Well, its been a while, friends!

I’m not starting out the new year in the best of circumstances. i fell in my kitchen on December 27 and smashed up my right wrist – a couple of fractures with some odds and ends floating around. After 8 hours in emergency I came home with a cast from knuckles to elbow and it hurts! i go back for another x-ray and a visit to the Orthopaedic clinic January 4 to find out if the cast stays for a total of 6 weeks or surgery is required. Can you tell I’m typing with my left hand?

The year 2023 flew by so fast I didn’t even see December coming.

In March, I flew to Jacksonville, Florida to visit my oldest nephew, Justin, and his wife Cheryl. Justin has been bravely and tenaciously fighting a stage 4 colorectal cancer diagnosis for nearly 5 years now and Cheryl has been his coach and biggest support all the way. Cheryl’s Mom, Sharon, was visiting as well so the two old gals (I guess I should speak only for myself) rented a small AirBNB bungalow a few blocks away. it worked out well but i had my first fall of the year on the shiny hall floor – landed square on both metal knees. Ouch! Sharon and I uber’d our way around Jacksonville Beach during the day and had dinner with the kids each evening. Then Bill (my brother) and his wife Judy arrived – quite a gaggle of guests but it was, after all, Justin’s 52nd birthday on March 22nd. Bill, Judy, Sharon and I explored some of St. Augustine followed by a birthday dinner for Justin. my flight home was one of those horror stories. Due to late departure from Jacksonville, I missed my connection in Washington, DC. I was rescheduled on a later flight to Ottawa (3 hours later). We were starting to descend into Ottawa and the pilot came on and said we were being diverted to Burlington, Vermont. Some VIP was taking up all the airspace to visit Ottawa. it turned out to be Joe Biden. 

In June i had a second wonderful road trip to Newfoundland (this time the west side) with my good friend Anna. We did the east coast and southern bits before the pandemic which now seems so long ago. We flew PAL airlines into Deer Lake, rented a car, and drove to the bottom (port au Basques), and from there to the top and then back to Deer Lake to fly home. The most exciting part was going out in a small fishing boat to see icebergs – lots of them! while staying in a small town not far from the Viking establishment in L’Anse Aux Meadow. We even got to nibble on a chunk of iceberg . after perhaps 1,000s of years floating in the ocean, it was completely clear and with no salty taste at all. As is always the case in NL, the people are the real highlight! They are true gems. I would go back anytime.

At the end of July I had my second bad fall of the year while going out to lunch with my friend, Jeannette. i parked the car, tried to step up onto the sidewalk, lost my balance and fell hard. My new watch (a gift from Bill & Judy because i’ve had a fall or two), asked me if I was ok. i thought I was so i responded yes. The other option was to let the watch call 911 and send out the EMTS. a young fellow helped me to my feet and I carried on to lunch. After lunch I drove my friend home and then did a few errands. when i got home and took my shoes off, there was swelling and bruising. It hurt but I could still get around. Stubbornly, I refused to go to the hospital until it had been 2 weeks since I fell.. i had broken one of the long bones that start at your toes and go up the top of the foot. They put me in one of those huge, heavy boot contraptions for 3 weeks. it took another 2-3 weeks for things to feel 100%. 

Also in July I had to say goodbye to my very special furry friend, Herbie. With the help of equally special friend and neighbour, Lauralea, Herbie had been on fluid injections twice a week for kidney disease for over a year. He continued to lose weight and the time had come.

In August, I welcomed Walter to my home, a 6.5 year old beautiful gray cat with a history. i think we were perfect for each other. Walter needed a permanent and safe home where he would get lots of attention and i needed a new furry friend to love.

Well, 2-3 falls in one year is about average for me but 2 breaks? That’s new. This thing on my arm is my very first cast and the broken bone in my foot was my first break, other than a toe or two. i will start to be more diligent about using my cane or walker when I get to my feet.

Christmas started with a visit from Bill and Judy Dec 6-10, followed by some frantic parcel wrapping and posting and some even more frantic Christmas gift baking. Two wonderful dinners Christmas Day and Boxing Day with my cousin John’s family took me to where this post started – with my most recent fall. All in all it was a pretty good year, green Christmas and all.

I wish all of you nothing but the best for 2024!

Sue