Just wanted to let you know that I have missed you all terribly. Hopefully as the days pass, I will be around a bit more to annoy you all. 

Much Love 

Janice has asked me to write a short blog for her, as she is not yet ready to return to Minti, although she is making incremental improvements each day.  Tomorrow will be two weeks since the operation and we are beginning to understand those people who said it will be a long road to recovery. Did they mean for Janice, or me?  But she is being a very good patient, and is as close as she has ever been to obeying my instructions.  i am begining to understand now that the "honour and obey " part of the marriage vows only applies after a major operation, so i am now in negotiations with her surgeon for a follow up operation in order to maintain continuity of the "Obey"  feature !   The downside is that the obeying comes at a price, but whats a bit of housework, compared with this rare opportunity !    We are facing some small logistical problems as a result of Janice not being allowed to climb stairs. We have a 2 story home with the bathroom, and shower, upstairs. So showers have to be taken downstairs. These are accomplished by me laying out the garden hose across the lawn and waiting for the sun to heat up the water. When it is at the right temperature, Lady Godiva appears out of the laundry and is given a traditional bush shower !  Fortunately we have no close neighbours, although if the word gets out, a few may well appear !    The upside to all  this is that the upstairs part of the house is now my personal domain.  The stairs provide a natural barrier and there can be no inspection of this area. Is the bed made ? is the bathroon clean ?  are my clothes scattered all over the floor ?  have I put a beer fridge in the bathroom ?    Only I have answers to these questions and thats just the way i like it !  did the doctor say 4 weeks before she can clinb stairs ?  So, 2 more weeks of control !  Anyway, to get back to Minti, I have been reading Janice all your messages, but now she has her laptop in her downstairs bedroom, so I imagine that  it wont be long before she is back into it all herself.   We are not starving but pretty close to it !   I cannot tell you how utterly incompetent I am in the kitchen and how much I look forward to the day when a food pill is produced which provides all of the essential proteins and vitamins and can be washed down, three times a day with a large glass of wine.  Then we can demolish the kitchen and build in its place a walk- in fridge which can be filled with liquid sustanance, and the previously wasted hours of cooking can be more pleasantly applied to the gentle art of wine drinking. Our scientists, who are currently wasting their time trying to determine if the sea level is going up, or down can be redirected to the more important task of  developing a  food pill !   Can't be a big deal.   And then there is ironing !  No, I am not going there ! 

I will just thank you all for your support over the past few weeks, and will pass the baton back to Janice.  Steve is going upstairs ........       

I suppose that none of you will be suprised to know that all of the reasons for Janice staying in hospital were overturned on appeal, and I was directed to bring her home late yesterday ! Never mind that she lied through her teeth to the doctor about her pain levels, or that the highway betweem the hospital and home was flooded after nearly 12 inches of rain fell in two days !  Or even that she can stand and she can lie down, but cannot sit !   I do not own an ambulance or a helicopter, but these obvious deficiencies of mine were not to be taken into account when the decision was taken. Just, get me home !   So, as a compliant husband, i did as I was told and the patient is now home !    So, on her behalf, I thank you all for your thoughts and good wishes, which am happy to now have transfered to me in my unlikely role of house-husband.  So far, I have managed breakfast without drama so feel sufficiently confident to contemplate a widening of my repertoire. Fortunately it is far too wet to think about hot or cold wash programmes on the white beast in the laundry, so will just hang the dirty clothes on the line and let natures own rain do the job. Have to lower my carbon imprint somehow !   i think it will be at least a few more days untill Janice feels up to a return to Minti, but I know she is thinking about you all and is very grateful for your support.  So, I will sign off and return this page to its rightful owner. Steve x

But there are three good reasons why that won't be happening.  1.  The doctor said not before Saturday - and today is only Friday.  2. We have had a night of incredibly violent thunderstorms and the whole area is under flood, again.  So I doubt if I will be able to get to the hospital at the moment.  3. I thought I would leave her there for a couple of weeks anyway, to teach her who is boss around here ! Oh the power !    I might ring her in a few hours and negotiate some concessions in return for persuading the doctor to release her early on parole !  If only I could solve the cooking problem - and all my hot Minti chicks live too far away to come to my rescue. I'll go and have a nice glass of wine and watch the rain pour down and see if a solution presents itself !    The knees are in charge !

This is just a very short update, to let you know that Janice survived her operation, despite her premonitions of doom !   It was most unlike her to be so terrified of  something she has previously taken in her stride. Having said that, this was a big one which took longer than the surgeon indicated, but, as yet, I havent seen her to find out exactly what she did and what she found. Hopefully tomorrow, I will see her on her rounds and get to give her the third degree !                                                 In the meantime, Janice sends you all her love and will no doubt instruct me on when, and how to blog for her ! What a pity I am so bad at taking instructions !  It's a man thing - so what can I do ?   Steve xx

Last Saturday Steve & I were honoured to attend a wedding.  

