Minti to the rescue!  How totally lucky am I???  I was feeling that the car hates us...well I still think it does as it's not running!  Now the van would have reason to hate us as we did try to blow it up...well not me really I was innocent,just sorta brought into the deal...and fire!!!    But I really hate feeling down,negative,a call out and I feel rescued!! Heeee,heee you guys are GREAT!!! No doubt about it and thank you to all for putting up with car problem stories!!!  In real life they do rank rather low on the what's important list.  Just I wanted this shower to be special and loosing two days has really put me back.  So I've been cleaning ,now baking for tomorrow and  keeping an eye on that Hubby of mine so he doesn't start car "repair",think I'm not up to tackling that just yet!!!  Thanks again and you are so special and I hope everyone of you knows how very special I think you are! Cause you are!!!

Monday spent wrangling with the car, but tuesday!!! Tuesday we made it out and unloaded the packed car with this and that,lots of good clothing and coats ,much needed things at Goodwill.  I put in some art supplies as I know they don't get those much and everyone needs art in their lives. I also found lots of binder paper and binders so off they went too as they need school supplies for those that can't afford them.  So on the way home we thought we'd stop and get some of the food items we need for the shower. Long sad story made short...spent the entire day in the parking lot trying to get the car going,ended up having it towed. We got home at 6 pm and having spent the whole day out in minus 10 weather I was frozen through. I thought about taking a heavier coat but we were so busy,so I froze. So here we are,wasted two days and find ourselves without a working vechicle and no way to go get the parts needed and broke so can't buy them anyway. I still need to get things for the shower.  The up side was the tow was 80 dollars and if we broke down on the 401 like last time it would have cost four times that or more.

So I was feeling really down and upset. We are still trying to get things fixed,you can't give up but you can get worn out by the fight.  But word from a good friend this morning and thoughts kept close by an other does wonders. I thank you Ladies,you make the world go round!   I can count on you to care and knowing that gives you will. Will to battle the foes...in this case the bleeping vechicles and time running out for the shower!  I'm still cold!!! I love the winter,I really do but even the hardiest Canuks need proper winter wear,a spring jacket is not up to minus 10 and heavy winds..... so as I whine away,thanks for the support,I needed that,now back to the day!!!

I was talking to a very dear friend about taking things to Goodwill as I started the past week to clean up and out!!!   The stuff that is here from my dear kiddies and all the extra stuff I've been so eager to donate was loaded in the car.  Our first stop was our last.  The car gave up.  So home we walk,a nice walk in the sun even if it was minus 5,thank heavens it had warmed up as I had a t-shirt and spring jacket on for the shops and no hat or mits.  My day planned to pick up this and that while getting rid of the extras became a day of stress!

So Hubby tried to get the car going  by walking tools over,no luck,and he then tried the big van.  It has been parked all winter because if you know Canada in a snowy winter you can not safely drive vans.   Well of course it wouldn't start and I went out to help.   Big,big mistake.   Seeing I was there Hubby tried to start it with the old trick of starter down the throttle.   In this big van you take off the motor hump inside the van,remove the filters and get to the throttle which controls the gas vapours to the motor,done this tons of times!   I actually know how to do this and have done it myself.  On newer vechiles this is now all computerized.   So I let Hubby do his thing and on cue I try starting it.  Of course there was a very loud explosion and fire!!!  Really!!!  Hubby made a loud swear to the whole neighbourhood and I ran for water.  Surprising how slow a container fills with water.  Ran out and the flames were high, threw it on and ran back for more.  Hubby smothered the engine fire with his leather jacket.  A very good leather jacket.  See!!!   This is exactly why I always nag at him to change into work stuff when you do these things!!   He thinks I nag for nothing but how many mechanics do you see working in leather jackets??? There is a good reason they don't!!!  So being basically stupid the fire was repeated three more times until the semi sane one, me, said no more. Hubby's fun ended and I am still trying to recover from the explosion and the fire right beside me and the visual sight of a gyser of flame and trying to put out the fire and seeing Hubby put a rag over a totally  burning throttle. One way to stop the fire before it blows up the engine. Of course...doesn't everyone do this?  You know I have always rode out the stuff around here and have lived to shake my head at all the stuff over the years that we get into but you know???  I think I'm getting too old for this. Much too old. Or I am I old because of the stuff that goes on here???  Hummm,chicken or the egg? 

