The last entry of the decade

I spent a wonderful day with my kids just doing everyday things. I think that is what made it the best. We just watched Robin Williams and laughed ourselves absolutely silly. I spoke with a good friend a couple of times. Now I'm going back downstairs and my family and I will bring in the new year and new decade together!

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate my family and friends and how blessed I feel to have all of you in my life. I wish you health, happiness and prosperity in the year to come.

Much love

Barb

Getting closer.....

The end of the Gregorian calendar year is almost upon us and it feels as though another year has just whizzed by. Does anyone know if the theory of relativity relates to time? You know....the older I get the faster it goes sort of thing? In fact the last decade is kind of a blur. But then the almost 3 yrs since the car accident don't really count do they?

So tonight was funny. Jon & Michelle decided on stir fry for dinner and ran to the store to get a couple of items. I asked what I could do while they were gone and they said prepping some veg would be good. I thought to myself....great! I can do that!

So I got out the vegetables I knew would be good...the carrots and celery, but then I started looking at others, like broccoli & cauliflower, zucchini (which I could NOT for the life of me remember the English word for....kept having courgette run through my brain!!!), jalapeno peppers and garlic. I washed things up and then stood there looking at them because I couldn't remember what to do next. I decided to start with the carrots since they were the most obvious. Once I did them I went on to celery. The further on I got the better it became. But it was still kind of weird.

I did manage to make ginger crinkle cookies without mishap so that was good! At least I accomplished something today!

Well, I'm going to go downstairs to watch some t.v. with the kids now. Hope you all had a great day!

Barbara

oh right.....i knew there was something else.....

I get to see my good friend Carla on Wednesday! I honestly can't remember when we saw each other last. Of course having said that, yesterday I couldn't remember if I'd eaten! lol Now you see, this is the upside of a brain injury....it's just like the old jokes - get to make new friends every day AND hide your own Easter eggs! But seriously, I'm so looking forward to seeing Carla. Life is good! Or did I mention that already today?!

barb

Get a load of THIS!

I finally added a picture to my profile! The reason you ask? Because my son and daughter in law, Jon & Michelle, bought me a camera for Chanukamas! :) Even better because the kids are around I was able to ask my youngest son Sam to take a picture of me. I don't know how everyone else does it.....they take those great 'point and shoot at myself' type pictures that just NEVER work for me. Well, technically they do but they are certainly nothing I would post publicly for all to see!

Ok....that's it....two posts in two hours....I think I may actually be done for now. Or not.... we'll see!

Friends, family and mentors

Please bear with me as I write today because I have all sorts of little snippets of thought running around in my head and I'm hoping that if I write them down, somehow, they will begin to make sense.

I remember my brother Bob telling me in my early teens that friends you choose, family you're born with. I am fortunate in that I was friends with Bob and my best friend is my sister Patricia. Not everyone is lucky enough to have that, I am and for that I am truly grateful. I miss being physically closer to my sister and also to my son Jon and his girlfriend Michelle. I like to think I'm friends with them as well.

This week I've had the to opportunity to visit with a childhood friend who I haven't physically seen for awhile but whom I speak to regularly. Being with or talking to this friend helps to ground me even though I wasn't aware of it until after the fact. I don't know how it is, I'm not sure if I've written about this before or not, but the friends I grew up with in Terrace are a huge and very important part of my life. I have made many great friends over the years both in and out of Terrace but the friends from childhood, those who went through thick and thin with me, it is as if they know a part of me that other people don't. I believe in my heart that it is because they helped to shape who I became but they also see the 'original' me....the child inside. Also, it isn't as though these friendships are stagnant. As I reconnect with people from my youth I learn more about them and even more about me.

I've spoken to many people about the connectedness of my friends from childhood and discover that not many of them have the same connections from their childhood friends. Which has prompted me over the years to wonder what it was about growing up where I did that made it different for me and my friends. I sometimes wonder if it was the isolation factor. We grew up in a geographically distant and during the winter a physically isolated area. In order to survive we relied on each other in ways that people in cities don't have to. We reveled in snow days when the whole town shut down. We built snowforts, played softball, rode bikes, picnicked at the lake, fished together. We partied together and somehow through all the time and geographical distance, we have stuck together. Those bonds are not easily broken.

