A (Busy) Week in Photos - Week 1 of the New Year

January 1 - 7

Sunday, January 1, 2012

This day was spent mostly getting my husband ready to go back to work after being off for about 6 weeks (except for a few days just before Christmas).    Not only was he going back to work after an extended time off (because of surgery and then Christmas) but he was going up north for the first time in a long while, which necessitates a whole different wardrobe.

Not that he needed his winter under wear, the temperatures being so warm the ice roads were becoming trecherous

I texted Melanie and Ken that if they had not yet left for their visit to Red Deer, they should stop over and pick up their Christmas gift that Rob and Lana had left for them.    The stopped for a very quick, but welcome visit.

I couldn't resist posting this photo of Ken telling a story of some sort......

Guess it's a funny (or at least, happy) story....

Monday, January 2

Jim left for work - if it wasn't for the weather, we'd be sure he was going to be gone for 3 weeks or so.  But, if it stays as warm as it is (above 0 most days), they may not be able to work.

I have no photos for this day since it was just me after Jim left.   I planned my week then went to town to cross off the first errands on my 'to do list'.   Unfortunately, I failed to take into consideration that New Year's Day fell on Sunday and so many places were closed today 'in lieu of'.   I'd have to move some of my errands around and come back later in the week.

One thing I did was to pick up a gift for my mom from Andrew and Candice.  I was touched when I walked into their living room to find BOTH of them preparing to paint a picture, Candice's paints and brushes spread out around them.   Andrew was not starting with a blank canvas, but he was participating in his wife's hobby - something she loves.   A few days before, I'd noticed Candice's fb status was "Learned to play Smoke on the Water" which told me she was participating in the hobby Andrew loves (guitar/music).    This made me very happy.

Tuesday, January 3

My plan for this day was to leave the house early, stop in Ponoka at the body shop that had been recommended to us, go to Red Deer to pick up some items at a store that emails me when they have sales, and shop around for the boots that I want.  Then, the plan was to go to Sylvan Lake to visit my mom for awhile then pop over to my brother and sister-in-law's home for a visit there.

I arose on time, took care of my dogs, got myself ready, and was in the truck no more than 15 minutes past my planned time of departure.  I turned the key in the ignition.

Nothing.  No click, no turning over.  Nothing.

Except ........ the heater and all the dash lights were coming on normally.   Can't be the BRAND NEW batteries, can it?

I hooked up the trickle charger, just in case.

Still nothing.

Jim is working deep into the bush - no cell service - so no use calling him.  Ken did not answer his phone, for some reason.  So....I called the dealership and asked to speak to the head diesel mechanic.  He kindly did some troubleshooting over the phone and came to the conclusion that it was likely the starter.  He suggested that a tap on the starter while turning the ignition could get it started and I could just drive in to the dealership.

I know that - no matter how many times we changed the starter in my F150 (after a certain point) it would often need that 'loving touch' to get it going.  HOWEVER......I usually had a boy around to crawl under the truck at that point and when I didn't (which was actually more often than I care to remember) and I had to crawl under, that truck had an automatic starter so I could start the truck at the same time as banging on the starter.  (I kept a hammer in the truck at all times for that purpose).

My Excursion does not have an automatic starter.    I could not bang on the starter and turn the ignition key by myself.   Ken still was not anwering his phone - and anyway, by now he'd be in Camrose, hard at work.  So, I called AMA, emphasising that although I live in the county of Camrose, I would be taking my truck to Wetaskiwin and I would need a flat bed to take my truck that distance as opposed to a 'winch/dolly' truck.

Half an hour later, dispatch called to say they were sending a flat bed from SPRUCE GROVE!!!!  That's at least an hour away.  She assured me he was already on the way.   I had already called the body shop in Ponoka to let them know I would not be in this day and then my mom to let her know what was going on.  I figured I could still get to Sylvan - I might just be a little later than originally planned.

An hour and a half later, dispatch called, saying "Just to let you know, the driver has gotten un stuck and is on the way again".  

?????

The story I got from the driver later on was that he had 'driven into the ditch' and had to get a truck out to pull him out.

!!!!!!

Half an hour later, I got a call from the driver....."I'm on RR 000 but it says 'dead end'.  Are you at the dead end?"   I asked him where he was, he told me the TWP road he was on......."I don't even know where you are!" I exclaimed.  He said he'd turned off of HWY 13 onto the RR.    I told him he was on the wrong side of the river and he should head west on the TWP road until he got to the secondary highway, go south to TWP 000, east to RR 000, then south to our place.   He said OK.   (Later, I found out he'd called dispatch and they found him on Google then directed him to my house)

Why didn't they ask for directions when they called in the first place?   They asked only for my 'fire address'.  I assumed they had GPS in the truck and did not need directions.  (UPS never needs directions).  Well, they have GPS in the truck, alright - AND the driver had his own private GPS.  But........neither one showed the grid roads!

