Travel Tuesdays #12

Turkey was one of my most favourite countries to visit.

My friends and I travelled around the country by local bus which was very inexpensive and that was a good thing, but as we found out the roads were treacherous, and the buses extremely smoky. I remember at one point being barely able to breathe the cigarette smoke was so thick. Just when there was a little bit of clearing in the haze the man in front of me lit up again. I thought I was going to die! I politely tapped him on the shoulder to try to get him to butt out, but of course he spoke neither English, nor German. He did smile however, with his baked bean teeth, and offered me a cigarette! Thinking back, I should have just taken the whole pack off of him! Another kind of funny thing I remember: at one of the bus stops along the way a young boy came on board with lemonade. I felt a little sorry for him, so I bought a glass. I was just finishing the last drop of this lukewarm drink when my friends boarded the bus again. When they saw what was in my hands, they asked where I had gotten it from. I pointed to the young boy and they started laughing hysterically. (Good thing they had just gone pee, or they would have peed themselves!) Apparently, as they had walked into the restroom they had seen the same young boy mixing up his lemonade concoction in the men's room. He cut up the lemons on the counter, used water from the grungy sink, and then he used his grubby little fingers to stir the whole mess up! Lesson learned. Thank god I didn't get e-coli.

One of the prettiest resort towns we went to was Kusadasi. Many cruise ships stop in this port so it really does cater to tourists. We stayed there for a few days and really got to explore the surrounding area. Ephesus is perhaps one of the most interesting ruins I have ever seen and it dates back to something like 6B.C. It is believed that the Virgin Mary may have spent her last days in this area. Pope Benedict XVI has even celebrated mass here (just a bit of UBI!)

From Kusadasi we moved on to Pamukkale, which in Turkish means Cotton Castle. It is, by far one of the most spectacular places I have ever seen. It is listed on the World Heritage Site and was founded in ancient times as a healing spa. The white cascades are made from calcium deposits from the thermal mineral waters. There is a natural spring that bathes ancient marble columns and the temperature coming form the ground is 35 degrees Celsius. Swimming in this water is akin to dunking oneself in hot Perrier water! Since 1994 when I was there, there has been a lot of hotel construction that has occur ed. When we were there, there were only two hotels and the one we stayed at was quite simple but luxurious in that by opening up the back door to the room, we actually stepped out into the spring water baths. We were able to walk on the travertines, which I believe is not permitted anymore.

(click to enlarge)

Leaving Pamukkale, we took an overnight train back to Istanbul which I would highly recommend. I guess it was the milk-run and we stopped numerous times along the way. While my friends arrived in Istanbul bleary-eyed from lack of sleep, I remember it as one of my best sleeps ever!

Seattle Sister

Pez and I have known each other since age 7, but really became BFF's in Junior High school. This picture of us was taken the summer of 1979. Hard to believe that was 28 years ago. God how time flies. It seems like just yesterday when we were blowing bubbles...I actually remember when this picture was taken. We'd also probably just gotten our hair cut by my mom who used to practice on my head first, and then give Pez a fabulous cut. While I had the suburban "hockey-do" Pez would end up with the latest Farrah Fawcett style.

Over the last quarter century (doesn't that make us sound OLD?!) we've taken different paths in life, but have always remained close. I spent years in the Middle East and during that time Pez got married and moved to Minneapolis and started a family. Years later, she moved with her family to Seattle, and I went back to the Middle East. Throughout this time, we've written letters, emails, talked on the phone and our relationship, despite the distance in miles, has gotten closer. She is the sister that I don't have. So, every once in a while, even though we talk regularly, I need a Pez Fix in person. It was her birthday this past weekend, and I thought that would be the perfect opportunity to spend some time together.The weekend was Fabulous! It was so good to see her boys, they are the cutest, funniest, smartest, most creative, loving and polite kids I have ever met. Pez and her husband have done a wonderful job. It really was fun stepping into their lives, even if just for a few days.

We spent a lot of time shopping. In fact, we shopped 'til we dropped! I tend to be a little on the frugal (cheap) side, but once I bought the headband which was handmade in France for $52, my credit card had a mind of it's own! A Macy's card was opened and it purchased three pairs of shoes, Lancome make-up and the (gift-purchase with purchase). At Target I also bought some nifty-cool patio lights for our backyard, which I absolutely, desperately needed to buy.

Friday night I got to partake in Cosmo Fridays with Pez and her gal friends. I had heard a lot about these ladies, and was so glad to meet them in person. Pez has some really great friends and they made me feel very welcome. I also discovered that Washington State has some really exquisite wines. I am sad that we can't buy them here in Ontario.

Saturday was Pez's actual birthday. We drove into Seattle in the morning and went to glassybaby which is a place the glass blows these gorgeous votives.