I'm sure there are more bits and pieces floating around in my brain but they aren't surfacing right now so I think I'll stop for now and continue later.....or not! lol But I did need to get this out while it was there and able to be grasped!

Have a wonderful day!

Barbara

John Tobias

It was with an extremely heavy heart that I learned today of the death of my friend, Dr. John Tobias, on December 23rd. When I went back to school at 36, 20 years away from learning and only a grade 10 education, John was my first professor on my first day. There were many challenges I faced as a mum returning to school and John was there every step of the way, supporting me, challenging me to do better, giving me pep talks...regularly! Sometimes it was just a coffee when I needed it. John acted as one of my referees when I applied to law school and constantly supported me in my endeavours.

Whenever I was back in Red Deer I would stop to visit John and his wife Bea, if only for a couple of hours. When I was in London, Ontario last year I came across a book with one of his papers in it and phoned him at home from the bookstore because seeing his name in print I suddenly needed to hear his voice. I learned so much from John. Some of it was in the classroom, much of it was not. I will truly miss you John. Rest in peace, you've earned it.

Sunday morning

As I typed that, for some reason I thought of a great book written about post-WWII Britain called Saturday night, Sunday morning. I may need to find my copy and read it again. It may take me awhile but hey - worth it!

Ok....so Friday totally sucked. I mean totally.....in terms of my brain. I can't even really tell you what I did other than going to the gym & Dr. G. Oh wait....I also picked up Leo and brought him home for Shabbat dinner. I love that Leo really seems to enjoy our Friday night dinners. I introduced him to an apple pie from Gunn's Bakery and he REALLY enjoyed that. Two full pieces after he'd finished his dinner! He specifically asked me to tell Bernie Gunn how good it was. When I went to pick up Samuel's birthday cake yesterday after synagogue I saw Bernie and passed along the message.

I met a woman at synagogue yesterday who is the daughter of a lady I know named Ann. Well the daughter, Bonnie, and I got talking. She's from Ottawa and knows my really good friend Barbara G. Turns out that she was a Barb's daughter's Bat Mitzvah as well and was even part of the candlelighting ceremony Ally had. It is such a small world. As Ann said, just another episode of playing Jewish geography! The funny thing is that Barbara and I met back home in BC when we were 15 and long before either of us converted to Judaism!

When I got home from the synagogue yesterday I was absolutely pooched so had a 'short nap'. That was the plan anyway...turned into a solid two hours which I obviously needed. When I got up it was time to get ready and head to the Old Spaghetti Factory for Samuel's birthday dinner. His friends Bronwyn, Rene, Rhiannon and Kelly (with her absolutely adorable daughter Melody) joined us....as did our friend Lorna and Sam's dad Hugh. We had a really good time. Sam should get an award for the most creative way to cut a birthday cake award. He cut it according to parts of the words he felt would be appropriate to the person eating that piece of cake. It was a riot! In my case I got "Ha" because he said I am always saying that! :) A good time was had by one and all.

So I have suitcases open on the living room floor to begin my packing. I believe I'll need an extra for presents so thought I would pack now to make sure I don't forget anything! I'm off to the gym at 10:00 with Sam & Rene so I'd better go get ready.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful day!

Talk to you again soon!

Barb

Bad brain! Bad brain!

Today is a bad brain day, just in case the title wasn't sufficient to figure it out. I feel so discombobulated and out of sync it's awful. I hate these days when it feels like I am one step behind in everything whether it be thought or action. I did still drag gedmy sorry butt to the gym but it was a pretty half-hearted workout compared to usual. However, I did go! So I'm cutting myself some slack. Anyway, off to a doctor's appointment, then to pick up Leo for Shabbas dinner and Samuel from school. He's done until January after this! Only 3 more sleeps until we leave for Calgary. YAY!!!!

Have a good day....catch you later!

Barb

Holy Moly!

How has half of December disappeared already??? I'm feeling really good. Better than I have since my accident and that's coming up to 3 years January 12th. The gym thing is working out fantastically for me. I have gone every single day except Saturdays since my first workout on December 2nd. Which means that I completed day 12 today! I am noticing a huge difference in my body and also my mental state. Just the routine of going to the gym everyday has been good for me. That is something that is so different for me as I was never someone who 'did' routines. But now, since sustaining the brain injury, I've come to terms with the fact that I need them. It doesn't mean that I can't vary the routine sometimes, but I definitely need the routine! I find that having one is helping to improve my memory as well since doing something repetitively seems to make it stick.

