The curse of interesting times...

I retired from a US mulitnational operating in Canada and live in the most US of provinces🙄 Now I'm reading a CMV on Reddit  about how long it will take for relationships to normalize once the Trump administration is in the past.

I remember the first time a US colleague said something about the US protecting Canada with their military. As a poite person I didn't laugh their face. How big would our military have to be to go up against the country with the largest military in the world? More than our population for sure. Perhaps Canadians aren't really aware that the purpose of protecting Canada is simply to prevent military fallout on US soil in the case of a threat via the north pole. Or maybe I'm just cynical.

I am surprised just how active Canadians are being - and I don't think it's simply that only Canadians can harass our political reps. I hope it's us standing up for us and seeing the yellow vest->freedom convoy->CPC movement for what it is and recognizing the things being Canadian gives them. The Buy Canadian movement seems to truly be grassroots. Some people are hard core, canceling services. Some are medium buying only Canadian made products and cancelling US vacations but I think most of us will just be more circumspect in our purchases, buying US goods only if they are unavailable from anywhere else in the world.

I don't think the US will ever have the same soft power they had. You could say it's the aged politicians holding onto power but it's been shown their constitution is not robust and their checks and balances are meaningless should the leader choose to ignore it as he is. Canada also has gaps that relies on the politician "doing the right thing". I think we're all seeing that the "right thing" is like "common sense" - it needs defining.

A holiday gift for you🙂

With the new year comes retirement as I resigned from my part-time gig. I've found volunteering to be a great way to meet people and keep things real at a time when SM is really intent on making people feel alone in their challenges. 

The gift is an easy pattern for a gnome! If you are new to crocheting you can follow tutorials from Easy Crochet. I chose this site because it has directions and video links. I've included direct links for the stitches used.

This is a blend of a few patterns I tried. I like making the body first with the hat brim then joining the hat and working to the peak which I tried with this pattern from Passionate Crafter. This is a spiral style so use a marker so you know when you're starting a new row. The nose is separate. I used a 5mm hook with cotton yarn and got a 12.5 cm gnome. 

 

MC - magic circle

SC - single crochet

INC - increase

DEC - decrease

BLO - back loop only

FLO - front loop only

 download a PDF.

I can complete a gnome in an evening and plan on doing some summer colours. Enjoy and I hope they don't take over your space like they have mine. I've stuffed one with a cat toy ball even!

A Health update - getting old does mysterious things to your body. Get used to it.

 

This all started when I had this bizarrely high BP for a few days. My BP today was 111/80 but I'm used to seeing 97/68. My heart rate seems higher than it was but it's in the normal range for my age. 

I have now had a plethora of tests evaluating heart/vascular function and, adrenal glands, because of the calcium buildup on my lens. Apparently, I'm just getting old. I looked at my results and it seems one heart valve is getting stiffer, and another couple are leaky and swishy but, for now, there's nothing urgent. 

On a happy note, the buildup on my lens seems to have resolved itself after a couple of eye pain events at the end of July. I called my optometrist and she saw me the same day. She was curious because very few people have eye pain then better vision😁My neutrophils are back at their normal low level instead of "concerning doctors" low levels.

The only change I was told to make was to drink water and I finally took that seriously upping my water to 1500 mL/day. I also started adding Taurine to my morning oatmeal because ... I don't know why, I read something. I've also been food logging along with my spouse because I want to get my serving size under control and cut back on sugar. I wear a Galaxy Watch so I can see blood oxygen levels and check my BP if I feel overly fatigued.

It seems every 10 years or so I get an extended interaction with the Canadian medical system so the next go should be as I approach 75? Hopefully, I'll have the same level of care and recovery that I've had so far.

Our Ikea Journey

 

It was 1989 when we bought our first home, a half duplex in Calgary. We decided it was time for some grown-up matching furniture we headed off to Ikea for some not bulky solid pine. We bought a bed frame, side tables and a couple dressers. Furniture assembly also got up to purchase our first electric drill, As you can imagine there were a LOT of screws involved with this assembly.