So the van needs a new part and the miracle is not because of the fire and late in the dark we walked over and were able  to get the car back to the driveway. So a whole day gone and we are getting snow,the first day of a three day storm so going out might be hard and I don't trust that car at all!!!  Oh and Ladies....get this...Hubby says in the evening.....you know Dear(sarcastic???) if I had been in my work jacket it would have just caught fire. My leather jacket worked to put the fire out. ???? is this normal? What's your point??? I think I'm going crazy. Heeelllppppp,oh never mind it's too late.

Ohhh hit heaven!   I bought the cutest little itty bitty socks!   I bought little tiny satin shoes,edged in the prettiest trim.   I bought bibs and the most adorable soft tiny little sleeper.   Son will not like this as he is so against name branding but this one was the softest and the most well made...besides I'm Grandma... I have rights!   LOL!!!   To do what ever strikes my fancy!!  LOL!!!   Really laughing hard here because I know my son and I will not get away with much!  I'll try though!!!!  I bought this little teddy,he's so adorable,so sweet and soft and inviting!   It's the little socks though,they just kill me,all little tiny with the cutest designs on them.   Next weekend is BABY SHOWER!!!!!!   Here of course and my daughter is arranging it,which means she sent out the invites and I do everything else.  Hummmm does this sound like a replay??  Yes!!!  The bridal shower.  So I am planning.   Mostly I am off the wall over my purchases!  OMG!!!   I got a big pack of diapers,thought that reasonable to aid in the first little while.  I have shyly stated that cotton are best,which I stand by...but you should see these things!!!   Engineering at it's finest!  They have stretch here and there,barriers to prevent this and that...hint...running with child out front to the change table!!!  LOL!!   Breathable almost fabric cloth and sweet little bears printed on them !!   I couldn't get over them!   They are brilliant!!!   I was so thrilled to be buuying things for this baby and I had so much fun!!!  I was so enjoying it.  Crazy happy in the baby deptartment and Hubby was grinning ear to ear too!  Mostly laughing at my reactions but hey!!!  I'm use to that,I know I get...well excited and very happy!  But who wouldn't???  So I'll by pass the tense feelings about cleaning this place and handling getting all the food ready and the fact this will be a lot of people! Plus daughter made it rather a long one....geeeessss! Oh well!  So I better get cleaning! Nah,rather be on minti seeing how all my lovely Ladies friends (and Steveeeee!) are !!  Still sending good vibes to Janice as I know she is not improving,wish she could be here for the Baby Shower,wish I could be there to help her. Always on my mind.

Monday was the first ever Family Day here in Ontario! The leading Party followed through on an election platform,helps to get elected if you offer people a day off...but politically speaking does not make up for everything else you goof up on!!!  So I could go off on my political bent or I could try to keep little mind headed down the path we started on...hummmm but ranting on about our alleged leaders is tempting!

Family Day was to be a gathering arranged by my eldest son up at his cottage. But due to the vast amount of snow and then a two day ice storm we felt we could not go up. The rest of the family was going to go but the conditions were worse were they all reside. Son sent out e-mails tempting us with the fact he had bought steaks and sea food for us all but we sat tight and he and very pregnant wife were the only ones up in the snowy wonder land! So our day went  along here with some half hearted cleaning then I launched into some baking. I told Hubby that I was not upset because we'd see son and DIL and I said we'd see Jake and DIL too!!  Jake and his wife??? No way my Hubby said! So our drab little day went on and I mentioned that our family day just seem to be involving the dog. Late in the afternoon our eldest and his lovely wife did stop in and stayed!! What fun hearing how Baby is doing and about the prenatal classes and everything they are up to. But the news from the cottage was shocking! The snow is hip high down the road in and son had to dig out the door to get in. I guess the snow is about 4 feet high all around the cottage.  The lake is soft  but the snowmobilers were out on it! So we had a lovely visit and son wanted to eat but the pregnant one thought it would be better to get home,poor girl looked beat. They left and we sent them home with the beef soup I had made and perogies and the cookies I was finishing when they got here. So it was dark as they left and Hubby said,see you were wrong Jake needs to rest. I know he does but I think we'll still see him. Then I heard what I often hear...you're crazed woman!!

Haa,haaa, there was a small knock on the door and it opened,dog went nuts and was sent to bed and there was Jake and DIL!!!  Dear DIL said Jake was needing an outting! I said to Oshawa??? She said ... what can you do!?! You know those moments when you feel really close to someone because you understand?? You have been through it! You have suffered the same??? That was that moment!  I hugged her as you need a hug with these men folk of ours!!! What a great visit and he is better although looks a little rough and the leg is still bad. We sent them home with goodies to have and I am so greatful we had a wonderful Family Day!! It was the greatest to see him and everyone that blessed us by stopping in!

