A puzzle and a rehearsal

Today is the day!!! The big wedding, but FIRST - I have to tell you about yesterday, and then you'll hear all about the wedding tomorrow. 

I'm not sure where the others were, but I asked the previous day if anyone wanted to go for a bike ride! I had a couple of takers, but when push came to shove, they were working out in the gym! But that's OK - I thoroughly enjoyed riding the bike. And sometimes being by yourself on a bike is best! 

Off for a ride

However, I had to sign a waiver, which is normal, and wear a helmet, which is the law. I decided to ride the bike into Tofino (about 4 KMs) to see what I could see. Oh my gosh --- what fun that was. You never forget how to ride a bike, and if you maintain your balance, it's a piece of cake. The bikes are single-speed, which I am not used to. Even my townie back home has three speeds. 

That meant a wee bit more oomph to get up a couple of small hills, but really, the road is flat, and all was great. You cannot help but smile when you ride a bike, unless you have been in the pouring rain for hours and your shoes are filled with water, and you have to set up a tent, but only after you finish climbing this 5 KM hill!! 

I've had a day or two like that in the past, but seriously? It's so much fun. When I am home, I NEED to get my bikes serviced and get out there!! To heck with walking --- let's get on the bike! My knees didn't seem to mind it so much, and everything feels fine today. 

I have to tell you a story about the seatpost, which is why I took the picture above. It's for adjusting the seat height, and I feel dismay when I see people riding a bike with the seat in the lowest position. That is the HARDEST way to ride a bike. Your leg can't extend fully, and you have ZERO power. Your knees will not thank you later. And you struggle. At one point yesterday, the seat fell right down. I guess the latch wasn't as secure as it should have been. I put it back up, and all was good. 

I remember on one of my bike trips that, unbeknownst to me, the seat was slowly descending, and after a break, I got on my bike and couldn't figure out what I could barely pedal. Then it dawned on me that the seat had slipped lower. Once that was fixed, I was back in business. So if you have grandchildren, spouses, or anyone who rides bikes, make sure the seat is the correct height!!! It's important, and pedaling won't be as much of a struggle. 

What did I discover in Tofino? Oh my -- there was a cute little cafe called Rhino, and well, I stopped. And I had a tea and OH MY --- look at the donuts. So I had one!!

The breakfast of champions!!!

I figured I deserved it since I rode the bike there!!! 

Then it was back to the hotel and Bear, and we were exploring and decided to check out the library, which is just a big open space on the third floor. Guess what we found? By the way, we had already been out on the beach several times. 

This is a Stave puzzle. Technically, you are not supposed to look at the picture. I don't think the picture came with the puzzle, but the hotel had conveniently placed a copy on the table. I was not familiar with Stave puzzles, but each one is handcrafted and is the Cadillac of wooden puzzles. If you check out the prices on the website, you'll see what I mean! 

A jigsaw puzzle - how could I resist

Once I flipped that card over, where it said NOT to look at the picture, I turned the picture face down. I placed all the pieces face up and realized there were many with special shapes. They were insanely beautiful. The signature piece in each is a clown, which I did not get a picture of, but we spotted the clown. 

Insanely intricate pieces

And there are often puzzles within the puzzle. There is a note inside the box that tells you if you have any of those and how many there are!!

I started traditionally—digging out all the edge pieces. But wait—this is NOT working. I was struggling when M came along. So we worked on the puzzle together. Dillon spent time with his mom in the gym, while M and I worked on the puzzle. It was a beautiful memory for us. And she's good at it!!! If only she were closer - I could have a speed puzzling buddy!

A great teammate for puzzle assembly

Once we figured out how the puzzle works, it was "easier." I use that word very lightly because every single piece of this puzzle was a struggle and therefore a win when we got it in. 

Between the two of us, we worked amazingly well as a team, got the bottom (waves) part of the puzzle together. The sun was cut into the shape of a sun!! 

Progress on the puzzle

She had stuff to do, so she left. Then my aunt came up to visit while I attempted to work on the sky, but I wasn't getting anywhere. But it was at this point, when I couldn't figure out what went into that weird opening, that I realized the two puzzle pieces that spelled out an island fit in that weird space. And then I realized that the TOP of the puzzle was not a straight line. It was puffy clouds!!!! 

Very weird shapes

Then I had to run some errands, so I left the puzzle in this condition. OH NO!!!!!  

DON'T touch the puzzle.

My aunt, cousin, DH, and I went into town for a late lunch. Poor Bear - even though we ate on an outdoor patio, he wasn't allowed, so I had to put him on the outside of the little fence, and I was on the other side. It was an open fence, and with a few bits of French fries, he was just fine. I know—people food, but I had to keep him entertained. He loves being with people, and this situation was not satisfactory for him. However, he was able to watch people and dogs go by, and that did keep him busy. 

I swear that dog is a people magnet. Everyone stops to talk to him!!! And he loves it. He just saoks up all the attention. 

