  She is such an encouragement to other women and a brilliant speaker.  You can visit her website here.  Her story is really something and she shares it with honesty, vigour, passion and sprinkles it with humour.  She has been speaking to women about breast cancer and breast self examination and awareness for years now. Feather is writing a book, so watch for that within the next year.  

Have a great week, everyone. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my blog reading friends. I hope you all had a great day.  Mine was pretty good, starting off with a nice breakfast with my Dad and sister, Karen (a bi-weekly event).  We talked about a lot of things and it was a special time together. The afternoon was busy with running DS and DD to hockey and piano after they got home from school.

After dropping DD off for his hockey practice, I thought I'd go to MCC, a great thrift store out here in Abbotsford as we had about 45 minutes to kill before DD's piano lesson. DD wanted to wait in the car and listen to her iPod, so I said OK.  Not a big deal, right? Well, I wasn't in the store 10 minutes when DD comes up to me and said "Mum, someone hit your van!" We ran outside and somebody had backed into the front of my van and left a pretty good scrape on it.  I have to tell you that my van is new (to me).  I picked it up from the dealership LAST TUESDAY.  It's a 2006 Honda Odyssey and I traded my 2003 Odyssey in because of the high mileage.  So the new van isn't new, but is new to me.  Didn't even have it for ONE WEEK!!!

As if it weren't bad enough that somebody backed into me, they then LEFT without leaving any information!  DD was inside the van when it all happened, but was too afraid to get out - poor kid.  Can't really blame her (she IS only 12), but sheesh, the other vehicle MUST have known it hit SOMETHING!  So, the next hour was spent driving DD to piano and making a police report for the "hit and run".  There's a fair bit of damage to my van (probably around $1000 or so). At least no one was injured - it could have been worse.

Now I have to deal with insurance and all that goes along with making a claim. It was a bit of a stressful day, but I was thinking about it later and in the overall scheme of things, it wasn't that bad. The car can be fixed and it's just a "thing".  I remembered the day I was diagnosed with cancer - now THAT was a stressful day!  This didn't even come close, so it wasn't bad!

Hoping you all had a loveable day!!

Blog GIVEAWAY!!

Dan, over at "Yesterday Once More" is having a blog giveaway! Go to his blog and become a follower in order to be entered for a chance to win a subscription to "A Primitive Place" magazine.  Dan is a writer for the magazine. Post his giveaway on YOUR blog, and you will get a second chance to win!!! Thanks for your generosity, Dan!


Dan has a gorgeous decorating style and their home has been featured in "Country Sampler" magazine.  How wonderful!


Take some time to browse Dan's blog - you won't be sorry AND they have three of the most adorable pooches ever!!!  :-)

WELCOME!

Hello, fellow bloggers!  I am in the process of moving my blog over here.  I was not really happy with the changes made on Homestead Blogger, so have decided to blog here now.  If you want to see my old blog, click HERE.

Many thanks to my sister, Janet, who has revamped my blog and is working on my website also. I'll link it when it's updated. You can visit Janet's blog HERE.

I look forward to getting to know many of you in blogger land. "Talk" soon!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year to all of you in blog land!  Can't believe it's 2011 already!  Time is flying by so quickly.  I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season.

I am doing really well.  I'm feeling good and almost back to my pre-breast-cancer self.  Of course, cancer will always be a part of my life, but it really has taken a long time to get back to feeling "normal" since diagnosis, mastectomy, chemo, tamoxifen, prophylactic mastectomy, expander and implant procedures and surgeries.  What a roller-coaster ride it has been.  Today I am healthy.  Today I am feeling good.

I have asked my sister to update my website and will be incorporating my blog into that.  My website is TERRIBLY outdated, and so, it is time.  I will let you all know when the changes are made.  Not sure if my blog will stay here or if I will be moving it, but I will post at that time.  I see a LOT of cutting and pasting in my future!

I'm sitting at the computer tonight and am home all alone.  DH, ds and dd have gone to see a movie.  It's just me, the dog, the cat (sitting on my lap and trying to use the keyboard!!) and the birds.  The birds are telling me it's supper time, so I'd best be feeding them pretty quickly.  Birds make no bones about letting you know when they want their meals!  Tonight is no exception!

My Congo African Grey parrot, Abby,
enjoying her breakfast!