Oh dear friend I just need to blog about you.  You may kill me,but....risks are fun!  As you wander through this Minti world you come upon joy!  I love that!  When there is a new relationship that is all shiny and new and exciting!  Or when there is a really old one that still is there, like my cute little Hubby!  Or best,those wonderful little new creatures that beam hope and wonder from their first photos that we see.  Babies so very loved and treasured, is there anything more joyous??   Then there is the heartbreak.  Broken marriages and broken women that have suffered too much,far too much. That sadness bears in your heart.  You hope they find how wonderful they are in all they do for others and they need to turn that love to themselves.  We often find funny wonderful people that light up our screens when they pass on through.  We find people that share some thoughts of ours,other that think the opposite.  I have found total delight in all these varied and totally wonderful people that I am so lucky to pop in to see what they are up to.  And then there is Janice.  When i think of this Lady that I met through Minit I think of the word that suits her best...Heartfelt.  She is heart and she feels for so many of us.  She is always there to lend her knowledge and to feel for you.  I am uncomfortable talking about any one without their permission but I think this comes as no surprise,we all know Janice. So I ask that we all support her right now. I am worried so.   Her health is not good and like me she doesn't often talk about it so I understand. But... I so believe in vibes!! This may be news to some!!! LOL!! I believe that when combined the well wishes are vibes that do send energy.  So I call on our little Minti community to send Janice the best!   You mean a lot to me and to many here so get better,get healthy and get strong,our nature walk is going to be long and I hug hard,got to be able to stand it!!

Geeessss... I can't sleep wonder why? Jake is home. Background...this is running through my mind,

Jacob was to go for an operation. It had been roughly three years of operations and chemo and horrid stuff. Really horrid stuff. He was to be a trial for stem cell surgery. He wanted to try something different. This was the last thing. His body could take no more. Basically he had been to hell through all that was done,this was the last thing. A couple of days before he was to start this new therapy he dropped in and talked to a surgeon. They devised a plan to try an even newer approach,totally surgery.  The surgeon had done it once before. So we started to wait while this was done,my son's last chance after years of ballte.

The team of surgeons opened my son,deflated his lungs and removed the tumours that had not responded to any of the drugs. Would this work or just spread the cancer. They removed baseball sized tumours from his lungs,kidneys,aorta, well every where. His organs were lifted and visually scanned for cancer. There were 13 surgeons and their teams. There was his and his girlfriends family waiting.  The operation went on longer than what they figured as the cancer was through every where. We got one update from an exhausted surgeon in the 7 th hour that said Jake was still with us. I prayed that the team would not give up,that they would have the strength to finish.

I felt Jake coming. I went to the elevator and there he was. He didn't look like Jake but his life force was still there. It had been thirteen hours.

My poor boy had no pain relief through this horrid thing. They had set the stem too low in his body and they had had to do so much more higher than they figured so he felt everything as he came out of the drugs. I don't know how he stood the pain. He had tubes every where draining all the sites that had been operated on. Jacob spent one full week in intensive care. We didn't know if he would make it.

We got the news that he was out of intensive care and joyfully headed back into Toronto to see him in his new room. When we came off the elevator I sensed something and noticed the grim faces. Oh my God I thought,something had happened to Jake!!!  We rushed to the room to find Jake dressed barely sitting and all the tubes placed outside his clothing and his duffle bag was packed. One week and he was being sent home? He was less than two hours out of intensive care!!! I thought of the only thing I could to keep him safe to stay there were they could keep him alive!!!! I said Jake we can't bring you home now we took the subway in. I thought this will keep him safe,he can't be home yet. That evening he was home,he arranged with his girlfriends Mother for her to drive him in!!! She's a nurse so that was at least better than what we could do.

So then I took care,best I could of this much loved son who should have been in the hospital,that had been opened right up and was stitched and stapled and had drainage tubes and bags and I was scared out of my mind I would accidently kill him by doing something wrong.

So this is my boy,my dear son,my beautiful but bull headed lovely son. I love him so very much. So here he is,struck a deal with the head doctor of the hospital to hit him heavy with I.V.  antibiotics that have a half life,those are really tough on you as I have had them, and send him home with a ton of meds. He still has a high temp. and the leg is huge. My dear DIL says he is still bright red. He is not out of the woods yet.

So here is to you my dear Jake. Here is to your will,your desire to live your life and your amazing spirit. You deserve to fly high and accomplish all those things you want. You are the gentleness of the earth and the giving spirit of the rain. You are sweet and some one I look up to as you are and always will be my Hero.  I know you rile at that but you amaze me and I love you with all that I am. The powers that be have blessed me to know you.