DH and I explored the property and found this little path through the woods. 

The entrance to the Rainforest Beach Trail

What a pretty trail, and Bear had fun walking along the wood chips. He is not a fan of walking on pebbles, but wood chips are OK. 

The path to one of the beaches

There is a beautiful spot in the forest to stop if you wish. 

A wonderful clearing in the forest for faeries! 

We didn't have any rain yesterday, so that was good, but it's not warm. Which is probably OK, but I could stand a couple more degrees of heat. Since I didn't have a jacket with me and I know that the temperature on a bike is about 5 degrees lower than if you are just standing, I put on my jean jacket and then my flannel shirt jacket. I was toasty as I could be. 

OH -- there's a picture of Bear on the beach. For some reason, it's very hard to get him to look right at the camera. 

Grandma --- NO pictures please!!!

Then we were off to the beach (Shell Beach) for the rehearsal. It took three tries for us to get serious, pay attention, and decide who was doing what and when. Actually, M had it all planned out, but we needed to get on board. So that got done, and all was good. Then we went into the dining room for the rehearsal dinner. Actually, we were in the wine cellar, where they have a long table for a more private event. 

Practicing at the rehearsal

They really are a cute couple, and I wish them so much happiness. The big bet for today is who is going to cry at the wedding!! 

Bear was not too happy to be in someone else's arms. He was pulling on the leash to get to me, but he soon settled down. 

When he hears a voice he recognizes, he freaks out! When one of M's friends walked by when we were working on the puzzle, he went wild!!

I didn't get a picture of the wine cellar, but let's just say there was a lot of wine there. And here is the dessert from last night's dinner. I mean, you can always eat dessert. 

Dessert from the rehearsal dinner

The food is amazing, and earlier in the day, I had read up on the Executive Chef, who isn't that old. So they asked if he could come to our table, and he did. What a nice young man, and I had told the single girls at the table about him. I was praying that the pictures on the internet were not old. I pleaded that if he was not good-looking, the photos on the internet were airbrushed! Thankfully, he lived up to his pictures! Hmm -- I can't find that link to him at the moment. WAIT --- found it. 

OH -- if you go to this link, you can see a photo of the wine cellar -- just scroll down. 

So you want to know what happened to the puzzle? When we got back from Tofino after lunch, we had about 35 minutes before we were to be at the rehearsal location. I was going to take a nap, but the moment I lay on the bed, my mind went to the puzzle, and I'm wide awake. So off to the puzzle Bear and I went, and I was under a lot of pressure to complete it in 35 minutes. At least at this point, I had figured out how the top border would look—somewhat —and there were fewer pieces. 

The completed puzzle

But see what I mean about the top border? It was crazy, and there were small openings along the top as well. On the left, they almost look like seagulls. 

There were even cutouts in the top.

What a little treasure it was to find that puzzle and work on it with M in the morning. 

It was a great day, and as the day progressed, more and more people arrived. Not everyone is staying at this hotel, so I was on pickup duty once yesterday, and I have to pick someone up this morning for the beach yoga session. I think that is only for the young ones. But I'm OK with that -- I'd much prefer to go for a bike ride. 

I have to say that the bride is pretty chill, which is exciting. She says she spent so much time planning and has this massive spreadsheet of who needs to do what when, that it's all coming together. I just need to remember to pick someone up today and finish sewing that pillow! I completely forgot about it yesterday, and I need to get that done this morning. 

The weather today looks halfway decent - it's cool, and we hope to have some sun. WAIT -- speaking of sun, when we were on our final run of the wedding procession, and the bride started down the "aisle," a massive wave crashed on the rocks, and the sun came from behind the clouds! A sign!!!! 

It was a fabulous day, and everyone had a great time!!! A few more people are arriving this morning, and then I think we'll all be here! 

On that note, I'd better get Bear up and out for his walk, as I don't want to be late fulfilling my pickup duties! 

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Travel day and it's all about the dogs!!

Travel days are so much fun! OK -- I know I shouldn't complain, and I'm not because I'm fortunate enough to be able to travel. I would say that half of the travel I do wouldn't be necessary if my family lived close, but we are all over the country, and hence, travel is required. For those of you with family within driving distance? You are lucky! 

Anyway -- the first thing was to get the girls walked and finish tidying up stuff around the house. Can you believe I even vacuumed quickly before I left? It's all about appearances since I have two people at home taking care of the girls. They have a night nanny and a day nanny! Those girls are spoiled, but no one will be taking them for a walk. I don't require that because they are a nightmare to walk, although Murpy is getting better. 

Remember when we saw all those pictures about what people think we are going versus what we are actually doing? Here's how that applies to the girls. To save some time, I walked them together, which I don't do so often. When we got Murphy, I walked them together, and it was a nightmare, and I put up with that for over 1 year before I decided they needed to be walked alone. I bet I would have been able to curb some of Murphy's enthusiasm if I had walked them alone, where I could actually train her. Sigh.......