Our adopted Minti daughter Kayla ( emmysmum ) - who we met on Minti,  and Graeme,  were married here in Coffs Harbour at Aanuka Beach Resort 

What made the day even more special for us both,as well as seeing Kayla so radiant on her wedding day ,was that Steve & I were married at the some location, Aanuka Chapel and by the same celebrant,  11years ago..

Kayla you looked just beautiful.

I hope for all a fantastic weekend, be kind to each other.

Much Love Janice xxxxx

THANKS, WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH!

From  the moment Dan greeted me at Toronto Airport with a hug and kiss and we were on our way to Oshawa,  it felt just right being back in Canada. And then, after  Margie's  initial shock of seeing me, plus me realising I was finally there, this feeling came flooding over me that I was at home and among family once again.

To have someone  pop up unannounced on your doorstep for a whole month will always be a big shock,, no matter who that person may be. We all have some sort of routine in our lives, times we like to do certain things, or not do things and  a need for our own space. I knew that Marg and Dan would have family and business commitments and I wanted to be sure that my sudden arrival did not put any pressure on those. However, my concerns proved to be completely groundless. From the minute I arrived , I was family and I felt that I always had been !  It was as if the intervening 14 months since our last visit had just rolled away, and that I had never been away !

Firstly I thank my darling husband Steve, for making my stay with Marg and Dan possible.

Every moment of the month spent with Marg and Dan were precious.  I felt loved, totally spoilt, comforted and most of all like I belonged. I love you both so very much and one can only say thank you for sharing a month of your life with me. You both are a very important part of my life and with each farewell I feel I leave a bigger part of me behind.

.
My Nature Buddy & Dear Friend Margie. & MY DEAR FRIEND DAN.

I could not forget MY BUDDY AVRO, what a time you and I had together....I do miss our antics together!


MY  CLOSE  AND  VERY  LOVING  CONNECTION   WITH  MARG,  LIKE  MANY  OTHER  CHERISHED  FRIENDS   I   HAVE MADE IN THE PAST 3 YEARS, WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT MINTI AND FOR THAT I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL.

Hugs to All with Love Janice

"Our Time At The Cottage"

   After nearly 3 weeks with Marg and Dan at their home in Oshawa, they kept the best until last !  They both knew how much I loved spending time at their cottage on our last trip, so they arranged for my last week to be spent there ! And so the three of us,  oops, sorry Avro, the 4 of us, drove up to this wonderful paradise, set on the side of a beautiful lake and surrounded by nature, peace and serenity.  I could think of no other place more fitting, to spend precious time with my family, as that's how I now feel.
Driving off the road and up to the cottage is like abandoning civilisation and entering a new world.  The cottage itself is beautifully equipped  but its setting is as natural as it would have been a hundred years ago. Stepping out of car at the cottage is like  stepping into a natural wilderness , the forest seems completely untouched, just as nature intended. I felt so humbled to be back amongst nature in all her glory.
  So many wonderful things happened in our amazing week at the cottage, if I were to write about them all, this blog would be as long as  "War & Peace" . So, I think I will let the photo's tell the story, if I have any luck posting them. I can say, being in this magical part of the world, with loving family, experiencing  peace and tranquilty in abundance was the best gift of love my Darling Husband could have given me.

Can you guess who was receiving or giving the hug? Marg took me  for a ride around the lake in the canoe. I enjoyed it immensely, as I sat and took in all the amazing scenery.... for Marg our return trip  was such hard work as  she was rowing against the wind. She battled on regardless and returned us home safe and sound! This shot was taken as we were coming in to dock.

A little Chipmunk enjoying a refreshing drink from Avro's drinking bowl.

A Corn Squirrel munching on a peanut that I just managed to have in my pocket, don't we all carry peanuts in our pockets?

After a few days of isolation a sugar fix was needed, a quick trip into a little township, we were set for a yummy afternoon tea. One thing stood in our way....Marg decided she was having them all and so pleased with herself, she was!

Returning home from a walk with Dan and Avro, we  came upon a bear print not more than 500 yards from the cottage. I was so excited with Dan's find,  studying the size of the print, I thought to myself I don't want to come face to face with this animal.

My mate Avro found a pail to play with  and went to great lengths to make sure we were not going to get it off him.

We experienced many a beautiful sunset while  at the cottage, but on our  last night we were graced with the most stunningly amazing sunset.