Anyway.......by this time I'd called Mom back and told her I'd come tomorrow and do tomorrow's errands today instead.  

Finally, at nearly 1 pm, I was standing at the counter at the dealership, signing the paper that would allow me to take one of their 'loaner vehicles' for the afternoon while they checked out the problems on my truck.

Turned out to be the starter.

Took less time to diagnose and change out the starter than it did for the tow truck to get to me.

I was back in my truck before the shop closed, errands completed.

Wednesday, January 4

Try again.......

I arrived at the body shop in Ponoka at the appropriate time, leaving an hour later with an estimate in my hand.

The night before I had decided that rather than walk all over the place to try find boots that did not hurt my feet (as my current boots do) I would find the phone numbers of the shoe stores in Red Deer and CALL them to see if they sold the type of boot I am looking for.

My current fairly expensive, brand name boots give me very sore feet and back within half an hour of walking in them.   I can walk all day in my FitFlop sandals with NO extra tiredness at all.  So, I decided to find a pair of boots made by these people. 

So, I stopped at the side of the street in Ponoka and began calling all the numbers I'd written down.

No one had even heard of them.  At least in Camrose they could say "We carried them last year".

So, one stop only in Red Deer  then off to Sylvan to visit Mom and then Angela and the boys.

I had a nice visit with Mom, beginning with having her open her Christmas gifts....

A few hours later, Mom's husband, Maurice came out to the kitchen looking gray and, well.....clammy.  He could not move his right arm and was obviously in much distress.

Before I arrived, he had slipped and fallen on the ice in their driveway, landing on his right shoulder.  He could not get up.  The neighbor across the street saw him laying there and came to help him up.  He was in pain at that time, but thought that he'd be OK and just went to his room to rest.  That's where he had been since I arrived.

He was in so much pain and is such a large-framed man (over 6') we decided to call an ambulance rather than try to get him into Mom's smaller sized car and transport him the 1/2 hour to the hospital.   The paramedics arrived, gave him a shot of morphine to make the trip more comfortable, and took him to Red Deer.   I left shortly after that for Angela's house.

After 2 sets of Xrays and several hours later, Maurice's injury was diagnosed as bruised ligaments.  He was sent home in a sling.

I enjoyed my visit with my SIL and her twin boys, with her 11 yr old son making intermittent appearances.  Kevin came home after work - a little late, since he'd spent some time at the hospital checking on Maurice.

Joey is an affectionate little guy........

And when Titus (known as 'T') saw me taking pictures of his brother kissing Mommy, he wanted in on the action as well.....

Joey was not interested in wearing clothes this day - and T had put his PJs on for his nap.  (This fact helped me to keep them identified all day.  And unless I've mixed them up in my mind since then, (a possibility)  is the only reason I can tell which is which in the photos)


Here's Titus peeking over the counter top at me.....

I tried to get a photo of the two boys together, but.......

I give up.  LOL

Joey gives his daddy a big welcome home hug and kiss....



I didn't see alot of Noah, so only got this one surreptitious photo of the handsome young man.....

I came home to find nothing left of my ice lanterns but a row of tealights on the ground.

(Here are some of  the ice lanterns just after I put them out......)

Thursday, January 5

Morning - First thing I noticed when I went through the back door.....our snowman is dead.  Between the warm temperatures and the very strong winds last night, he lays in shrinking pieces on the ground.  So sad.  I had expected him to bring cheer to my backyard right till spring.

After taking care of my dogs and mourning the snowman, it was off to Camrose to get new tires on my truck.  I probably forgot to mention that on our last trip to Red Deer after Christmas, a tire blew on us.   Fortunately, it was a back tire.  Since this is the THIRD tire to blow from the 'set' we bought only a year and a half ago, Jim asked the tire shop to please replace all the tires.  He didn't want one of the front tires to blow on me - a back tire is bad enough.   ANYWAY.....I waited around for the tires to be replaced, reading my book or talking to Melanie on the phone.    All the while, I was aware that Mike and his kids were on their way out to my house - Mike to work on the garage, and the kids to hang out with me.