So, in an ideal world, this is what it would be like to walk with the two girls. Lexi on the left, and Murphy on the right. And they walk at the same distance, no sniffing, and all is good. No arm swinging allowed with a leash in each hand. 

The ideal scenario when walking the girls

And at times in the forest, they aren't too bad. Notice how Murphy wants to be in front. Her leash is a leather lead that started out at about 6 feet long. I swear that her leash is now about 7 feet long!!! When the three of us leave the house, she is beyond herself for the first block as she pulls fiercely at that leash. I have no idea why, but she must be in front at the beginning of the walk. 

MOM  Lexi is so slow - I NEED to be in front

Most of the time on the walk, they are like this. I have both leads in one hand as I took the picture, but they get wrapped around trees; one has to sniff while the other wants to walk, and vice versa. And let's not forget all the times that they would cross each other's paths, and then the leash or at least one of them would be wrapped around my legs. Thankfully, that doesn't happen very often these days. 

MOM -- I hate walking with my sister - she's too slow! 

So the ideal is to walk them separately, and I do, except on a day when I'm a wee bit strapped for time. 

MOM - I like being walked without my sister

Lexi has an extendable leash, which I'm not a fan of, but since she is a pretty good, calm dog to walk, I'm OK with it. Murphy on an extendable leash? That would be the equivalent of one of those ping pong balls on an elastic cord attached to a paddle. That is NEVER going to happen. 

MOM - I loved walking without my sister

Since most people wouldn't have the patience to walk them separately. And I give strict instructions that should they choose to walk the dogs, to NEVER walk them together - NEVER. If we need dog sitters, the girls have to go to the backyard. 

And of course, if we stop for a break (we never do - this was simply to get a picture), they NEVER look at me. There is always something more interesting off in the forest. 

MOM - we are busy and have no time to stop for pictures!

Murphy went nuts when we got home. I gave the pond filter a good cleaning, and while I was outside doing that, Murphy went mad! Like a crazed dog, she jumped into her pool to cool off. Of course, it's not big enough for her to completely lie down, but she gave it a good effort to cool off. Of course, she was wet, but who cares? We live in a house with wild dogs! 

Cooling down in the pool

And so, at around 7:30 AM, we left the house with an Uber driver. It must have been prayer time because we heard chants all the way to the airport. I really don't mind, but you would think that if you are an Uber driver, you would put on some light music or something less specific! Maybe it was for DH's benefit! I don't know. But it was HOT in the car with the sun blazing in as the driver took some back roads to avoid the chaos on the road. I could have asked for the AC to be turned on, but it was only for a few minutes. 

No big deal - at least he got out to load and unload the small bags from the car. That's all I care about. I hate the drivers who just sit in the front seat and let you do all the work. You sure aren't getting a tip from me for that! 

Since we were already checked in and had no bags to drop off, we breezed right to the security area. Oh my -- the NEXUS line was much longer than the non-NEXUS line. We knew that was going to happen one day, and we have been spoiled. I don't think it was so much the length of the line, but the speed at which the bags were being scanned. Perhaps there was a trainee on the X-ray machine. 

I spotted this shirt in the line. It looks like it was made from an old tablecloth - cross-stitch embroidery, and the trim on the bottom of the blouse was the edge of the tablecloth. I still need to make myself one of those!!! I need to make a lot of things! 

A blouse made from a tablecloth

We made it through security with no issues, although DH's bag got flagged for something. It didn't take long to resolve. OH -- might have been the CPAP machine. 

We went up to the lounge to have breakfast - OK - second breakfast for me as I had something to eat while I wrote the blog. While I appreciate the lounge, it isn't the same as getting a Tim's tea. And before we knew it, it was time to board the plane. We walked down to the gate and boarded immediately because they were already boarding Zone 2. 

And this is another area that has become a nightmare in the travel world. I know -- first-world problems. The airlines have been loading by Zones for quite some time, and the Zones are determined by your status, your ticket price, and probably some other mystery algorithm. We were loading in Zone 2, which used to be special. Not quite business class, but ahead of the other 4 zones. 

It's not really a big deal since we all have a seat, but it's all about the luggage. If you get on the plane earlier, there is no danger of finding a spot for your luggage. If you get on later, it's harder. Not impossible, but harder. 

Now that the airline is using its branded credit card to let passengers earn points, the number of people who have moved into Zone 2 is enormous. It's now the largest loading zone, and any special privileges are gone! 

But what is frustrating is that you are supposed to have two items - a small carry-on suitcase and a personal item, which for most is a backpack or briefcase. That second item is supposed to go under the seat. When I arrived yesterday at our seats near the front of the plane (NOT business class), there were already tons of bags and backpacks stowed overhead, so I had to put my suitcase in the overhead bin behind me, not over me. If that makes sense. 