Pez surprised me with a late Wedding gift of these beautiful votives. She picked the green one because it reminded her of Dutchie's eyes, the blue because of Mr. Mao's, and red because she knows it is my favourite colour. The votives go perfectly with the tablecloth I bought at William Sonoma. Glassybaby was having a moving sale and were selling seconds, and also some China Babys. I bought a suitcase full of the China Baby's because the price was right, and even though they are not as nice as the original ones, still look pretty. Luckily, not a single one was broken on the trip home.

Saturday afternoon, Pez's hubby also arranged for a special celebrity pedicure for the two of us. While we had are feet scrubbed, scraped, massaged, soaked in paraffin we were also able to enjoy a luscious glass of Washington wine. I have to tell you, it was the most exquisite experience! And, for once, BOTH of our feet look pretty. (Mine, are the square, Shrek-like paws) For anyone who is interested in the colour, it is Deer Valley Spice by OPI.

We arrived home to a wonderful steak and shrimp dinner made by Pez's hubby, and an incredible chocolate cake with raspberry coulis.

I hope Pez enjoyed her birthday as much as I did!

Travel Tuesdays

...is kinda sorta on hiatus.
However...I am headed to Seattle tomorrow to visit my dear friend Pez. It's her birthday, and I'm looking forward to having a sparkling weekend with her!

At some point (after the weekend) I think I am going to have to make this a more interesting place to visit. It's even becoming a bit painful for me. Can't (don't) even want to imagine what it's like for you.
Hope your weekend plans are as good as mine.

Weekend Cat Blogging

It's a sleepy kind of Sunday in the world of cats, and their humans. Weekend Cat Blogging is being held at catsynth this week. Seems like everyone is tired!

Who's at the Door?

Saturday afternoon, Greg and I were sitting in the living room, enjoying the sunshine when the doorbell rang. At the door was a young woman, perhaps 20 years old, who introduced herself as a neighbour. She said that she was very embarrassed, couldn't believe her situation, but was desperate. You see, her mom was being discharged from the hospital and she had to go and pick her up, and take her home in taxi. She had already bargained a half price deal with the taxi company but the problem was that she had no money as she doesn't get paid until next Friday. Would it be at all possible if she could borrow the money and pay us back on payday? Being the kind man that he is, Greg managed to scrounge up $8 (from MY work bag!) and gave it to her. He even said not to worry about paying it back. She thanked him profusely, promised to pay it back, and then went on to ask the lady next door.
As I was contemplating whether I should drive her to the hospital myself (after all what are good neighbours for?) Greg called me back into the living room and said that he thought we'd just been scammed. What?!?! We live in a house with an excellent vantage point of both ends of a crescent thanks to our bay window. He pointed out a black car that was idling mid-street and said that he had seen the driver moments earlier walking around looking up various driveways. Now he wondered if the woman and driver were together. Just then the woman walked down our neighbour's drive and headed in the opposite direction as the car. At that moment, the car also made it's move and headed away. We wondered if they were going to meet at the bottom of the next street corner. Greg jumped in our car and slowly followed the woman. He was able to stay out of view and sure enough, just when she thought no one had seen her, she jumped into the car! I'm not sure what Greg was thinking because in this day and age when everyone seems to pack a gun, he made his Dukes of Hazzard move and pulled his car in front of theirs so they couldn't move forward! He got out of the car and confronted them. The woman was a very good liar. She said that her friend had just at that moment turned up to give her a ride, how lucky was that?! Greg called them bullshitters, said he had seen the whole thing, how the guy was waiting for her at the corner etc. He said that he knew that they were scamming the neighbourhood, that he had their description and their license plate number. Greg said that they looked very scared at having been caught, and for what it's worth, she did give him our money back. She had at least $40 worth of bills and change, so she'd probably been to quite a few of the neighbours doors.
When he got home, he did make a call to the police with the complaint, their plate number and description but who knows if they were pulled over. I'm sure the police have bigger and better things to worry about than a couple of scammers, but still, they are stealing and should be stopped.
We went over to our next door neighbour and explained what happened. She had given the woman the full $20, but as she handed the money over had said to her "I'm giving you this money in God's name." Bless her. She figured that the woman must have really needed the money, whatever the reason.
This experience has left me with a sour taste in my mouth. How can you trust anybody at the door anymore? When we first moved in, I was dreading having the Jehova's knocking at our door. They came and went and haven't bothered coming around again. But in any given week, there are people coming around canvassing for charity...how do you really know that the money is going to charity, and not directly into the canvassers pocket? I do donate money to a few charities of my choice, mainly homeless shelters, and I donate directly to the shelter. Honestly, after this scam, I don't think I'll be doling out any money at the door anymore. I am definitely not as trusting as I was a week ago.
Any thoughts on this?