I wish each and everyone of my friends a wonderful weekend. Love Janice

Upon my arrival, Marg was concerned at how her grouchy dog ( her words ) Avro would welcome me, and whether he would still remember me from last years visit. THE MAGIC MEET & ME MAKING FRIENDS WITH AVRO  So, she shut him outside, just in case !  I would have none of that, so went straight outside to see him !  I called his name, he gave me three answering barks, and it was as if I had only been away for a couple of weeks - Avro and I were once again the best of mates.

Marg kept playing the elusive butterfly when it came to taking photo's, this time she was trying to hide behind their tomato vine, got you Marg !

On one of our nature outings, Marg took me to "Heber Conservation Park" where we walked among lush greenery and flowing streams, shaded by the grandest of trees standing proud through their years of endurance, their canopies displaying every colour of green imaginable and tinged with reds and golds. It was a quite breathtaking display..

Marg, the child that she is, needed to play in water....mind you the water was icy cold !  

Me on the other hand enjoyed just taking in the tranquilty.  

"Lynde Shores Conservation Park"  was another opportunity for Marg and I to take a walk with nature. This is where I had my first encounter with Chipmunks, I fell in love with these tiny adorable little animals. They came scampering up to my feet in the hope of a feed of peanuts. From that day on, I learnt to keep my pockets full of peanuts, Haa Haa !

After walking for what seemed like forever, we stood before this amazing view, "Lake Ontario". Canadians call it a lake, I would call it a  ocean, crystal blue water as far as the eye can see. I seemed to have lost my photo, Marg will forward me one. If you click on the link Lake Ontario,  then click on the first photo, you will see what I mean.

"Enniskillen Nature Reserve"  This was a very special outing as Dan and Avro accompanied Marg and I. This was comforting as there had been bear sightings in the area. No photo could do this reserve justice, and I don't have a photo to help describe what  felt  to me like a journey back in time. It was utterly pristine, untouched by man, and comprising the widest selection of plant species I have ever seen in one place. From the moses on the  forest floor, moving upwards past ferns and running streams to the dense canopy which shaded the light  and created a surreal environment. It was  breathtakingly beautiful. This photo was taken from one of the openings in the forest.  

  I wish everyone a  fabulous  week. Love Janice   ,

"HOW THE SURPRISE CAME ABOUT"  AND - THE PHOTO!

 Receiving some not so good news after having had surgery in April,and 6 weeks later finding out that I was scheduled to  have more surgery in August,I decided that I could not handle this right now. 

 I became an  emotional wreck and  fear and. panic took over, yes my bravery deserted me at the door. This is where my knight in shining armour, the Love of My Life, Steve came to my rescue. With the ok from my doctor  to delay surgery until  November, and with Steve  knowing how much I was missing Marg, he prescribed some urgent  Marg therapy and set out on an internet search  for bargain air fares to Toronto. 

I had one condition. Marg was not to know I was coming ! I wanted to knock on her door and give her the suprise of her life ! Of course, we could not do this without Dan's ( Marg's husband) approval. A surprise for Marg is one thing, but I couldn't impose myself on their household for a whole month without being sure that  I would be welcome and that I would not be upsetting any of their domestic plans. So after a couple of phone calls to Dan, which he explained away to Marg as enquiries about the suitability of a birthday present for her, he enthusiastically endorsed the plan! The problem was that her birthday was in June, and I was not going to arrive until August, so how were we going to keep this thing a secret for three months?

It was easy to start with,but as time drew near it became harder, not just for me, but for the others that, for various reasons, I had told !  For some of you,like myself, it became a very difficult dodging game  towards the end, as this beautiful lady has finely tuned antenna's which  were picking up that something was going on ! It was especially hard towards the end as both I and several of my friends were all trying to avoid her in case we said something that she would pick up on .  Dear friends I thank you so very much for not letting the cat out of the bag. And how Dan managed to keep the charade alive so perfectly, I will never know ! In fact he told Marg that his brother was coming to visit from Mexico, so at least she knew to expect an overseas visitor ! just the wrong one !! 

The  last  2 weeks  were nearly impossible, as Steve was over in Perth   and my dear friend Marg thought she would keep an eye on me through Skype, day and night. When I was due to leave home for the airport, I knew that I would be out of contact for 32 hours before arriving on her doorstep. I left a blog saying that I was going out for the afternoon, and I hoped this would cover me until I arrived in Los Angeles, from where I would leave a message which she would think originated  from me at home !

Anyway, after a horror experience in LA airport with the rudest customs, immigration and security men in the world,I made it onto the Air Canada flight and eventually into Toronto airport where Dan was waiting for me. So, all that was left was a one hour drive to Oshawa and I would finally be back with Marg.

Dan drove into their driveway - I got out of the car - Marg came out of her front door - and then she saw me !  Well, she came bursting down the driveway with such emotion and  a expression  on her face that was worth all the sneakiness.   To feel her warm loving arms around me for real was just so right.

" THE LOOK IS PRICELESS"