Jennifer, Sunny and Warm
05/23/2012, Kingston, Ontario

Finished Object (FO)

I finished this Ruffle scarf last evening. What does this have to do with boating you say. Well last night I held a wee knit night at our place. One of the guests was from Mystic Bond, a Canadian boat we met when we were anchored in a remote bay in south west Florida earlier this year. The boat was registered in Nova Scotia but its occupants actually live in Gananoque a 20 mile drive from Kingston.

So five knitters gathered and we chatted and it was a lovely evening.

Cruisers exchange boating cards with contact info and home port info. In keeping in that vein Al helped me produce a knitting card for me, which I gave out last evening. I wished I had had the cards last Saturday at the Kingston Farmers market. I struck up a conversation with a new vendor selling seafood, from the eastern provinces. He noticed my knitting button on my jean jacket that reads "If Knitting were exercise, you could bounce a quarter off my arse". We entered into a dialogue about how knitting rules his wife's life and how she hosts stitch n' bitch nights and I asked him if she was on Ravelry, to which I got a blank look. Had I had my knitters card then I would have given it to him so she could contact me. Knitters, like cruisers, are pretty tight knit (punn intended).

Kingston, Ontario

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Jennfer- sunny and lovely
05/21/2012, Kingston, Ontario

May 2-4 Weekend

We are celebrating a long weekend here in Kingston. Our weekend started off with a nice supper with friends on Friday night. Saturday we drove with my sister and husband out to Sharbot Lake to the grand opening of Seed to Sausage. It was quite a hit with a great variety of eclectic foods.

Yesterday I spent the day with Daughter No. 1 at Frontenac Street weeding the front flower bed and planting the back garden. We scored some bedding plants at the new Sunday Farmers Market in the neighborhood. In the afternoon my sister picked Al up and then me and we drove to Sydenham to the Open House at the home we were raised in. Its for sale and so we were curious to see it again. It was a trip down memory lane. It was the only home I ever lived in before I got married. Our parents bought it in 1956 for about 4 grand. Our dad sold it after our mother passed away in 2004 for $116,000, today the asking price is $234,900. The cosmetics that have been done are pleasant. I was surprised I didn't feel more nostalgic. It desperately needs a new roof. My sister and I were both wishing we had brought a knife to harvest some of the abundant rhubarb still growing behind the garage.

Today we are pretty much loafing around here in the apartment. It is a hot day out there. Knitting is on my radar.

Kingston, Ontario

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Jennifer
05/16/2012, Kingston, Ontario

De Ja Vu

This getting older isn't for sissies. As I prepared pie dough this morning, made us some lunch and tea. I was hit with the thought of how Al and I are turning into my parents. I was donning my apron which sported evidences of the past few days meals wiped on the sides and front. We had Country and Western oldies playing on the Galaxie TV. It felt like I wouldn't have been surprised to be addressed as "Marie" to which I may have replied "Russell?" I swear to God if I wake up and dentures are in a glass by my bed I will freak.

I even make pie like my mother.

I.C.W

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Jennifer-getting consistently warmer
05/16/2012, Kingston, Ontario

We are not all Doom and Gloom

The lettuce on the balcony is growing nicely. Its not quite ready to harvest but would provide a nice back drop for appetizers.

We appreciate the well wishes and flood of emails we have received. Al is not in any discomfort with this and has not been suffering headaches. He has difficulty focusing and at times has double vision. Aside from the obvious, odd look to his gaze you really would have no idea about his condition. Dr. Wallace feels it prudent to take out a chunk to relieve the pressure on the nerves and arteries involved.

I have pie dough chilling in the refrigerator to make the boy a fresh rhubarb pie for dinner tonight. You take joys where you can grab them, no matter how small. We take small pleasure in following our Canadian friends blogs (Banyan, Nelleke, Zero To Cruising) as they make preparations for future cruising. You just have to grab life by the YARN (balls of) and move forward.

I.C.W

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Jennfer- sunny and lovely
05/15/2012, Kingston, Ontario

Tumours Know no Boundaries

We have just arrived home from our appointment with the neurosurgeon. Dr. Wallace was very pleasant and did his best to put us at ease. The bottom line is, the tumour in Al's brain has taken up residence in a bad piece of real estate. It is dangerously close to crowding in on his pituitary gland. It is also compromising one of his major eye nerves. Our best option is to have "some" of the tumour removed. Dr. Wallace said that its in such an awkward place that the best option is to remove as big a portion of it as is safe but that he could not remove it all. He also inferred that we will get to know each other well because he suggested we treat this like a chronic illness, in that once he has taken out as much as is safe, Al will need every six month MRI's to watch for more growth and possibly radiation to limit growth.

He is still very confident this is benign although biopsies will be taken at the time of surgery. He sent us home to talk and be sure but also sent us with the paperwork to complete for surgery. There are things that need to be done before surgery happens. A physical from our GP, blood work and another date with MRI for more views which he will put into some form of 3D model that will be used to guide his surgery.

We walked down town after our consultation and scored fresh asparagus and rhubarb from the last two vendors at the market. Then we chatted over beer and pub food at The Pilot House. So Surgery is on the radar but we won't know the exact date until the check list is complete. He did say Al's eye will not return to its former normal looking state as the damage has been done.

We have no idea where this puts our future cruising plans, nor do we care at this moment. As things progress we will be sure to post.

Peace out.

I.C.W

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Jennfer- sunny and lovely
05/08/2012, Kingston, Ontario

Yesterday we enjoyed a nice afternoon walk at LeMoines Point. This conservation area is near the Collins Bay Marina where we departed 3 years ago this July. Interesting how life can change in 3 years.

Trilliums are the provincial flower for Ontario and it is a crime to pick them. They are out in abundance right now, we got a jump on the annual Mother's Day Flower Walk held there. Mackenzie and Jason have been visiting so it was a nice diversion for Al and for me.

I.C.W

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