WCB

Mr. Mao gets a kiss, even though he's not Irish! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Don't forget to head on over to I Got Two Shoes to give Kamikaze a kiss!

Travel Tuesdays #11

...a day late! Last week I promised a quick little visit to Istanbul, Turkey. This has GOT to be one of my all-time favourite places that I have been. The language, the culture, the history is all so incredible. I have been to Turkey a few times and each time I can't wait to arrive in Istanbul. There is something about big, populated cities that I just love to explore. The first time my friend Lisa and I arrived was after our luxury tour through Egypt. We had left it up to our travel agent to find us a room in Istanbul, and once again, blindly trusted him. Being novice travellers we didn't do any research at all, we just kind of flew by the seat of our pants. We arrived in Istanbul in the early evening and made our way to the hotel that had been booked for us. The taxi driver let us out with our two suitcases each, carry-ons, and all the souvenirs we had bought in Egypt, and then promptly drove away. I remember looking at my friend and asking "What have we gotten ourselves into?" If Istanbul has a red-light district, that was where we had landed! Nevertheless, it was getting dark and we needed a place to stay. We entered the red-velvet and mirrored lobby, and of course when we arrived at the check-in desk they did not have our reservation, which we had already pre-paid and our voucher was 'not recognized.' We decided that we would pay again and stay one night, after all, how bad could it be? The bellhop came to take us to our room, and his eyes nearly bugged out when he saw all our baggage! He did not have a luggage trolley, but somehow insisted on carrying our eleven bags by himself. I remember how the three of us crammed into a tiny little elevator that had a grate that needed to be pulled across to close it. We were all literally nose to nose with our bags strategically placed around us. Then the bloody lift wouldn't LIFT! And then the grate wouldn't open! The bellhop, speaking no english, somehow made us understand that on the count of three we were all to jump in the air and land at the same time. Which we did, and thank god the elevator moved. V-e-r--y slowly, but we finally made it to the third floor. Where, there were dirty dinner dishes and dirty laundry littering the hallways! OMG! What a place! But our room was the best. It was a long narrow room, with two twin beds, one in front of the other lined against one side of the room and a small bathroom with a bathtub that was a four foot cube with a seat carved out to plunk your naked ass on. (Bum imprint and all!) The room reeked of insecticide and later that night we discovered why. Cockroaches and bedbugs. Nice.

We got the hell out of there at the crack of dawn and booked ourselves into The Marriot. I always think back on this adventure with fondness because really, in hindsight the whole thing was quite funny. The next time I went to Istanbul, I was much more prepared and in fact, stayed at a B&B right near The Blue Mosque for a fraction of the cost of the Bordello we stayed in that first night.

The Blue Mosque, or Sultan Ahmed Mosque has got to be one of the most beautiful places of worship I have ever laid my eyes on. Living in KSA I would never have dreamed of being allowed inside a mosque, being an Infidel and all. The inside of the Blue Mosque is truly awe-inspiring with it's cobalt blue ceiling tilework.

The Hagia Sophia was once an early Christian Church that back in the 1400's was turned into a Mosque by the Turks. It is now a museum filled with beautiful Christian mosaics and evidence of the transformation into a mosque. It is known to be one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture.

No trip to Istanbul would be complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar which is a shopping experience and a maze like no other. You can seriously get lost in there for weeks, especially if you have a sense of direction like mine! One of the most friendly customs in Istanbul is tea-drinking. It is the national drink and is served in little tulip shaped glasses with a lump of sugar. I think I was offered tea in every single shop I wandered into! There is regular tea, but also apple tea that the tourists tend to drink. It is basically just very sweet hot apple juice. Who would have know hot apple juice was so tasty! If you have not had enough tea inside the bazaar, there are also Tea Men walking about with huge pots of tea strapped to their backs.

(Click on the pics to enlarge)

Later this year I'll post some more pictures from around Turkey, and I'll conjure up the story of my adventure in the Turkish Bath!

WCB

Looks like an ordinary living room picture, right?

Look deep into those rays of sunshine...

...and you'll see these two little rays of sunshine!

Now, do yourselves a favour and head on over to the Sher's delicious blog What Did You Eat? to see Upsie and Sundance partaking is some Feline Wrestlemania!

Travel Tuesdays #10

It's so cold outside tonight that I wanted to think of a warm place.

This week, I'm heading back to the Middle East, or rather North Africa, to Egypt. This trip goes way back to 1991! OMG! Hard to believe that I am still reliving vacations from over 15 years ago. (Seems like yesterday.) When I went to work in KSA, after the initial excitement wore off I became extremely homesick. So homesick that I was pulled into the manager's office and advised to either quit, or go on vacation. Vacation sounded like a great option so I took that one. in the back of my mind figuring that I'd take the vacation and then do a "runner" and buy a one-way ticket home. I talked a British friend of mine into going to Egypt with me as it had always been a dream of mine to go there. Lisa ended up being a great travel buddy. Since neither of us had really travelled before, we naively allowed a travel agent to book us a tour with Abercrombie and Kent ,a luxury travel company. Dare I tell you that a 10 day holiday in Egypt cost $5000.00 (and that was 15 years ago!!!)? OK, I just did. It was the first and last time that I ever travelled this way. In fact these days, I prefer to stay in Budget Hotels or Apartment Rentals.