DH had to do the same thing. This was because we were the last to arrive in that area, and there were many backpacks up above. So I complained out loud (to myself) as I found a home for my suitcase, while I tucked my backpack under my seat. Anyway, when the plane landed, I popped up before everyone else and kept anyone in the two rows behind from getting up while I got our suitcases out of the overhead bins. I'm fast—I wasn't obnoxious! And we were both in aisle seats. 

Call me Karen! No one was going anywhere, so it didn't really matter. 

The flight was pretty uneventful. I was exhausted, so I tried to sleep, but kept waking myself up, realizing that my mouth was hanging open. Oh god --- I hope I wasn't snoring. Then I read for a bit and then watched the fourth Harry Potter movie. Only four more to go, and I will have seen them all on a plane. I never saw any of them in person. 

And then we were in Vancouver. And yes—this tile in the washrooms makes me smile every single time. I made a quilt based on that tile, which I'm sure I've shared with you many times. I won't today.

The tile in the Vancouver airport

Once we got out of the airport, it was off to the next airport. We had discussed getting from Vancouver to Vancouver Island—renting a car in Vancouver and taking the big ferry, the passenger ferry (number one on the list, but the timing wasn't going to work), or the seaplane. So we got on the airport shuttle. 

The airport shuttle

And then arrived at the seaplane dock. We thought we might be lucky and get seats on the 1 PM flight, but it was full, so we had to wait for our original flight, which was booked for 3:15, leaving us some time to kill. We went to the nearby restaurant and had something to eat. 

I've been on the seaplanes a few times, but always in the smaller plane, which has just one pilot. The plane to Nanaimo is a little bit larger and has two pilots. And there was my pilot friend Paul! He was the copilot on this flight. He was the one who managed to fly the small plane from Salt Spring Island the last time I was out through the fog that no one else would fly through! 

The seaplane

It's always fun to take the seaplane and those things bank like mad as they turn the corner to come in for a landing. Don't be afraid of heights or don't look out the window!!! Of course, we've been monitoring the travel plans of some of the other family members, and when they took the big ferry across, they all saw Orcas!!!! I watched from the air, but we saw nothing! 

Next up was to catch a taxi from the seaplane dock to the car rental. There was some discussion with the taxi driver about where he would drop us off, but he was right. I was just checking because I didn't want to get the run around - I was getting tired. The address on the retail agreement was incorrect, and the taxi driver knew that. Anyway -- we arrived and got the car. Or should I say the full-sized SUV? More on that tomorrow. 

It had started to rain - it's cold and wet here. I was going to pack my orange jacket, and I didn't. I said I would! I said that, but I packed a jean jacket instead. Silly me!!! Anyway, we will be fine. 

Then we had to make a detour to pick up someone!!! Look who we found at doggie daycare!!!!!

Hello everyone -- it's me -- it's BEAR!!!!!! 

M doesn't have a dog-friendly room at the hotel in Tofino, so they brought him over and dropped him off, and we had to rescue him. Finding that doggie daycare was pretty stressful. I had called and texted so many people. Well, I already told you about it. But there he was in a house of giant dogs, and he seemed to be just fine. 

Our plan was NOT to drive to Tofino yesterday. We still have a couple of errands to run today, so we're staying at a hotel in downtown Nanaimo. A hotel with a view, I might add. 

The view from the hotel

And the room is huge, so little Bear looks much smaller than he really is. I'm guessing they have had other dogs in this room because he needed to sniff the entire space before he would settle down. 

GRANMA -- Is all this space for me? 

But what a cutie. I was exhausted when we got to the room and lay on the bed to read. But Bear needed a walk, and then he needed his dinner. But I managed to get some sleep, and yes --- it's very early in the morning here as I watch the lights out that huge window. DH and Bear are fast asleep, but I need to be up and dressed when he wakes, because he needs to do business as soon as he wakes. Yep -- we got his luggage when we picked him up, and I swear his bags (food) weigh more than my bag. 

When we finally went ot bed, he wanted to play and was trying to lick my face and paw at me. Silly little boy. And he is so cute because when he is cold, he comes to snuggle under the covers. When he is hot, he gets out and sleeps on the covers. We love you, little guy!!!!

Grandma - I'm ready to play with you!!!!

And here's one more view of the harbor. There are planes, boats, ferries, and everything coming into this space. It's a bit quiet because, as you can see, the weather isn't great, but it's all going to work out!!! 

Part of the Nanimo harbor

I started reading a book yesterday that's due in three days. I read a third of it yesterday, but I'm not so sure I can get that much reading done in the next couple of days. We'll see how it goes. 

I had to laugh when we got in the car. I let DH drive as I was tired. The FIRST thing I do when I get into a rental car is connect to the Bluetooth. I couldn't figure out what was happening when he asked me for the doggy daycare address, as he was going to put it in his phone. What? Why don't you connect to Bluetooth? It only takes a few seconds to make that happen. So his phone is connected to the car. Good grief!!! WAIT -- I know why. He doesn't rent cars often. He mostly grabs Uber or a taxi when he travels. 

