Life in Douglas

It's a quiet morning as 8YO is home today with a slight fever and a sore throat, so I thought I'd take a moment to check in...

Of course we ran out of kids' Tylenol last night, so, off to the store we went this morning. Silly me. I forgot that that our Atlantic Superstore doesn't open until 8 am. So, we waited 20 minutes. Then, in the store, we found that the pain relievers are locked up at the pharmacy, which... you guessed it, doesn't open until 9. So, off we went to the closest "real" pharmacy. They don't open until 9. So, we went next door to Sobey's. Victory. The pharmacy wasn't open, but the pain relievers weren't under lock and key. Woo-hoo. Now, let me say that I actually like that things aren't open 24/7 and - though I acknowledge the issue of it being Sunday morning - I particularly enjoy the fact that nothing opens before noon on Sunday. But, I do have to say that, after living in a place where it seems like anything and everything is available 24/7, except alcohol, which I don't care about, it takes some adjusting!

In other news, I don't think I ever posted this, but shortly after we moved in P and I were driving up our street and coming toward us, overhead, was a pair of bald eagles. We pulled over and just watched as they circled and swooped, as if they were welcoming us. It was soooo cool. P is really into raptors, so it was especially cool. Then, a couple of months ago, I was driving down the street and a fox trotted across in front of me. It crossed, stopped, and turned its head back. I stopped and just watched it. BTW, we're out of the city on a street that has next to no traffic. Last weekend, 8YO and I were sitting at the dining room table when, at the door to the deck we saw a hummingbird. Then, the other morning I had put 8YO on the bus and was walking the dog when I heard, and then saw, a woodpecker. Finally, yesterday morning, as I drove down our street, three deer crossed in front of me. They had come from the grassy area in front of one home and up through a heavily wooded area in front of another. We've never seen them in our "yard," but P saw tracks in the snow this winter. Of course we see rabbits and they are surprisingly unmoved, literally, when I walk by with the pup. I often wonder if they are trying to be invisible. Anyway, that's what we've seen thus far. While we will have to create a "cover" for our square foot garden, that's okay. I really like seeing that the wildlife hasn't been completely dispossessed of its habitat.

In other news - some of you may have read my recent post about health care and my need to go to an after hours clinic to get an appointment at the hospital, as the hospital requested. Well, the closest one and the only one that has morning, rather than evening, hours sounded like a good option until I read this. Nope. I won't be seeing her. She may be a great diagnostician, etc., but I don't need a lecture, thank you. Talk about unprofessional and adding unnecessary stress to a doctor visit!!!

What's ahead? 8YO starts soccer two nights a week on Monday. And, we've got the requisite class trip and school/family BBQ coming up. Two weeks from today I'll be in Toronto and Windsor/Detroit for the weekend. Yes, Sweet Creamery is on the "to-do" list! After that I'm attending a conference here at UNB. 8YO has three more weeks of school. In early July I think we're going to Nova Scotia for a few days. Then, hopefully, I'll be taking Part I of my genealogical field trip to New Hampshire and Massachusetts. While I'm away, 8YO will do an art camp at UNB. Unfortunately my good friend in Boston will have already left for Greece so I won't be able to see her. Then, on 11 July one of our friends from Saint Paul arrives for a week. After that I think we'll hunker down for a month of summer at home. P's mother might come later in July, but we don't yet know for sure. In late August we head to Quebec for a week and then I'm off to Saint Paul. Of course, in and among all that is the question of litigation, house work, etc. But, we're hoping to have a great summer, super-size mosquitoes and black flies be damned!

As with a few others, I've been spending more time on facebook than blogging. I've just been tired and stiff/sore and just haven't really had the presence of mind to write. I have taken a new strategy of trying to get one thing done each day (e.g., hanging a mirror, sorting books, hanging blinds - which damn near did me in) and not worrying about how much more there is to be done. So far, so good!

That's about it from our little corner of Canada. I can't believe that we're fast approaching the one year anniversary of our arrival. A helluva year it's been. It was such a departure from what I had expected, from what I had hoped for that I'm afraid to even think about what the next year might have in store! And, with that, cheerio!