On this trip, we had only the best. In Cairo, we stayed here: Cairo Marriot. For 5 days we cruised down, or rather, UP the Nile on a Sheraton Cruise barge. We were the youngest amongst a tour that had just arrived from Tel Aviv. Needless to say, the Captain took a shining to my friend and I (Ok, mostly I!) and wined and dined us on board at night with salmon canapes and caviar. This was all very nice, especially with the silent Nile as a backdrop, however I think he was disappointed when I didn't go back to his cabin to watch videos. The cruise was a busy one. The wake up call would be 5:30 am to be ready for breakfast and off board early to go to tour the temples. The temples were awesome, but overwhelming.

At tour end, we stayed in Aswan at The Old Cataract Hotel, the place that inspired Agatha Christie to write Death on the Nile. From there we flew to Abu Simbel which was for me one of the most memorable sites that we saw. The sheer size of these figures were astounding!

We ended our tour back in Cairo, and opted to do some cheesy touristy stuff that was a lot of fun.

Hello from Cairo!

Next week, I'll tell you about Istanbul, and how I ended up back in KSA.

For some fabulous travel pics from Moscow, head on over to the Beeshive !

WCB...Pieces of Mao

With this crazy weather we've been having, all Mr. Mao is interested in is eating and sleeping with the occasional bath thrown in for good measure. When the pics were taken of him sleeping, apparently his feet were hot!

For more kitty pics, head on over to Champaign Taste who is hosting this week. Thankfully, Louis decided to come home just in time for Weekend Cat Blogging!

Crystal Wonderland

I'm very glad that this week has ended, it was a long one! Yesterday's shift seemed to last forever, of course it doesn't help when you are looking at the clock every 5 minutes.

Thursday we had another winter storm. The blizzard that started at noon, and made the drive home quite treacherous. It took me an hour and a half to drive a route that normally takes me 25 minutes. Thankfully I have new snow tires so I was able to make it up all the hills. There were a few poor souls who must have had bald tires and they were spinning out of control making the drive that much worse for everyone else. Nevertheless, I got home safe and a lovely bottle of red wine was waiting for me which I thoroughly enjoyed.

At around 11pm the freezing rain started, so we were treated to a symphony smashing against our bedroom window, courtesy of nature herself. In the morning we awoke to a crystal wonderland, which was absolutely gorgeous! The first picture was taken from our bedroom door, looking into the backyard. The second picture I trudged though the snow drifts to get a photo lengthwise along the fence of the same bushes. I really like how this turned out.

Travel Tuesdays #9

Last week it was a toss up between Chinese New Year and Mardi Gras as to which to showcase in Travel Tuesdays, so I saved New Orleans for this week. As much as I would love to say that I'd love to go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, nothing could be further from the truth. There would be waaaaaay too many people for my liking. Besides, we were there for a non-event week and it was still packed! Friday and Saturday night on Bourbon street can give you a really good idea of what Mardi Gras would be like (maybe?!) I'm sure it's much crazier but there were still people getting drunk on Hurricanes and showing their body bits for beads. This was Greg and my first trip together and we had a great time! 3 for 1 drinks at lunchtime don't hurt either, as long as you make time for an afternoon nap in the heat of the day.

Our favourite day was the one where we went to the Audubon Zoo. We took the Canal Street Trolley that dropped us off at the Audubon Park. We saw trees we'd never seen before, they just wrapped around us as we walked through them.

It was my idea to go on a cemetery tour, because cemeteries in New Orleans are different from ones here. The dead are buried in family tombs and left to bake in the Louisiana heat. They say that within a year the body has turned to dust. I'd believe it. The day that we took the tour it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the sun was just blazing down on us amongst all the bright white tombs. Poor Greg who can't tolerate the sun much was crouching and hiding amongst the tombs searching for any little bit of shade! The worst picture EVER taken of us was taken in front of Marie Laveau's tomb. It is said that she was reputed to be the burial place of "notorious voodoo queen." Voodooism of African origin, was brought to New Orleans from Santo Domingo and flourished in the 19th century. (just a bit of UBI)

Needless to say, I learned a lesson this day: it is highly doubtful that Greg and I will ever go on a beach holiday together, he really doesn't do well in the sun.

I meant to add this last picture in with the collage. The architecture in the French Quarter really is beautiful with all it's iron work detail on the balconies. Despite being know for a major party town, I must say, it's also one of the prettiest cities I've been to in the USA.