WAIT -- I almost forgot that I have two pictures to share with you that I've been keeping a secret. But since the two items are now gifted, it's OK to share. 

This has been the year of weddings for us. We had been to one wedding a couple of years ago, but haven't been to many others. Then this year, we have two, and they are both destination weddings. This one is a bit closer than the one in Italy when my SIL got married. 

So the other SIL (the one living with us) wanted to make a quilt for each of them. Robin (the husband) is from England, and wouldn't it be nice to make a quilt with English symbols? Here is the finished quilt before it was spirited away to Vancouver on a plane last week. 

Robin's quilt

As you can see, there are no British symbols on that quilt. I have to tell you the story of the quilt. We started by finding a great pattern with all sorts of English symbols. After looking at it, we realized it was a lot more work than originally anticipated, so we went on the hunt for some British fabrics, since I knew they existed. We couldn't find anything. Or very little and not enough variety to make a quilt. 

Then I happened to be visiting someone who was showing me their small stash of quilt tops that needed to be quilted, and I spotted a small square of British fabric on one of them. OH—do you have more of that? Well, it turns out the entire top was made from British fabric, and she didn't want the top. So we worked out a deal, and VOILA—instant quilt made! It was a win-win for us, and I even had more of the dark blue fabric in my stash so we could make the binding. 

It's backed with Fireside fleece, so good for these damp Vancouver days! It's quilted with a teapot motif and looks amazing!!!! 

The teapot quilting motif

I only supervised the finishing of the quilt. I didn't have time, nor did I want to take that away from KU. She babysat the long arm and put the binding on! 

The other quilt, for her sister, required more work. She made a library quilt!!! This one required many new techniques, including a phototransfer of the couple from their wedding. That required me to resolve our printer issue, which is why we now have a new printer. all for one photo!!!!

The library quilt

We were just about to load the quilt when I remembered that we were supposed to embroider the names of books on the spines of some of them. It was very neat because KU decided to make a book with a specific title for each family member in the new blended family. There were eight of them, and it took some time to write out the titles and get them aligned properly. Here is one for the bride and groom. 

The wedding quilt

Here's a picture of one of the book titles. 

One of the book titles on the quilt

Then we got the quilt quilted while KU babysat that, and then put the binding on. I made her watch my binding video on YouTube because she needs to learn to do this stuff independently. This quilt also has Fireside on the back. This was the one that we were short on. How the heck we were short, I have no idea. The store made a mistake? We told them the incorrect length? I've no idea, but thankfully I had a scrap in a different color, so the quilt got done!!!

I really need to learn how to use the Eclipse tool on my long arm, so if I ever have photos to quilt through again, I can mark out a heart or another shape that won't let the quilting go through the faces. A new thing to learn this summer. 

So that is two secrets we've been working on for months, and all is revealed. The recipients loved the quilts, and they will be used frequently in their library, which they are planning to create in the house. Everyone needs a good quilt for snuggling while reading! 

Well, on that note, I'm off. I don't need to be up this early, and I might catch a few more minutes of shut-eye, but my back doesn't like extended periods of time in bed. 

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Ciao!!!

Curiosity is a great thing!

Thanks everyone for your comments! I must go back and digest them! There's a lot to be said about traveling light, but if you have or want a decluttered environment at home, it's a lot easier to "declutter" what you take on vacation. BUT --- and the airlines tell you this repeatedly -- DO NOT check your medications, important papers, laptops --- basically anything that cannot be easily replaced --- do NOT check it. Clothes? You can buy clothes anywhere, but you can't easily renew a prescription. 

And not having checked luggage gives you 100% flexibility to change flights (if yours gets delayed or canceled) or to adjust your plans. 

Thanks for the clarification about cathedrals and basilicas. I did NOT know that, and I didn't look it up. 

Someone mentioned on one of my social accounts the other day that my trip sounded way more interesting than theirs. Here's a very important thing to remember -- I look at almost everything through the eyes of a child!! And what is one of the things we love about children? When they start asking "Why". Why is the sky blue? Why is the air cold? Why do dogs walk on four feet? or whatever they decide to ask. 

Oh my— if you Google "children and curiosity," you get some interesting stuff. Things we know but didn't really think about. 

"Curiosity in children is but an appetite for knowledge!" OH MY --- that's me!!! 

OH -- Here's a quote from Albertein, "the important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

And that brings me to an interesting point. When I was on any of the booked tours, the tour guides were well-versed in their subject. They are licensed and probably need to demonstrate how much they know, so we, the customer, get the most information. Do you know how many people don't ask questions? Are they bored? Do they not care? Do they simply want the Coles notes so they can go home and tell everyone, they went to 100 places on their vacation, but don't have more than the basic knowledge? 

That thought boggles my mind. I know people get annoyed at me for asking so many questions, but I don't care. If I have someone with an expertise in my reach, I want to ask questions! Like what happened near the washroom on the plane yesterday. I'll tell you that in a second. 