I so want to go to each of the special people and thank them for their kind words and thoughts. I am thrown as it helps so much and I can't thank you guys enough,you are so sweet! Jacob is still running a crazy high temp. and the leg is bad,swollen and the infection not easing. However... I know that this will turn soon. I am positive that the antibiotics will work soon. I wish you all the best Happy Valentines wises and usually it is so much fun to pop in,see what crazy things everyone is up to and wish you each a Happy Valentines!!! The wish is there because geeessss,you are all so very special! Thank you!

Thank you. I came on today because I was all mushy,I don't like being mushy so I needed to think positively. Thank you to all that cared to leave your vibes. I thank you as it makes a difference. I feel more positive and that's what I need to be! I thank you cause I needed a dose of cyber hugs and that's what it felt like!!!

My son,who is the most fantastic guy,who has gone through so much is in the hospital in serious condition.  He  is a gentle soul and such a pure light and I ask for good vibes to ease him through.  What ever way this goes I just know he deserves a chance as he has fought through cancer in a horrific three year battle and this too needs to be fought through. He has just got back from a trip to take samples for the university and has a severe infection that started in his leg and now he is again in need of good vibes. All those that feel they can do this I thank you and those who think of him give a kind thought his way! Thank you again!

This is the day! The day that is so beautiful and prefect you know the powers that be are in their rightful places and are smiling on lowly humans. It is glorious out! It is the blue that you remember as being perfect that covers the sky from horizon to horizon! The snow is so white and deep and sparkles the colours of life its self! It is the perfect day to breath deep of this given air and  be thankful that the powers that be allow their bounty to be had! . Who wouldn't be glad to be alive and have everything in front of you??? The next day,the next week!!! I wonder what they hold for us all? The future is there and darn it is so sweet to have this day. I have been out since 6 am until now at 10, shovelling and enjoying the out doors. I am just amazed at the amount of snow the heavens gifted us with! Hopefully this return to a beautiful winter will mean more normalacy in this summer. In this time when you are bombarded with what you should have and what you should want and what you should give up to get the next thing....we all need to be happy that we have this day. This very day that is exhausting and wonderful...sweet and the only day like it that our life will have. Soon it is on to the next day. I thank the powers that be that I can look out and see the great trees heavy with the snow and I saw the bunny today,he did stop and wonder why I was moving all that snow!!! Bunny is smarter,he just hopped through it. The birds started at the first light and gave me the music I love. I got to speak to little kids off to school,they thought my jokes funny! I have had so much fun today that I just think the joy needs to be acknowledged and I need to be thankful for this wonderful day so what better way than to share the excitment of a perfect day with friends???

Janice's group Showing Love is Janice! So her request to state what we like to do is to get everyone to know each other better and to promote caring and love so here goes Janice,for you Sweety!!!

Marg likes to...hummm gotta think about this... what comes first to mind is family. As most women it is hard to see me sometimes. I see others first. I see need and what I do for others.

Start again...Marg likes to.... poke about!!! First choice would be in the great outdoors!!! Second in thrift shops. Now is that something I do??? Guess so! I have done tons of sewing in my life. From working at it to doing it for the family. My best creation was a gown for my daughter at a university dress ball. It had a full floor length skirt done in a greenish gorgette that showed two different hues of the green depending how the light hit it. I made a  toole underskirt to keep the skirt full at the bottom. The top was a boned top with a crisscross tie back done in the same tone of fabric but blue,the two colours matched and played off of each other very well. I found silk cording that matched perfectly and it had a Elizabethan feel to it. Add my beautiful daughter who was way too thin at that time from working two jobs and doing full university and she got asked what designer did it for her. The girls were way wealthier than us and she was happy that they all thought it special.

Second I have finished furniture for ages,made couches,chairs and my best creation there was the lounge. My Great Grandfather had a "shrink" couch that was stuffed with horse hair and straw,well that was what they used in the 1800's!!! and covered with leather. My Dad inherited it and had it recovered. I inherited it and stripped it down. Took out a few thousand staples,and the hand made nails that had first been used. Got rid of the horse hair and straw and redid it all. Hubby cleaned and did the woodwork and he picked the fabric. Rather like it now!

People...I do like to meet and find people to hear their stories and love get to gethers! I rarely do nothing as I like to be doing.  I have worked at everything... rarely getting paid as I have done a lot to help out. So jack of a lot of trades master of none??? Haaa,haaaa I have dug out for pools,repaired cars in the body work sense,I do fiberglassing. I have done roofing, siding and eves. I have done cement and decking. I have done all interiour stuff to framing and ceilings. Oh,yah, I have installed carpet,all types of flooring and made counters,installed sinks and wall stoves and that kinda stuff and done tons of landscaping. Taken out sidewalks and installed stone. Done a lot of different things,even made props for commercials. But the fun was back in my teens when I made and sold shoes and tie-dye shrits and jeans,did make those too! belts and I did batiking. Then there is the catering done with my husband,biggest group was for 60. Have made jams,pickles and preserves and have always cooked and baked tons,always from scratch but you do that with a family.