I've been writing things in my daytimer so that I remember to write about them here. Not big things, just things that catch my attention.

For starters, Winnipeg is having a great winter so far. Sure it's -22C right now (today's high!) with a windchill of -31C but it's sunny and we still don't have snow on the ground! How great is THAT?! Seriously, the sidewalks and roads are bare! I love it!

Now here is something about Winnipeg in the winter. Even when we have cold snaps like this, life goes on pretty much as usual. As I drive to the gym I cannot tell you how many joggers, runners and dog walkers I pass. Even older people (I'm talking late 70s to late 80s) are still going out for their daily walks. Those who aren't up for the outside walking are at the gym. It is packed there every single day and it isn't all gym bunnies and muscle heads either. We're talking a LOT of seniors. Lots of people of all ages and fitness levels. It's fantastic. The seniors don't just use the walking track or the bikes either, we're talking about waiting for them to be done with the Nautilis machines so I can use them!

The Asper Campus has become a huge part of my routine with the gym being there. I go, do my workout then use the steam room, which feels especially good in this weather, then shower, dress and go to Schmoozer's Cafe for my lunch. By the time I'm done there my hair is dry and I'm on my way out the door to whatever else my day holds for me! Life is good.

Also, big news, Samuel and I are heading to Calgary to visit my other son Jonathan and his wife Michelle for a few days. I am SO excited. We leave the 21st and don't get home until the 2nd of January. How great is that? I'll also get to visit with some other friends which I'm really looking forward to.

All in all I have to say that I have a great life and feel very fortunate!

I hope that all of you are healthy & happy!

Barb

Day 6

Well I'm just about to head out the door so I thought I would write a few quick words first. I began at the Rady gym on Wednesday. The hardest part was getting through the door. But once I was there, I have to tell you, I've claimed it as my own! I have gone every day except Shabbat and I feel great. I've taken two of the intro classes already. I did one on resistance training on Friday and then the stretch and core class on Sunday morning. I'm going to do the full workout every second day with cardio and then just cardio on the alternating days. I would NEVER, in a million years, have expected that I would enjoy the resistance machines at all, let alone as much as I do! Anyway, I'm off!

Have an absolutely wonderful day!

Barb

Wednesday Part 2!

I went to the Rady Jewish Community Centre for the first time today. It was so good at the Rady gym....I walked 2.5 miles, 2.25 kms on the recumbent bicycle, 3 x 12 reps on the leg press, 2 x 12 reps on the ab crunch thingy (technical term) and 2 x 12 reps on a back stretching machine. It was so nice to be able to walk on a flat surface safely and not feel so sick from it. Much different than walking outside where my body is constantly compensating for my balance issues. I feel SO positive. I'm going to go again tomorrow, even if it is just to use the walking track. :)

Wednesday

So I decided to write a little bit more about my weekend from the vestibular point of view. I love going to synagogue, however, I find it extraordinarily frustrating that I can't follow a lot of the service by reading. Mercifully most of our service is sung and so parts of it tend to stick in my brain and I sing along where I can and hum along where I can't! :) I've become a lot more comfortable over time and no longer feel the need to hold the books and pretend I'm reading. I find that when I do hold the books I feel an uncontrollable urge to continue trying to read, long after I'm dizzy and nauseous and my eyes go weird! So, I'm being a rebel and going bookless this week!

Similarly, when I went to see the Karsh display in addition to actually focusing on the portraits I tried here and there to read at the very least the name of the subject and in some cases the bio of the subject. By the time I was halfway around I was feeling sick. By the end I was dizzy to the point of needing to sit down and look at a blank wall. Which is pretty tough to find in an art gallery!

So for those of you who know me, you know I can be kind of a gutless wonder sometimes. Today I am working to overcome that! I'm going to the Rady JCC to use the gym for the first time ever. There is a walking track there and I figure at the very least I can use that and it will provide a safe environment to do it in. I mean in terms of falls that is.

So far today, I've had my coffee, some cereal, emptied the dishwasher, showered and dressed. So next on the list is to try and find the phone number for the guy I was taking guitar lessons from. The only thing I remember is that his name is Gary! lol Don't even remember which place he was through. My bad. So that's my mission and once I've completed that I'll head over to the Rady!

Wish me luck!!!

Have a great day

Barb