And one more thing about asking questions. There are no dumb questions; perhaps others had the same question. And whether it is a tour or a class, when students ask questions, it makes the tour guide and the teacher more engaged. That shows people are listening and gives the leader a chance to explore more. 

OK -- so the Rome Airport isn't in the city of Rome, and it could take some time to get to it. My flight was at 8 AM and not international, as I had to connect through Munich. The lady at the hotel reception suggested I go for a 4 AM pickup, which was a bit excessive for me, but she said she is a worrywart and, with the potential for hideous traffic in Rome, that early was better. You know what? She was so helpful that I took her advice to respect her. 

I barely slept that night -- I have no idea, but sleep eluded me. Was I excited to get home? Was I not tired? Anyway, when my alarm went off at 3:25, I was now in a deep sleep and totally exhausted. But I packed up my few meager possessions and headed downstairs to catch my prearranged cab. 

OMG -- I swear it was Mario Andretti who picked me up in the cab. It took a bit of time to get out of the twisty streets of Rome, but thankfully, at 4 AM, there wasn't much traffic. Then we hit the autoroute, and well, we were doing 140+!!! Let's just say that we got to the airport at 4:30. Perhaps he was just happy to drive with no traffic!!!

The airport was busy, with planes leaving at 6 AM or perhaps even earlier. Since I was checked in, I didn't need to see the gate agent or check in luggage, so I went straight to security. It's funny the things you see people do. This was a first. A youngish guy had a small duffel bag with him, and he tipped its entire contents into the bin. Why? Can you tell me why he did that? Even the agent was saying he didn't need to do that, but he did it anyway. Good luck packing all that crap back in!

I found the lounge, which is a wee bit more comfortable than the general waiting area, and since the gate hadn't been announced yet, everyone was there. The lounge only opened at 5:30, and I was the first one in. I had a snack, then found the quiet room in the back and tried to sleep for a bit. 

I set my alarm because I didn't want to sleep too much. I felt better after about 20 minutes of sleep. I mentioned it the other day, but DH decided we could splurge on the tickets, and that gave me access to the lounge. 

The quiet room in the lounge

Then we were finally on our way to Munich. I swear we booked direct flights, but there mustn't be a direct flight from Rome to Toronto every day. But no worries. It was beautiful to fly over the Alps. At this part, there didn't seem to be much snow on the tops. 

Flying over the Alps 

But as I was looking out the window, I saw something I had never seen before. The contrails of OTHER planes, and while I'm sure they were a safe distance away, they were close. And these ones were going FAST. 

You can only see two in this picture, but there were three. 

Two other planes (military jets?) flying "close."

My guess is they were military jets, since they were flying circles around us. I mean that metaphorically, not literally. But they were coming and going. Not sure what they were doing, but it was pretty cool to see. 

OH -- there's more snow on the Alps. I believe that was just south of Innsbruck, Austria. The pilot announced when we passed over Innsbruck. I'm not that smart! 

The Alps near Innsbruck, Austria

And then there is the beautiful farm country, with the Alps in the distance. 

Germany's farming country

And there is a traffic circle. It's kind of neat to see these complex systems from the air, and you wonder how long it took to develop that, so everyone gets where they want to go. But after seeing all the things that were created in ancient times, when they didn't have computers to do it, this is probably very simple work! 

Traffic circle

I had to go through passport control in Munich, and again, my passport failed in the automated machine, so I had to see an agent. It seems that in Europe (I could be wrong), it is the police who man these stations, whereas in Canada and the US, we have separate border-control agents. Perhaps it's just a translation mishap. 

I found the lounge and then had to wait for about an hour for the final flight. 

At one point, I looked out the window and WHAT????? I saw this plane, literally flying beside us. OK -- that's an exaggeration as it was miles away, but it was literally flying beside us. 

Another airliner flying "beside" us

And then at some point, it veered to the right, and we stayed straight, or whatever happened! But they went a different way. 

The flight was pretty smooth, although at one point I got worried. There was zero turbulence, and then the flight crew announced that all passengers should return to their seats and fasten their seat belts. This is never good news to me. I'm a decent flyer, but I'm not a fan of being in a skinny metal tube hurling through the air at close to 950 KPH at an altitude of 40,000 feet, when there is turbulence. OMG—do you see what I just did? I use both metric and imperial. Good grief!!!! 

However, there was some slight turbulence, but nothing like on the way over. We even got in about 10 minutes early!!! I watched two Harry Potter movies, which I had never watched. Now onto number 4!! I slept for a bit (set a timer so I wouldn't oversleep, but didn't need it), then amused myself by watching movies, eating, and going to the washroom. I have no idea, but my bladder wasn't happy on the plane. Thankfully, it was close by. 

At one point, when I went to the washroom, one of the first officers was standing in the galley. I wanted to ask him about the plane that had flown next to us, but I thought I had better not. But shoot -- I should have!!!!

