Sept. 22, 2016

This has been a busy two weeks and it isn’t over yet.  I is too complicated to remember all that has happened – certainly not in the correct order.  You get a listing, and if anything seems extra important, I’ll expand.

Jan is in England and about half way through a two week visit to her Mom and family.  Her granddaughter, Isabelle is going to St. Mary’s University, just started a couple of weeks ago and is staying with us temporarily (I went there part time for about ten years.).  Jan’s daughter, Susanne and her husband Jeff have bought a house here in Dartmouth, with a view of the harbour, for Isabelle to live in while she attends St. Mary’s.  They also hope she can find someone to share the place and the costs.  It is a good house in a good location, but there are some repairs to be done – like refinishing the floors and the stairs.  There are a few other things and the place won’t be ready for occupancy until at least the middle of October.  I spent a few part days tearing out unwanted shelving in the basement.

We have two cats that don’t get along well and Sus. and Jeff brought two dogs and a lot of Isabelle’s stuff in their SUV. The house is divided into dog and cat areas.  This has not always been handy for us or the animals.  Sus. has been painting and dealing with contractors but is going home for a week on the 23^rd and will return to deal with the flooring work about the first of October.  Jeff is travelling the world, as usual, but will return here about the 10^th of October and they will drive the SUV back with one dog.  The other one died of old age last week.

My health has been quite good in spite of changed activities and times.  I have had two or three severe fatigue sessions and my walking and balance have been “off” once or twice.  I realize that this isn’t much of a Parkinson’s letter but considering the changes and the occasional stress, I am doing ok.  Tea and Tango is starting up again on Saturday and we will have a couple of hours of dancing and munching.  I am not known for being graceful on my feet and I think I have forgotten most of the steps we learned, but it is fun and everyone is patient.

           

Sept. 2, 2016

Another week with nothing written when, in fact, I have a bit of good news.  But first, of course, the weather.  It seems to control so much of what we do. Our lawn is about half or more brown.  We have had showers but nothing substantial.  I have, however, been able to clear out some wild roses.  We used t have some fairly controlled red flowered wild roses, but the more recent white ones are taking over everywhere.  I also used to be able to pick lack-berries by the bowl full, but they have been nearly taken over by the new white enemy.  I cleaned out some of them from a garden at the front side of the house.  I wore gauntlets to protect my arms and did get rid of one bunch, now for the other 20 or 30,

We have had lots of company the past week.  Jan’s daughter Susanne and her husband Jeff have just bought a house here in Dartmouth.  At the moment it is for the use of their daughter Isabelle to live in to go to St. Mary’s University.  (Where I went for a few years.)  She hopes to get someone to help share the costs.  Susan and Jeff are here arranging for some repairs and updates for the place.

Yesterday I went to see my heart doctor and he was very pleased with my condition.  He even said that I didn’t have to back and see him unless I felt that I needed to.  I chose to see him again in a year as he might notice changes in me that I may not have realized.  This made me feel so good that I went back to the Findlay Centre and did a small repair on a stand for holding weights – and to completely weed a small garden at the front of the building – and to forget my 3 o’clock pills until almost 4:30.  Naughty, naughty, and it takes a while for the pills to work.  My pill timer had been left at home and I didn’t realize that I was getting a little less effective and a bit more clumsy.  I survived – again.

More gardening to be done, some more limbs to take off the neighbour’s tree and some wild rose bushed to eradicate.