Over time we purchased two more Ikea bed frames but we moved to homes that didn't really mesh with the Ikea style. Somewhere along the line, we got into darker wood in a more mission style. solid wood pieces for the bigger stuff and a lot of less expensive flatpack to fill in spaces. 

But we still have that original furniture. Turns out it's great for spare rooms and the style works in cozier spaces like our basement which has lower ceilings. And Ikea still has great storage solutions. We just bought a shoe bin and put in the the garage in an effort to keep the garage landing clear. The instructions are still as mysterious and metal bits have been replaced with plastic but the end product still looks very finished.

I also took the opportunity to assess my shoe situation. The problem is we need shoes for many weather conditions. It's hard not to have "just in case" deep snow boots. Then there's wet snow vs. dry snow. Eh bien, at least they last a long time.

TIL - that chest tightness and shortness of breath isn't allergies!

This is exciting.~ I've had a health-tracking watch for ages. Mostly I ignore unusual results because they usually return to normal. Lately, I've noticed my resting heart rate has increased a little into the low 70s. I'm aging and working out less intensely so maybe that's why. I've also had some chest tightness so I was using my inhaler since it's been a really long allergy season. It hasn't been working well but it does eventually work. Also, I've been fiddling with the ECG feature on my watch and sometimes it gives an abnormal result. Oh well, it's a watch so the accuracy could be off. Again, things return to normal. 

This time I went to calibrate the blood pressure sensor on my watch and whoa - first time ever I've had a warning light. And not on the traditional systolic number but the diastolic one that generally stays stable. I took a picture of the reading and called my doctor's clinic. I actually managed to get one of the emergency appointments for the next day. Then, after 4 days of shenanigans, my BP returned to normal in time for the appointment🙄.

Of course, at the doctor's office, my BP was normal. We chatted a bit then I showed him pictures of my BP reading from the previous day. Well, that changed everything. Lie down for an abdominal exam and there are questions about aneurysms in the family as my aorta feels big. My lungs are clear but my heart sounds a bit swishy. Oh yes, my last ECG was not normal. So now I'm off for more bloodwork to see if anything has changed since October, and an abdominal ultrasound and cardiogram. 

Even with all the monitoring tech, when you have a reasonably healthy lifestyle, it's easy to ignore warning signs when you feel well. I don't have chest pain (my dad found out he needed a quad bypass during a medical and had no chest pain). I don't have increased shortness of breath when exercising. I'm lucky Fred wants me to check this stuff out for his peace of mind.

I hope this is nothing or easily resolved with surgery. TAVI for the valve and some kind of vascular support if a vessel wall weakness is discovered.🤞🏼

Aging Parents #BoomerLife

I read an article the other day about people choosing to retire in their homes rather than going to retirement facilities or care homes. I know my Dad loved his house and didn't want to leave it. Fortunately, he didn't have to. Our neighbours are in their mid-80s and make noise about moving but instead end up changing their yard to make it easier to manage. Like us, they live in a raised bungalow so everything you need is on the main floor.

The in-laws', very reasonably, don't want to leave their home. We don't want them to either but it came out that bills weren't being paid and there was forgetfulness so options had to be explored as none of us live in the same city as they do. They need companionship and a housekeeper more than medical care so that's what was looked for. Despite their hometown being a huge draw for retirees, there are surprisingly few service options...like 1. As part of the service, the elders get audited by Alberta Health Services (or whatever they become) to see what reimbursements they are eligible for.

And we're next - though not for a couple decades with any luck. What will services look like for us? 

End of an Era

Yesterday we sold our two inflatable Hobie kayaks to a nice family in Calgary. They've been great for hauling all over but it's time for a 2 seater. This ends the era of being based out of my dad's house and kayaking different places in the lower mainland with Milo and Duffy. 

As you age, these losses are more drawn out. First Duffy, then Milo, then my dad and selling his house and now our last link, the kayaks.

On to new adventures with the new kayak. Maybe we'll be able to get Bennie out with us when we go to more local lakes.