What I forgot was that 'the water guy' was also coming to my house for service to our 'iron eating' and RO water systems.  I had made the appointment for when I thought I'd be back home - based on what the tire guy told me.   That meant that Mike was already here when the water guy showed up so he was able to come in and do what needed doing.

So.....morning in the tire shop.  Afternoon hanging with my grandkids - and Krystal.  Daniel came out after his work day to help Mike in the garage.  Krystal undecorated the Christmas tree while I packed the ornaments away then she entertained the kidlettes while I made supper.

There are several photos of Michael's newest 'toy'......a hunting rifle which he has purchased completely outside of their working budget.....finding things to sell or odd jobs to do in order to finance it.  BUT, I'm not going to post any of THOSE photos on the internet!

Today, Mike and Dan put 'strapping' under the floor joists and laid the insulation - or most of it, anyway. 

Reading stories with Auntie 'Trysal'....

Trying a different setting on my camera.....wish I could remember which it was:

Just before supper, I received the news that Son #1, Robert, was in the hospital with Pancreatitis.   We discussed this news at supper and I indicated I wanted to go see him, even though it is an hour and a half drive one way.  Daniel and Krystal offered to stay until it was time for the kids to go to bed so I could leave.  Krystal cleaned up the dishes as well and I headed off, hoping the melting snow had not turned to ice on the highways, forcing my return.  (The roads were dry, thankfully)

After a 2 hour visit with my son, hearing his story and just enjoying his company, I stopped off at his house for Lana's 'take' on the situation before heading back home.

Friday, January 6

When Mike told me he was coming out for Thursday and Friday, I informed him that I had an appointment for my nails on Friday morning.  He assured me that he could put a movie on for the kids, work on the garage, and come in the house to check on them every 15 minutes or so.  That didn't sound like the best solution, so I asked Krystal if she'd be willing to come back Friday morning to watch Kaden and Ava.  

So, with my helpful DIL at my home watching my grandkids, I headed to town for the first installment of my Christmas prestent from my Sister, Melanie.    (3 months of 'Shellac')  (Thanks again, Melanie!!!  Love this gift....."It's the gift that keeps on giving")

Robert was being brought to Camrose this morning for a CT scan to try to determine the cause of his illness.  I was prepared to stay in town if he required anything more than the scan or if they were going to keep him here.  But....they sent him back to Killam as soon as the scan was complete.  So, I didn't see him today.  The ride in the ambulance, though, 'stirred things up' and the pain came back.  He also was still not able to eat.

Back at home, Andrew had come out to help Mike with the work today and Krystal left to pick Daniel up from work as soon as I returned.

Progress on the garage was to finish laying insulation, put on the vapor barrier, and begin laying the floor boards.

\

After all Mike's hard work that no one could really see things really seem to be 'coming together' in a hurry.



Mike's 'foundation' work may not be visible, but when you walk out on this floor, it sure FEELS solid.

They couldn't finish the floor today, Mike had to get home to make some deliveries.   He suggested the kiddos stay with me and he'd come back to stay overnight again.   That would have been great - if I didn't have a fever and feel like I couldn't stand up for long.   He took the kids with him on his deliveries.

(Forgot to mention.....Victoria had been away at a funeral, that is why Mike had the kids on his own)

I actually didn't get much time with the children today.   Ava needed a nap soon after I came home, and Kaden was watching a movie.  (I layed down for a nap at the same time as Ava, so it was OK that Kaden wanted to watch the Incredibles.)

Such a busy day, I'd completely forgotten that it was Friday - and didn't post my usual FFF post.

Saturday, January 7

I took it easy this morning, still not feeling well, and then headed into Wetaskiwin for Seth's birthday party.  (His actual birthday is the 10th, but it is hard for folks to come midweek)

Vinj and Kath had company this weekend, including their friend Ek from Thailand, who is a skilled illusionist.  He put on a 'magic show' for the party guests.  (Many of whom were children aged 10 and under)

This particular trick amazed me.....and, by the look of it, Kaden too.



After the 'magic show', it was time for PRESENTS!   What 4 year old boy doesn't love presents?

And, after presents, we went upstairs for cake and ice cream....

My Salt and Pepper Twins......

For now, the youngest grandbaby......



But it won't be long before Chawzi is 4th youngest.

Victoria and Candice are due one day apart......

And Lana is due 3 months later....

I will end the photo part of this post with photos of my two littlest girls....

It was a fun day, celebrating Seth.

Unfortunately, Rob could not be there since he was still in the hospital.  He was feeling better, though, and was actually eating this day.   (He was sent home the next day).

AND......by the end of the day, both Seth and Taliah had temperatures.....but that is a story for another post.