You must go sometime!

Head on over to The Beeshive to see the new 'gourmet' restaurant in Ufa, Russia!

WCB

My Cats have a Heart On!

Had I taken this photo earlier this year, it would have been my Valentine's Pic. Since Mao's surgery, the kittties have been unusually close. They are in Dutchie's basket together. A First. And, look carefully, they are shaped like a heart! How cute. I do love my cats.

Please take the time to go visit Kate in the Kitchen who is kind enough to host WCB this weekend!

This past week I have started working in Critical Care again and I am quite happy about that. One thing has really bugged me though. My friend Sal works in this unit, but is presently on maternity leave. I am thrilled to show off pictures of her baby to anyone who asks, but inevitably the next question from well-intentioned colleagues are comments like "oh! You're next!" "When are you having babies?" "About time you got started, eh?!"
Part of me has come to expect these questions because I suppose they are innocent enough, and relevant enough to the conversation. I have my answer prepared : "We can't have kids." You would think that would be a conversation stopper, but it's not. I hear "Oh, you're still young, it'll happen"or "When you least expect it, that's when it'll happen." (These well-intentioned people should be Fertility Specialists.) I was given a 0.5% chance of getting pregnant and then there was still a 50% chance of staying pregnant. I don't usually bother with statistics, but this week it's been in my face. I am peri-menopausal. There is no doubt in the diagnosis, my Fertility Specialist sent me packing two years ago with an FSH of 67.
I have been having hot flashes this month that are driving me crazy. The heat starts in my hands, goes up my arms to my head. Then it settles under my bra-line and makes a bee-line down my legs where it feels like a million little pinpricks while my leg pores open up to sweat. I've had visions of how nice it would be to tear off my clothes and run outside to make snow-angels in the sub-zero temperatures we've been having. This lasts about a minute or two and then I'm searching for my sweaters or jackets that I've thrown off a minute earlier because I've got the chills. This happens a few times an hour, and although it's just a few minutes, I can't begin to tell you how uncomfortable it is.
Thankfully, my mood is pretty stable. I do not rip people's faces off when they ask me if I'm going to have kids. Even more thankfully, no one has asked me when my baby is due, because then I couldn't promise I wouldn't start ripping off faces.
As I said, it's been two years now since I've known that we wouldn't be able to have kids. Egg donation is the only possibility, and believe it or not, I do have a friend who has some frozen eggs and they have been offered to us. She now has two beautiful children and she and her husband do not plan to use the remaining eggs for themselves. Greg and I discussed this option and decided against it. While my friend has two healthy children, the eggs were harvested when she was 40. This isn't so much a problem, but the main issue is, is that they are friends of ours. Imagine using her DNA, having a child, and seeing our child and her children together. Biologically, they would be half-siblings. Psychologically, there are dozens of issues. Would my friend truly be able to separate herself from our child? How would her husband feel seeing our child that would look like a mix of Greg and his wife? What if their children died, would my friend want to be more involved with our child? How would it affect my friend's parents and in-laws, and her children, presuming this was not a big secret? And, how would it affect me? Would it make me feel less of a woman because our child is not part of my genetic make-up? Would a part of me always think of it as 'her' child? Or, should I be grateful that at least it would be part of Greg's DNA? These are a few of hundreds of questions we could ask ourselves, and I haven't even touched upon legal, ethical, financial issues.
So, I don't think Egg donation is such an easy option. Neither Greg nor I think it is an option for us, as exciting as it first sounded. And for other reasons, neither Greg nor I are interested in adoption.
I think I have to come up with a better response to people's well-intentioned questions, one where I don't feel like I have to be apologetic, or get into explanations about my early aging process.
Any suggestions?

Travel Tuesdays #8

In honour of Chinese New Year, this Tuesday I am headed back to Hong Kong.

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Let's see...I was in Hong Kong in 1993, and it just so happened it was Chinese New Year. That would have been The Year of the Rooster. To be honest, initially I had no great desire to go to Hong Kong, but our travel plans just turned out that way. I'm VERY glad that I went! I loved it! There was so much more to see than your average Chinatown, which I think was what I was expecting. Although I was there for four days, I've always intended to go back because there was so much more to see. And, it is a dream of mine to one day go to China and see the Great Wall.

One of the most spectacular experiences about Hong Kong, was landing at the old Kai Tak Airport. Not knowing what I was in for, I actually thought the plane was headed for a crash! We were so close to downtown skyscrapers and apartment buildings, that I could see people's laundry hanging from the clotheslines outside their windows. Next we were in for a hairpin turn, and then what seemed like a 45 degree nosedive into the water! Honestly, I have never been more petrified in a plane! This airport is no longer open, I guess it was too dangerous, and having only one run-way likely caused huge bottlenecks.

