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Issue #1235
Including:

Sus

Carol

Doug

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From Nova Scotia Sus

This winter has been quite trying. We get a snowstorm and then it all goes away and then another and all snow goes away. And of course it becomes icy and treacherous in between. I wish it would either be winter or not and it's only January. Spring is a long way off. This is very unusual for me to be so impatient. Maybe by spring I will be ready to retire.

I really love my job so it is a big decision. I also love the people that regularly come for haircuts. They are all my friends for years and years and the last thing they want is to lose their hairdresser.

Sus

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From Carol

This has been a quiet week for us. The big story in Ontario is about cold, snow and more snow. Even though we live in a condo complex with a contractor supposedly taking care of the parking lots, sidewalks and walkways Al has to do some shoveling. Naturally we need to shovel out our own backyard to get to the gate and car and around the car but the contractor isn’t doing a very good job. They always miss a few walkways and they never shovel around the recycle bins, even though it’s in the contract. Al ends up doing that shoveling and also keeps open a path from the end of our personal walkway to the road, we don’t want our visitors trying to climb over the pile of snow along the road. Our neighbour’s mom thanked us for keeping an opening so she could gather in to visit her little granddaughter. Her son is a big strong man of about 30 so I couldn’t stop myself from saying that a 76 year old man should not be doing this shoveling but the unspoken message that her son, who is always using that path to the road, would be more fit for the job.

I did see my gastroenterologist this week and had another gastroscope. Before the scope she said my family doctor should have referred me to the surgeon for my swallowing and eating problem. After the scope she said I had so much scarring in my esophagus that more surgery is the last thing I need. Personally I will never accept another surgery unless it is a matter of life or death. She did change my meds and, I think, somehow stretched out my esophagus while I was under so food has a better chance of making it all the way to my stomach. I’m to go back in a few weeks to see if the new meds have made a difference.

Have a great week everyone and stay warm.

Carol

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From Doug

I’ve seen some of the pictures Gale posts showing her piles of snow. Thats cool and I’m envious. We don’t have any and with one small exception have not had any at all this winter. Now to be clear, I’m referring to the lower elevations of the South Western BC including where we live. There is snow high up in the mountains but even there it is not anywhere near what it should be. Our grass is green, has been all winter. There is no frost in the ground, hasn’t been all winter. We did have grueling multi weeks of endless rain which was the pits to say the least. That was hard on everyone. This last week has been sunny and clear but even at that the nights barely make it down to the freezing point. The Lower Mainland has been shrouded in dense fog for days on end. We are too far inland to be effected by that and for that I’m grateful.

I have not worn my winter coat or boots, there has been no need at all but the lack of winter here means there is no real snowpack on the southern coastal mountains. Thats a very bad situation as that snow becomes our summer drinking water and helps keep the forests from drying out too much. Some of you want winter to leave, I’d kind of like it to come.

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We (my musical accomplice Jane and I) have an upcoming gig at the gondola on Sunday Feb 8^th. It has been a bit of a challenge to get some practices in and at the same time keep an eye on Sue. Some days she is quite happy to sit quietly on the couch and listen to our music as she ‘works’ on her iPad doing a puzzle. Other times it just doesn’t work out at all. However, we’ve managed to stay sufficiently practiced that the gig should be fun and the music nicely polished. And of course we still have a couple of weeks to continue to practice as best we can. It’s always nice to have something to look forward to.

Doug

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Have a Good One
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