Cadbury and Grace star in this episode of cat-dog negotiations about who will set the agenda in the playroom commonly known as the big room (dining room and living room). Despite this clip evidence, Cadbury has been warming up to Miss Dog to the extent that she has been grooming Grace, when Grace approaches her in a quiet, gentle manner. So progress to 24 hour peaceful days is being made.
Month: February 2010
a little snow
it started last night and has quiety been accumulating
so I will pass on my planned drive this evening to Barrie to check out the camera club….insteadmore Olympics
I tore the little sipping port on my Tim Horton’s coffee lid before walking into the dialysis clinic this morning and managed somehow to jostle the cup enough to dump some coffee in the top of my open book bag with semi-catastropic results…. not sure I may have to replace a brand spanking new hard cover library book Imperial Cruise about a secret diplomatic mission to the Far East druing President Theodore Roosevelt’ s administration. Teddy sent his daughter Alice along to help draw the attention of the newspapermen, so that Secretary Taft could add a series of secret meetings to the ostensibly all in view itinerary.
dialysis morning
This morning when I parked out in front of the hospital at 710am it was actually light out and I stopped when I heard an unfamiliar sound. Birds singing, a pack of chickadees I think, anyway they were loud. In the first half of the winter when I arrive for dialysis it has been pitch black. It’s delightful to start a d-day with d-lights turned on.
sunstruck
Tiger, Tiger burning tv lights are bright
Well, he fessed up. I watched it and then read some media reactions. Peter Worthington in The Toronto Sun was about the most reasonable I could find. Most of the rest of the media jackals sniped away. Most readers of this tripe rolled their eyes and reflected on how the pirahna were mad cuz they didnt get their feeding via questions. Tough. It is a private matter between him and his wife. When he gets back on tour they will do the blood in the water frenzy, always an attractive media moment, and then on with the show as in big time golf tournaments. Just look at Kobe.
Before some journalists send me a dead fish in a newspaper, I respect the traditional role of journalism, reporting the news and keeping a close eye on the government. What Tiger Woods does off the course is not in that realm. And dont give me that he comes into homes playing golf and so his life is wide open to public scrutiny crap. I watch the golf. I dont care about his endorsements, corporations are stupid in so many creative ways. Just make better products and stop getting high profile shills.
99 cent miracles
spotted these in a wildly eclectic store in Elmvale, Ontario, it seemed to be intended to indulge the families drving through town to their cottages by providing answers to the question what to do on a rainy day at the cottage. Nikon Coolpix 5700
boardwalk over the Wye Marsh
The Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre is near Midland, Ontario. Actually its between Midland and my village of Victoria Harbour. I am a sporadic member, that is I usually remember to renew my annual membership. I like to visit about ten times per year throughout the four seasons. There are woodland trails and some trails out over and around the marsh. I have seen trumpeter swans, Canada geese, muskrats, turtles and a few mosquitoes on my visits. I never go there without a camera.
This image has been manipulated using Corel Paint Shop Pro. there is a function called Clarify which I like to use, probably using it in a way it was want not intended but I like the effect. Part of it is I just like the name of the function. It has a hopeful ring, not quite like Unsharp Mask.
This is one of my favourite photos of the past few years. Reviewing it has made me hungry to drag a camera over to the marsh later today assuming the light is not too flat.
chicks at Zellers
Each year as I wander through stores I am struck by the impossibly early arrival of seasonal merchandise. Early for Halloween. Early for Christmas. Twenty foot high snowbanks in the mall parking lot and summer short sleeved shirts and shorts on the racks. I was hunting for something and wandered down this aisle and found at eye level this mob of Easterish plush toys. The two chicks almost came home with me.
capsule
I began dialysis suddenly in November of 2008 after a week’s stay in hospital after seeking medical attention for the symptoms of renal failure. I began dialysis by means of chest lines. My dialysis takes place in the mornings on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I need to wake up between 5:30 and 6:00 AM, quickly walk my dog, take my medications, shower as best I can, dress, eat a light breakfast, and drive myself to the Penetang dialysis clinic (about a thirty minute drive) by 7:20 AM. Preparations for the dialysis run take up to fifteen minutes (chest lines flushed and connected or needles inserted in left forearm fistula and lines connected to needles, although this can take more time some days), 4 hours of dialysis, about fifteen to twenty minutes to finish the run, then a 30 minute drive to return home. Sometimes during dialysis I experience painful leg cramps. On a few occasions I have experienced uncontrollable vomiting.
On many days after dialysis I feel either moderately tired or very tired. Quite often I nap during the afternoon or go to bed very early in the evening. I often wake up during the night.
Each day I take medications in the morning (6 drugs) –on dialysis days I defer my diuretic medication until after dialysis– and the evening (2 drugs) and must take five 750mg calcium carbonate tablets with each meal. I check my blood sugar twice daily.
I greatly miss being able to have a relaxing shower or bath or to go swimming since I must keep my chest lines dry at all times. I look forward to the time later this year when the chest lines will be removed and my fistula will provide access for my dialysis runs. If my chest lines are removed I will be able to shower and bathe in a relaxed and complete way and I will be able to go swimming in Georgian Bay.
My type II diabetes has caused some damage to my eyes. I have received laser corrective surgery (November 2009). I can still read books and practice photography (a life-long interest). However I have great difficulty in focusing a camera with a manual focus lens, a slight limitation. My eye doctors were concerned that my vision might be close to deteriorating below the minimum correction necessary to drive a car safely, but since then I have shown some improvement. They continue to monitor my vision.
Because of the inflexible schedule of dialysis life support, I often feel somewhat trapped or imprisoned. I have seen job postings that I had considered myself qualified at least to some degree to apply for but found the work schedule was inflexible or were strictly full time in the normal work week range of business hours.
I often feel like my life is one long dialysis run and the rest is just a few brief breaks from that run.
Because of my fistula I am limited to lifting 20 lbs with my left arm.
I do find the restrictions of the dialysis and diabetic diets to be difficult to manage and food is no longer a joyful part of life.
From time to time I do feel somewhat depressed, and I am often irritable and snappish with my sister, my sole family member. There are times when I feel am almost exclusively defined by my kidney failure and my dialysis. Sometimes I feel like I might be better off dead. I have attempted to connect to mental health care professionals in my area. I am still awaiting contact back from them.
After my transplant I would very much like to work. I have extensive experience in technical writing and information technology and I have completed the certificate program: Teaching and Training Adults from Georgian College.
naptime – Grace the wonder pup and an old digicam
Technology marches along and so do I to some extent but sometimes it is worth the retreat to step back as well, I decided to go back and revive my old digicam, a Nikon Coolpix 5700 after seeing some old photos and liking the quality. It is a 5 megapxiel camera, uses a compact flash card and I got a lot of good shots with it. Its shape has been mimicked by my newer Sony H50. although the 5700 is heavier since it has a magnesium body. Its LCD is smaller but still it has been very usable and so a revival.
Bluetyger - William J. Gibson's Notebook 