Check out the YouTube video below for an idea of what this landing was like!

Landing at KaiTak Airport HK

WCB #89

Now that Mr. Mao is feeling better, Madame Dutchess thought she would like to be the star of Weekend Cat Blogging this week. Here's my girl looking all pretty in the sunlight. Kitchen Mage has been kind enough to be the Hostess with the Mostess this weekend. Thanks!

Last night I worked my first shift back at my old stomping grounds, the Critical Care Unit. I have to say I had a great shift, and it felt good to be back. It felt really good to have so many people happy to see me again, lots of hugs and kisses. Because it's a huggy-kissy kind of place there was nothing weird or unusual about that. The funny thing is, the Recovery Room is located just on the other side of a bridge, about 50 metres away but secluded behind the OR doors so the rest of the hospital often has no idea where it even is. I really wasn't that far away. Anyway, I came home this morning and slept like a Baby. (a non-colicky baby!) I'm back in the Unit again tonight for another 12 hour shift, and Greg is having The Boys over for a Jam Night. I'm planning on doing quite a few Friday night shifts over the winter months, one because it's a guaranteed shift, they are usually short-staffed and two, to give Greg some time to work on his music with the guys. (And I don't have to listen to their racket!)

I'm starting to get really pumped about our trip to Europe in May. Berlin and Amsterdam are booked, and now I'm working on a four day trip to Prague. I've always wanted to go there, and I'm thinking that this is the perfect opportunity. I want to see as much as we can, and although we could venture forth and see more of Germany or the Netherlands, I've got my heart set on Prague. And since I am the Tour Manager, I get to do what I want! Three countries in two weeks. I think it will be a great first trip to Europe for Greg. I want to give him the travel bug so that we can have a yearly adventure and he'll be as excited about it as I am.

In Amsterdam, I have booked a Budget hotel that is located directly across the canal from Anne Frank's House . I visited the museum years ago, and recall that I had intended to re-read The Diary of a Young Girl when I got home from that trip. That never happened, but it is now next on my reading list. I'm hoping that Greg will also take an interest in reading it, but I won't hold my breath.

A question: Does anyone know of an inexpensive apartment to rent in Prague? Or a Budget hotel, or B&B that they would recommend? I'm looking for something under 70 Euros a night. Thanks!

Valentine's Day...

...my take.

I spent about three hours yesterday making a card with "special coupons" for Greg yesterday. It was my day off so I was having fun with the new computer/printer trying to do something fun. It worked out well.

Did it have the response I was looking for?

Yes and No.

We had a big snow dump this morning so traffic was slow. Greg called me to say how long it was taking him to get to work. I reminded him to make sure that he ate his lunch today because I had put somthing "Special" in his lunch.

I didn't hear from him for the rest of the day.

When I got home, he had shovelled the driveway, and the garage was open ready for me to pull in my car. (We don't have an automatic garage opener...unless it is human)

Dinner was on it's way, and there was a gorgeous orchid and card from Greg. (I did F-all when I got home from work!)

We watched American Idol, and Greg then fell asleep at 9:30 with both cats passed out on top of him.

It's midnight and here I am.

Happy Valentine's!

Travel Tuesdays #7

At the start of this year, I was quite concerned about Global Warming as our Toronto weather was so incredibly mild. My lilac bush out back was confused and even starting to bud thinking that spring was on it's way. Well, since mid-January we have had a definite cold snap. As I write this, it is -17 degrees Celsius, with a windchill of -28 C. (1.4F/-18.4F in Americaneze) It's frigid, and while I don't particularly like the cold, I'm thinking that it is probably a good thing for our environment.

On Sunday, Greg and I decided to go for a drive to Niagara Falls. It is normally a quick hour and a half highway drive from Toronto but we were busy yapping in the car and missed the highway turnoff. Now, I would have taken the next exit and turned around to get back on the right road. Greg had a better idea and figured that we would take the back roads. It took 3 hours through unploughed farm roads and sometimes white-out conditions, but we finally made it! Niagara Falls was our destination because I had it in my head that the Falls would look pretty in the wintertime. Which, they do I'm sure, when the sun is shining. Which, it wasn't. So everything was kind of grey and white. The American Falls were quite impressive in that there were a lot of ice formations at the bottom and the reservoir where the Maid of the Mist travels in the summertime was frozen. The Horseshoe Falls were still falling and there was a brittle-cold mist that made it unbearable to stand still for long.

It was very icy, and that's where I captured the photos of the ice-covered trees. The ice is actually frozen mist and was clinging to the side of the tree facing the falls. I thought it looked very pretty.

The photos of the Falls are quite grainy due to the lighting, and also likely because I am still learning how to use my new camera, but I think they look best in black and white.

(Click on the pics to enlarge.)

That's it for Travel Tuesdays this week. Keep warm!

