39 years later - 21 days to go!

By the time this blog posts I'll be on my way to my daughter's home for a short visit.  My baby girl turns 39 on Saturday! I must have had her when I was 15 or 16, right?  Actually I'm in my 60's so you can do the math.

Writing this turned my thoughts to the night she was born.  During my pregnancy I was living in a small community in Northern Saskatchewan, with the nearest hospital 50 miles away.  I had experienced premature labour in September.  One of my bosses and his wife drove me to the nearest hospital where I was checked by the local doctor and the decision was made to air flight me to Saskatoon for further care.  I believe I spent a week in the hospital before I was released and able to go back north.  About the beginning of November, we decided I would go south to my parents home to wait for her birth. No one wanted a repeat of the early scare.

Of course, I then went nearly 10 days overdue before I finally went into labour on a Thursday morning.  Mom drove me into town to the hospital where I laboured for close to 48 hours before the doctor decided it was time to get her out of there. I recall it was very early Saturday morning, when the doctors, including the anesthesiologist, arrived from their Christmas party in good spirits. Several of them, more than I think were needed, crowded into the operating room along with a nurse or two.  D was slightly injured in the melee, receiving a small nick in her eyebrow, requiring a stitch.  She reacted to this indignation by pooping. My aunt and mom saw her as she was moved from the OR to the nursery however I was out cold and didn't see my baby until three hours later, by which time she'd been cleaned up. Because of my surgery we were kept in the hospital for a week, and D was the only baby in the nursery for five days of that week.  They didn't allow rooming in at that time, but I know that she was cuddled and doted on by the nurses when I didn't have her with me.

We stayed with mom and dad through Christmas, which was good for me as I was still recovering and baby D did not sleep through the night (until she was 6 years old).  At least I could get a nap in during the day while mom kept an ear out for her.  

Well, that wasn't how I planned to start this post, call it stream of consciousness or something like that. It strikes me I can remember so many details from that time, but not what I had for dinner two nights ago.

I've had a busy week puttering as I always do.  I started the week planning to do the laundry on Monday but that was put aside while I did a bit of baking. The first batch of shortbread was made along with a batch of peppermint/vanilla cookies.  These were green and white, since I had no red food coloring, and I'm sure they will be a hit with a little boy.  While these were baking, I started a beef stew for dinner, so the oven got more of a workout when I made biscuits to go along with our meal.

Tuesday, I finally got around to the laundry and while the first load was in the washing machine, I decided the weather was warm enough to head out for a walk.  It was just a degree or two below freezing, and bundled up it was quite nice.

I was disappointed to find that the paths hadn't been well cleared, and were quite icy in spots.  Most of the time, I walked on the snow next to the path, as I did one of those slip and slide, but didn't fall down at one point.

I did leave the path to walk down to the creek where I had seen open water a week or so ago. It's not open anymore, it's definitely frozen over.  

Back at home I finished the laundry, completed my grocery order on-line, and started another pair of mittens for Eli.  In addition every afternoon this week I've managed to work a bit on my cross stitch.  I've finished the counting portion, and just have the back stitching left on the one motif.  I should have a photo next week to share.

I picked up my groceries at Walmart on Wednesday morning, also making stops at Shopper's Drug Mart, Safeway, the gas station, and Michaels.  Collage photo frames were on sale, and I wanted another frame.  Walmart had sent out a coupon offering 15 free 4X6 photos, normally 15 cents apiece - I couldn't pass up free, so had a number of photos printed to eventually use in that frame, changing them out depending on the season and my mood.

This is one of the photos I had printed. It was taken in September 2016, near Parksville, B.C.  I've spent some time this week going through the folders of photos I have saved to my computer.  I'm deleting some, but others have evoked so many wonderful memories of the trips I've taken. For those who have been reading this blog for a long time know that Vancouver Island has a special place in my heart. 

Back at home, with the groceries put away, I started baking again.  This time for friends; shortbread for J, and a spice cookie, Medenjaci - Croatian honey cookies for K.  I'd not made the latter before, but will again in the future.  The spices include cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, with honey and brown sugar as the sweeteners.  It mixes up quickly and is easy to handle. I rolled it out for wafer cookies and didn't add the glaze, but I might make another batch for us and add the glaze.  C tasted one and said it tasted like honey nut Cheerios!  

When I filled up at the gas station, I had my oil checked and though the level was good, it was looking a little dark.  Since I couldn't recall when I last an oil change, I decided it was a good idea to get one done before I headed out of town.  So Thursday, I headed over to the drive in oil change place.  While there, they checked air filters, transmission fluid, belts, etc. and suggested based on my mileage it was time for a transmission fluid change as well.  When I told C later, he said I probably could have waited awhile yet, but there is some solace in knowing it won't need to be done for a very long time. 

I made a road trip to the other end of the city to pick up the gift cards for my niece and nephew, and dropped off the cookies to K and J.  K and I had a brief chat with K outside their door with our masks on.  I might have also stopped at the Dollar Tree and Dollarama, picking up a gift box, toothpaste and a more craft supplies.  At home I finished wrapping the last of the gifts.  I haven't quite figured out how my brother's family and mine will exchange gifts but I suspect it will be a drive by one of these days.

Today, I've done some last minute chores before I pack up the car.  The garbage has been taken out, the bed made, the dishes done, dried and put away, the living room tidied and dusted, the birds fed, and the floors swept.  I suspect I'm not the only person that tries to leave the house in good shape before a trip.  C sticks to his area in the basement most of the time and other than a few dishes in the sink, the house will look much the same when I get home.  

I'm off to put my bag and the items I'm taking out to D in the car.  Have a good weekend everyone! Take care and stay well.