It was easy to get through the automated passport control here, and I breezed through the airport, skipping the luggage carousel since I didn't have any luggage. By the time we landed and I had made it to the car, it was probably 15 minutes or less. It's that easy when you travel light! 

I "cheated" and took a limo home. Hey, if DH can do it -- so can I. It saves the hassle of the chaos in the Uber line. And I just wanted to get home. All in all, it was about 17 hours of travel from the moment I left the hotel to the moment I got home. That's pretty decent!

Look who greeted me when I arrived!!!!! They were so happy. 

MOM --- You're home!!!!!

And within seconds, Murphy had her ball!! Of course she did. 

MOM -- let's play ball

And she was just a pain as she insisted there was a ball under this table, but when I got down to check, there was nothing. 

MOM -- there's a ball under this table! Yes -- Murphy - a GOOFBALL!!!

When I sat in the living room to relax, she got the blanket out in the middle of the floor. 

MOM -- look at me with my blanket

Where was Lexi in all this? Calm, cool, and collected. 

Now that I was home and had greeted the girls, what to do? It reminded me of when I got home from the hospital with M. We all sat on the sofa and then wondered what was next. 

I ended up reading a bit and did some Sudoku. I attempted to sew a bit, but struggled with the block pattern, so I abandoned that. Then I watched The Devil Wears Prada (never seen) as I want to watch the sequel. I'm all set and hope to see the sequel this week. Thank goodness I watched it on my computer at the kitchen table because I must have let the girls in and out about 100 times. They were so annoying. But they probably get the same kind of service from the house sitter!

I should have gone grocery shopping, as it was slim pickings for dinner last night and breakfast this morning. 

And there was my puzzle of Mount Etna, reminding me of the wonderful times we all had. I was going to pack this up and give it away, but I'm not going to do that. I'm going to pack it up so I can start the next one, but I'm going to keep it and do it multiple times because it reminds me of that trip. At some point, I'll give it away. 

My Mount Etna puzzle reminds me of good times.

I went to bed around 8 PM and woke up minutes before my regular alarm would ring. Hopefully, with all the cat naps yesterday, I've readjusted myself, and I shouldn't have any jet lag. Fingers crossed. 

And the best news? I have a quilt retreat at the end of this month, my regular classes (6 one-hour classes), and NOTHING else on my calendar. I'm practically giddy at the prospect, and I hope to make good use of that time. 

And on that happy note, I'm out of here. I bet the girls can hardly wait for me to take them for a walk!!!

And by the way -- it's ZERO this morning. Isn't this the month of May? 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

 

The long way home

I'm home, but it might have been faster to walk! OK -- I'm kidding, but there were a few hiccups along the way. 

As I lay in bed the night before, I contemplated the issue with my mom. Do I leave it and deal with it next time? Should I try to talk to her healthcare workers and have them broach the subject with her? Do I ask my aunt to deal with it? I decided to be a big girl and address it with both of them during my short morning visit before I left for the airport.  

I'm glad I did, because there was an unpleasant story I hadn't heard about, and it was the catalyst for the issue happening now. I offered several potential ways of dealing with it. And, unsurprisingly, my mom had an answer for everything I suggested. I am suggesting she work with a physiotherapist to regain her confidence using the walker. She insists it's her knees, but it's her leg muscles that have atrophied from lack of use! 

Keep in mind that she has home care workers come in twice a week to bathe her. OK—so why not have a physiotherapist come into the home? There is only one home care worker who comes each time. 

Response number one? "If I go out anywhere, I end the handibus." 

My response: " They will come into the house just like the home care workers."

Rebuttal number two: "But what if I fall when they are here?"

My response: "How is that any different from when the existing home care workers are here?"

Rebuttal number three: "But I do my exercises."

My response: "Show me?" Oh -- a few little lifts and wiggle your leg in the air isn't going to build your strength back. 

Again and again, she came up with ways that it wasn't feasible, and again and again, I shot her down. I was very polite but firm. Dad has tried to talk to her, but she won't listen to him, which doesn't surprise me. 

So I was brutally honest and said that if she didn't start using the walker again (not the wheelchair), she would soon be leaving the apartment and going to the nursing home, where they would have to use the lift to get her out of bed and in her wheelchair every time she wanted to get up. The choice was hers. I told her to ask the home care worker who comes in today about the situation. I doubt she will ask, so I'll call the home care and see if they can have a physiotherapist come and evaluate her situation. 

Sigh....................

Just so resistant to change, and she is deathly afraid of falling. While she didn't hurt anything the last time she fell, she remained on the floor for hours with a very badly bleeding leg. DO NOT YELL at anyone. We have tried to get her to wear the fall-alert device, but it isn't necessary because she has her cordless phone. (her response!) So, where was the phone when you fell last time? And you are happy to lie in a pool of your own blood and wait hours for dad to get home, than wear that damn device?

Sigh........................

I completely understand the resistance to change if it's something frivolous, but what about when it's life-altering or for safety reasons? Why that resistance? I know that many of you have experienced that resistance with your parents or spouses. Imagine lying on the floor for SIX hours with a huge gash in your leg? I just don't get it.