Head on over to Mitey Mite's to see the snow-covered mountains of Colorado. Doesn't she look cute as a Snow-bunny?!

The Beeshive has some photos to share of a Kurdish memorial. A reminder of a cruel regime.

If you'd like to show off your travel pics, leave a link and I'll send people on over to visit!

Greg and I took a road trip today and I took this picture.

Can you guess what it is, and where it was taken?
Find out the answer in this week's Travel Tuesday!

Church Ladies

This morning Greg and I were both up at 7AM. I guess that's what happens when you go to bed at 10PM. Either that, or it is a sign of aging. Nonetheless, we started out our day great: a pot of coffee, a big juicy newspaper, we did the crossword puzzle together, and we had a full day ahead of us to do with whatever we wanted. There was a rummage sale scheduled at a nearby church, one that we could walk to. I had been looking forward to it for the past few days because it's a novelty. (It's not really rummage season, you know.) On the way over, I was laughing and telling Greg the story of one of the sales I had gone to where I had witnessed a cat fight between a Church Lady and a Freaky Seller I had recognized from the Antique Market that we go to on Sundays. It was ugly. (Click on picture and run mouse across)

The freaky guy was decked out in full spray-on hair and his usual glittery top. His make-up was running down his face, and boy! was he angry. He threw a bonafide hissy-fit at the Church Lady which caused her to get pissy and all the women around formed a circle yelling at him! It was quite a sight, let me tell you.
Anyway, Greg and I get to the Church, and we weren't sure where the entrance was as it was not clearly posted, and there was no line-up to get in. We followed a couple of ladies in, but apparently we went in through the BACK door. This little old lady dressed in red SCREAMED at us when we opened the door! "You've come the wrong way! Go back out and around! You can't come in this way!" Then she shoved me. I was so shocked, astounded, surprised, that for a minute I didn't know what hit me! I tried to explain that there was no sign, we didn't know, sorry, perhaps the entrance needed to be clearly labelled with a balloon or something? Then she shoved me again. While I was trying to talk to another lady, just to say a sign would be a good idea, this little 4'10" creature decided to start shoving Greg! All 6'4" of him! She was clearly nuts. At that point Greg got mad and told her that he didn't appreciate her shoving his wife. So she shoved him again, this time with the door! He told her she was rude, and that she didn't have to be such a bitch. Her response was that she could do whatever she liked because she BELONGED to the Church! At that point, I decided that it really wasn't worth it and we'd be better off if we left. On my way out, I could help but tell her that she "wasn't very Christian-like." I think she said something about calling the police.
LOL! All this at 10 AM.
On our way out, I couldn't help but notice that every single person heading into the sale was entering through the doors we had just been kicked out of with that little troll of a woman standing guard.
I didn't tell a soul that they were entering the wrong way.
Is that evil of me?

WCB #88

Mr. Mao and I are both very relieved that last week's medical nightmare has ended. This week we are both sleeping much better and having very sweet dreams.

This week, Weekend Cat Blogging is taking place over at CatSynth so do head on over to say hello to the Lovely Luna and visit the other kitties.

I have decided to make a move to go back to work in the Critical Care Unit. For the past 2 years I have been working in the Recovery Room and it's been a welcome break from the emotional burnout that I had from being a Trauma Nurse. As welcome as the break was, I am finding that I am missing using the knowledge and experience I have when taking care of critically ill people. There is a technical and pharmaceutical side of this kind of nursing that I've been away from for enough time. If I don't go back now, I'm afraid that things will have changed so much that I'll be left behind and won't have the confidence to do what I know I am good at.
In the last two years, the population of critically ill patients in Toronto has changed. There are far more violent incidents involving guns and knives. 10 years ago, this was a rarity, now it is the norm. The ICU is now a locked unit and the police are regular features. The faces have changed, but I have a need to go back.
I am looking forward to this, but am also nervous. Nervous precisely because the ill faces have changed. Not all patients are the 'victims,' some are the bad guys. I know it can be hard to keep an open mind when gangs and violence are involved. I am thinking that this is going to be my new challenge.
I have been planning this move back to the ICU for months, and it will take effect at the end of February. Actually, I will be working part-time in Recovery, and part-time in ICU because I think that this will be best for me. Variety is spice of life.
Last Saturday, I was called into the OR because they needed a pair of extra hands for the latest gun-shot victim. I don't normally work in the OR, and in fact was a little squeamish because they had this poor guy cut open like they were doing an autopsy. I did what I could, and know that my help was appreciated, but I know that my skills would have been much better utilized in the ICU after the surgery trying to keep this patient alive and dealing with his family.
I miss that, and am ready to go back with a fresh outlook.