I would like to share with you a fabulous website I was directed to today.  The site is http://www.parrotnation.com/ . What a wonderful lady.  Her site is so full of information on parrots and the best part is her "recipe posts" area.  Great to have so much information on feeding parrots well.  One never stops learning about these wonderful creatures we have chosen to spend our lives with.  Society has tamed these creatures, so it is our responsibility to try to care for them the very best way we can.  Thanks to Patricia for helping to educate us all!  That reminds me - I have a great photo of Abby, my CAG (Congo African Grey) taken a couple of years ago while enjoying her breakfast (left).  Thought it was a great photo!!!

Foster Bird "Dudley"

Below is a photo of the current foster bird I have.  He will be looking for a new home soon through the Greyhaven Program (http://www.greyhaven.bc.ca/).  His name is Dudley and he is a very cheeky, sweet boy who talks and whistles and steps up (he's a bit nippy still, but we're working on that!) and just LOVES to look at himself in his mirror.  Can you say NARCISSIST?  LOL! UPDATE: Dudley has been adopted and has a wonderful new home with cockatiel brothers and sisters!

"Talk" soon!

MOVING ON....

A lot has happened since my last post.....  It seems that life is moving on.

Our foster bird, Lucy, has
returned to her mom after
three years

My long-term foster bird, Lucy, has returned to her mom.  I knew from the moment she came here (in November of 2007) that she would return to her mom at some point.  Lucy was with us for one month short of three years.  That's a long time....a long time to get attached to a sweet little green face and body and adorable chatter.  We miss you, Lucy!  We all came to love you.  I did my job and now she is where she should be.  That doesn't mean that it wasn't difficult to give her back.  I spent an entire half day crying when I was packing up her things.  Most people would think I'm nuts, I'm sure, but that's how I am.  I see, I love, I get attached, I cry.  Ask anyone who knows me - Connie, Robin, Jenny, Lorraine?  Just ask them!

 I had my (hopefully) final reconstructive surgery this past Monday.  The hospital experience was great, as usual.  The Abbotsford Regional Hospital is wonderful - at least all MY experiences have been (and I had a few TOO many experiences, in my opinion).  I'm so grateful that we live so close to such a great hospital where we get such great care.  My surgeon, Dr. Brown, is great - I highly recommend him and he is outstanding in his field.  Recovery is going well, but it seems that each time I have anaesthetic, it knocks me down for a bit longer.  I don't get sick or anything, just VERY tired.  I guess that's normal, in a way, but frustrating when you want to be up and doing everything.  It's difficult to just lay on the couch and rest as the body heals.  I still have the bandages on - will until Tuesday.  Can't shower until then, either - YUCK!  :-)  I saw the surgeon on Thursday and he said that things are looking good and healing nicely.  What more can I ask for?  This is the way I can move on from breast cancer.  My body will be somewhat complete again, even if things aren't as they were originally and I have some saline implants where my real breasts used to be - at least they won't try to kill me!  LOL!  And, for the record, they are a fair bit smaller than what I was expecting, but that's OK!!  Many thanks to DH for his love, support and help while I'm down and unable to fulfill all my duties as a wife/mom/whatever.  I want to thank my friend Lorraine for getting up at 4:30 a.m. so she could be here to drive me to the hospital for my surgery and for being there for me.  Thanks also to my sister, Karen, who was also there while I went "under the knife", and then drove me home.  Then, my dear friend, Connie, who was there while I was recovering, then brought dinner over later for our family.  Thank you to all of you.  I am so blessed.

And so, life goes on.  As I think about life going on, I am reminded, at this time of year of an anniversary coming up.  November 14 will mark one year since my friend, Wanda, died of her cancer.  Wanda was a wonderful lady, so full of life and optimism.  She loved her family, she loved her birds, she loved her friends, she loved life!  What a special lady she was, and what a lucky person I was, to have known her.  I miss you, Wanda.  I miss your contagious smile and positive attitude.  You were a blessing to me and I wish we'd have been able to spend more time together.

As life goes on, I encourage you to enjoy each and every day.  Each and every moment.  For every moment is a gift and that's why it's called the 'present'.  A cliche, for sure, but very true.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!



Happy Thanksgiving to all my

Canadian blog friends!

 My sister made me this beautiful image for my blog.  She is taking web design and made this one for me.  You can visit her blog here.  Thanks, Janet!

So, Happy Thanksgiving to all of us Canadians out there!  Hope you have lots of turkey and yummy food and family surrounding you this long weekend!

Blessings,