Days in Nova Scotia . . . part one

It looks to be a gorgeous day out there today . . . the sun is shining brightly into my window.   One just cannot beat a glorious day in June for beauty.  I have often said there is no more beautiful thing on earth than a sunny day in England, and a sunny June day in England has to be the best thing of all!

I was so pleased this time I was back to Canada that I was able to see ALL of my children and spend some precious time with them, and ALL of my grandchildren . . . all except the one who is about to make his/her appearance any day now that is . . . but . . . at least I saw all of the rest.

I had a horrendous trip over . . . with one missed flight after another.    I should have gotten into Halifax at 1:45 pm on the Thursday, but with all of the mix ups I didn't arrive until about 1:00 am on Friday morning. I had requested help at Heathrow, thinking it would speed things up a bit, but instead it took longer.   My helper was a friendly sort who liked to pass the time of day with everyone he met!  As there is only one flight direct to Halifax a day, and missed it . . . I got slated onto a flight to Toronto.

I missed my connecting flight from Toronto to Halifax as well . . . my plane was an hour late leaving Heathrow, and I only had an hour and a half connection time from Toronto to Halifax . . . so I ended up having to get another reschedule in Toronto.  I think I spent more time waiting around in Airports than I did flying and, needless to say, I was exhausted when I arrived at my mothers at 3:00 am Friday morning!  Not to mention my son was waiting at the airport for me all that time!

Nevermind, I got there in the end!



It was really nice to meet Bruce's new girlfriend, Sara.  What a lovely girl she is and they make ever such a cute couple don't you think?  We got along like a house on fire!   Bruce had me over to their place for supper a few times, and he's a pretty good cook!  The first time he did his special pulled pork, which was gorgeous and the  second time he did us some steaks on the barbeque, which were also fabulous!  And of course I got to meet  . . .



Baxter!   Who is just the cutest puppy ever . . . next to Mitzie of course!   He was seriously sweet, and so engaging.  He's part Dachshund and part Maltese.  Cute, cute . . . CUTE!



I got to spend lots of time with my brother as well.  He arrived on the Saturday.  He is the one who took my mother in to Halifax for her operation.   We had two days together as a family before that happened, and then of course about four days together afterwards.   It was such a blessing to have him there.   I hadn't realized how very much we look like each other until I saw this picture . . . but it's very clear we have fallen from the same tree, don't you think?

He was a great support to mom when she was in the hospital for her first operation, and of course he was able to drive her into Halifax and back.  He stayed right with her the whole time.   She had the operation on the Monday and was back home on the Friday.  They were able to get all of the cancer out.  We both thought my mother was wonder-woman on Friday, as she was just as if nothing had ever happened.  Her breathing was pretty much back to normal and she was a going concern.   That was all short lived however.
She had a heart attack sometime between four and six on the Saturday morning . . . thankfully only a minor one.  We had no idea . . . we only knew that she had deteriorated a great deal from the night before and by Saturday evening we felt compelled to call in the Emergency people.  Praise God for my brothers powers of discernment in doing so.  She was back in the hospital for a further five days in Kentville, which was close to home and easy to travel back and forth to . . . but on the Tuesday they decided they wanted to put a chest tube in and so it was back to Halifax.   My brother flew home to Ottawa on Tuesday.

Twenty four hours later all hell broke loose as my mother developed a clot in her leg and her leg began to necrify . . . they felt that they  might have to amputate her leg.  Thank goodness they didn't have to and were able to get the clot out.  Her big toe is a goner though . . . that has turned black and they say it will just dry up and fall off.   I know . . . sounds weird doesn't it?  I thought my mother was imagining it when she told me what the Doctor had said, but she wasn't.  It's true.

My mother was in the hospital altogether for four weeks, and I would be lying if I said all was peachy rosy now.  It isn't, and it will be a long time before she is back to her old self, if ever . . . but she is still with us and that is a blessing I am grateful for every day.



This is a picture I took of my mother's picture!  I know . . . I am an odd duck, but I have always loved this photograph of my mother and so I took a picture of it so that I could have one.   She was such a beautiful young woman.  This is the colourized one . . .

 

This is the black and white one.   I think she was just beautiful.   I was never that beautiful I don't think . . . she never thought she was either . . . but she clearly was . . . and is.



My good friend Marjorie was home from Alberta as well and so I got to spent an afternoon with her, which was an unexpected pleasure!   She moved out to Alberta just a few months before I moved over here and we had not seen each other since.   We had been very good friends, sharing lots with each other.  It was so good to see her!

 

Of course Spring sprung whilst I was there.  I took photos of my mother's beautiful flowers to show her in the hospital.  She missed it all . . . the hyacinths, tulips and forsythia . . . all were blooming profusely!  She did get home to see the lilacs however, so that was good.



I got to spend time with my Doug and his lovely family . . . wife Kayla and from left to right, Jacob (2), Joshua (4) and Jonathan (7).  Delightful little boys and a joy.

 

There were watermelon smiles . . .



Stories shared about Jesus' brother Gordon who juggles . . .



And chunky monkeys enjoying fruit snacks.   All in all a very special and wonderful visit!

But that is not all . . . no, no . . . that is not all.   Running out of time here today so I will share more of my visit with you tomorrow.  I have a lot of artwork to share as well!

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

"Every life has its dark and cheerful hours . . . happiness comes from choosing which ones to remember."
~Unknown

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . . . a delicious Strawberry and Poppy Seed Cake!

Have a wonderful Sunday!