Travel Tuesdays #6

This week, I'm going to stay a little closer to home. A number of years ago I traveled to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a friends wedding. We were only there for a few days, and on our last day my friend and I took a bus tour to Peggy's Cove. The trip was just an hour outside of Halifax, but the bus trip was endless. The driver was also the commentator, and as we were driving through Halifax she commented on every building we passed. Not only the historically significant sites, but also stuff like: "If you take a look out onto your left you'll see a drugstore where you can buy aspirin, cold medicine, bandages, or you can get your prescriptions filled." "Right beside the drugstore is the Vet's office where if you have a dog, or a cat, or even a bunny or a hamster you can take them there if they are sick, or even if they just need their shots." "Now look out the right window and there is the hardware store. So, if you are a gardener you can buy a spade, or potting soil, or a rake. But if you're not a gardener and maybe you need to fix up something around the house you can buy a hammer, or a tape measure, or a screwdriver, and nails and maybe even some wood." You get the idea. It was Painful! So, even though it was already late September, we opted to take a whale-watching boat back to Halifax. We didn't see any whales and it was freezing out on the Atlantic Ocean, but it sure beat taking that bus back again!

Mr. Mao...

...Is now back to his old self! Well, 90% back to his old self. His IV came out yesterday, and with the aid of appetite stimulants he is now eating and drinking again. He has lost an awful lot of weight in one week, and is pretty much just skin and bones. Biopsies taken during his surgery has shown that he had a severe bowel infection that led to colitis and he likely has irritable bowel syndrome. We are gong to have to keep a close eye on what he eats, and hopefully we will also be able to get his PICA under control. We go back to the vet tomorrow to have his pain patch removed and to get him weighed. From now on, he'll have to go to the vet once a month to be weighed. Apparently even a sublte weight loss could be an indication that his bowels are acting up again. Lord knows he doesn't want to go through this again (and neither do I!)

Many thanks to all of you for your comments and concerns about Mr. Mao. I truly believe that this helped me (and him) get through this.

WCB cont...

Well, your good thoughts must be working because Mr. Mao is home! He is a tiny bit better, and The Vet thought Mao would do better at home than he would by himself at the clinic this weekend. The clinic is closed, but she would have gone in a few times to check on him, had we not been able to handle him at home. When we went to visit Mao at the clinic this morning, the Vet had mentioned that she had tried to get a prescription for him from one of the local hospitals, but it was a real hassle. The medication is one that is often used in chemo patients to control nausea. I immediately new what she was talking about and mentioned that I could run back to work and pick it up from the stock in the Recovery Room. So, I did.
She gave Mao the first dose, and a few hours later, he was able to tolerate some food without drooling and vomiting. She called me at 1pm with her idea. Would I be willing to take Mao home over the weekend with his pump, give him all his medications, and syringe-feed him every few hours? OF COURSE! She said that this was an unusual situation, that normally she would not send a sick animal home in this condition, but she felt that since I was a nurse, I would be able to handle Mao. (And, she would be able to give me a discount on his vet bill.)
So, today I find myself being a veterinarian assistant. I am familiar with the IV pump, and the IV medications. There was one IntraMuscular injection that I had to give and that was a bit strange in that I've never given a cat a needle before, but it worked out ok. I was able count his heartbeat with my stethoscope, and as luck would have it, I was able to use my dusty Fertility Thermometer for a good cause!
Mao is doing a little better, he even purred for a little bit this evening, which I'm taking as a very good sign. He is tolerating the syringe feeds, and although he does have a bit of a fever this evening, all in all I am cautiously optimistic that he is going to pull through this.
The Vet will be making a house call tomorrow morning to check in on him, and I think that she will be happy with his progress. He might need to go back to the clinic on Monday for a complete check up, but hopefully he is through the worst.

WCB

My poor Mr. Mao is still very sick. He's now been in the cat hospital since Tuesday, and really is not much better. He's had bloodwork and xrays; antibiotics, anti-emetics, and stomache motility meds through his IV. He hasn't had anything to eat since Monday, food just makes him start drooling uncontrollably. Wednesday he had bloody diarrhea. Thursday they did a barium xray study that showed there was a probably blockage in his ilieo-cecum (bowels) that was likely either a foreign body or a tumour. So today Mr. Mao had surgery which showed absolutely nothing! There was no blockage. I can't believe it. The vet did take all kinds of biopsies, but we won't know the results of those until Monday. The vet thinks he has severe pancreatitis that has slowed his bowels right down. Now Mao is on a pain patch, as well as all the other meds. His vital signs are ok, and his bloodwork is also fairly ok. I sure do hope he is going to survive this. He is such a good little cat, and the house feels so empty without him. Even Dutchess misses him. She has moments where she just stands in the hallway and yowls which is not like her at all.

Please send good wishes Mao's way. He needs all the help he can get.

Don't forget to head on over to Rosa's Yummy Yums for more Weekend Cat Blogging!