 So what does the future hold for us all ???  That's what I would love to hear about!! What is your future???

You always have to stop and wonder why???  Why is always a huge thing with me. I think because I figure if you find out the why then you can duplicate good results and avoid bad. But this why? has me puzzled because it is just so heart breaking. All the way round heart breaking. This concerns my younger daughter who last night needed to talk to me. I cried,I thought of the little children involved and I thought of my own feelings towards pets and I am still so very upset and sad. She was given a kitten by her best friend. My daughter has never been a cat person,she favoured dogs. I knew this little tiny bundle of fur would win over her heart quickly cause I've had cats before and they just do that. They are special little things that are more independent than dogs and masters of their own domaines but so cute and interesting. I knew daughter had just not been exposed to cats and their charms. Well of course she fell head over heals.

So kitty became a loved kitty and she went to the vet,had all her shots and tricky Lady that she was managed to get pregnant a week before she was to be fixed. Good timing!!!  So daughter fed her high protien and worried and with cause. This little girl was that,little! She ,even full grown, is the tinyest thing I've ever seen. She is delicate and small boned and so clever. She's calico and so very pretty. So she saw the vet and ended up having 9 kitties!! Two died at birth and one had to be put down after several months due to deformed ribs. This set my daughter for a spin. She had called the kitten Ribblets as there was visable signs that he was melformed but he was doing well,  playing and eatting,growing well. He stuck to my daughter like glue so having him put out of pain when he starting not doing well was so very tough on her. The 6 remaining kittens were all put into good homes and my daughter took remarkable steps to do that. If she could of she would have had the cops check the people out. She even asked for updates and pictures!!! haaa,haaa,I thought that was going over board but the proud new kitten owners did that for her. The one that didn't was tracked down. No kidding! He had his Mom look after the kitten as he was out of town working she found out.

So now she has found out that despite the shots and everything that was done to make sure the kitten she got as a gift was healthy she found out she is not. When preparing to have her fixed this time they found that she has feline anemia. As explained to me some cats can live with it,some can't. It spreads and the cat probably had it before the shots as a kitten.,it's an immune disorder somewhat like aids.  So the cat my daughter loves is starting to fail. Bad enough. But her kittens, despite the proper care,  all probably have it too. So daughter is phoning the people and having to tell them the news . Just so much heart break all the way round. Daughter is totally down having to tell people that their beloved pets have problems and even though they had everything done that was suppose to be done they are ill. I try to tell her that at least she cares enough to tell them. But that doesn't really cut it with her. Oh...life can throw you some nasty curves can't it?

Ahhh...it's Friday.  It's quiet here. The kind of quiet when you are missing someone. The quiet like you know to not expect that special someone to chat and talk with.  My daughter moved back to her home yesterday.sigh.... so quiet. I knew it was coming,she was looking forward to getting back to her friends and her guy,our loss!!!  She is the most interspective person I know.  She stands for what is right and oddly because most don't ...she lives by it.  She stands down to nothing if it goes against her knowledge of right and wrong.  Her compassion knows no end and I think that's what makes her most special to me.   She can look at things truely and with the depths of her understanding and she opens your eyes.  She is a soul that is art in its self. She flows out these pieces that show her. Her art does reflect her,I'll miss that too!  All the clever and neat things going on.  Her passion is gone with her too,the house and me feel that. The energy she beams out is gone.  Ohhh,I'm so dramatic,I know she's not gone...just moved out (sob,sob,sob!!) even that is dramatic cause I'm happy she finally gets to get back to her life. I'm just greedy. Greedy cause it was wonderful to have that energy and look forward to her next projects and her next rant!!! I loved to her what she was taking on next.  I so admire that girl. She is someone that is so very quiet and gentle. As a person she is so very giving. But if she senses wrong she is a tiger,she'll not stop until she personally corrects it.  With all her degrees and interests she really wants to be a teacher and her contract ended so now I just feel like she's so far away. Her students will miss her too. She was really surprised by the outpouring by these far too cool teens. Yup,I think they know they have lost someone that cared about them and stood up for them. So here on this day when the storm is hitting and it looks like we are going to be deep in beautiful snow,I'm glad you are home safe and sound but I do miss your light.