Now I need to follow up on this and see what happens. 

I left after my wee lecture. Mom said not a word except her rebuttals, and I didn't harp on it. I said what I had to, and then we talked about more pleasant topics until it was time to leave. Dad was chomping at the bit so he could get to work, although he had to stop at the doctor's on the way. Did he have an appointment? NO -- he needed to make an appointment, and the only way was to actually go to the doctor's office. They have no clue how to use the phone to make their lives easier. 

Sigh......................

Dad would rather drive an hour somewhere to "see" if they are home to ask a question, than get on the phone and make an appointment. It drives me mad!!!

Anyway, I got to Saskatoon and met up with --- an old boyfriend from the end of my high school days. Good lord!!!! I didn't recognize him, but he recognized me, and he was wearing the sweater I knit for him all those years ago! I recognized that. I think I posted it on the blog at one point. I'll see if I can find the post. So we had a short visit, and then it was on to the airport. 

I knew I was going to be bringing some stuff back, so I weighed my suitcase before I left. 16 KGs or around 35 pounds. When I closed the zipper and stuck the scale on it, it weighed 50.3 lbs. But when the airport weighed it, it was 53. The limit is 50. But I don't have to worry about that. My status with the airline allows me to carry up to 70 lbs without paying for excess weight. 

No issue, and I dumped that bag. Then I went to return the car, and I potentially had a big issue. When I rent a car, I always check for damage and take pictures if needed. Because there was snow on the windshield and it was very sunny, I did NOT notice the chip until I was merrily on my way down the highway. I took a picture the next day, and when I handed the keys back, I told them about the stone chip. 

The manager had to get involved, they looked at the previous record, and NOTHING. No stone chip was noted, and I'm thinking, I'm not paying for a windshield that I didn't damage. I was told I should have made them aware of the issue before I took the car. 

Anyway, they called the previous place where the car had been rented, and yes, there was a stone chip in their records. PHEW!!!! But why wasn't it on the records of this location? 

I was early!!!! I'm never early, but this time I was early. Not by much, and as I was making my way to security, I saw the plane was delayed by over an hour! NO!!!!!!! I went through security, which was a breeze, and then I had to wait. 

No plane

I am learning to be so patient. Is the plane late? Get some food and read a book. I've become such a patient traveler, I'm shocking even myself! 

Here comes the plane!

But seriously, does it do anything if one gets agitated or frustrated? Nope!! Anyway, I got on the plane, and all was good for the flight. I noticed that some parts of the country still have a lot of snow on the ground. 

SNOW!!!!

When we arrived in Toronto, we didn't have a gate. So we waited on the plane for almost 30 minutes for a gate. I was fine as I read my book and neared the end. Could I manage to finish before we got off the plane? Not quite, but 14 people on that plane were connecting to overnight flights to Europe, and it was going to be touch-and-go whether they made it. So we allowed them off the plane first -- how civil is that? And then I waited for my luggage, which didn't take long. I can imagine the scramble it was to find those 14 bags and get them to the right plane. 

Then off to get an Uber. Well, that didn't go so well, and the airport itself was pretty quiet. When the app wasn't finding a ride after a minute, I decided to follow in DH's footsteps. Off to get an airport limo, which is about $25 more expensive, and I was on my way home. He says I'm becoming a snob like him. By this time, it was after 10 PM, and I just wanted to get home. 

The girls were excited to see me. Of course, they were, but they were also confused because it was late at night, and all they really wanted was to go in the backyard because that's what they do when I get home. I had to put them on their leashes and take them out for a pee, but that wasn't enough. But finally, they settled. 

MOM's home!!!!!

For whatever reason, I couldn't get to sleep. I tossed and turned, and it just wasn't going to happen, so I went downstairs and decided to work on my puzzle. I pulled some pieces and started to work. 

Let the games begin!!!

Oh my—this one is going to be tough. I could only find a couple of pieces that went together. This is not going to work. 

This puzzle is HARD!!!

Then I switched out the green for the buildings, and that went much better. I think I may have to start with the sky and work my way down to the green. But I won't have time today, as a lot needs to happen, and I need to get it all done because I have an early morning tomorrow and my Facebook Live in the afternoon.

Now that's progress

But Miss Murphy was in her glory when I was downstairs last night. 

Mom - I can finally sleep.

Well, I must get organized, and I think a nap is in order since I didn't get much sleep last night, even after sleeping in a bit this morning. 

Thanks for putting up with me and my caregiving woes! It's something that we need to be mindful of today. Not only for the people we care about, but for our spouses and ourselves. If we let our bodies go, we are going to lose our independence, and I refuse to do so unless I have no choice. Only YOU have the choice to stay mobile (I realize that isn't possible for everyone - don't yell at me), and we need to not be aware just for today, but in the future! My mom also has a weight issue, which doesn't help the situation. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!