A learning curve

We have some big shifts around here lately and here are some of the things we are trying to figure out.

• How to keep water out of basement with Saskatoon’s record rainfall yesterday. Luckily no sewage backed up.
• That our “eat whenever” approach to meals is not good for a diabetic and his medicines. Jordon experienced a scary period yesterday when he kind of ran out of blood sugar.
• Fat-free does not mean sugar-free
• Sugar-free tastes terrible
• So does fat free
• Neuropathic pain sticks around even after one’s blood sugar goes down.

Other random notes around here…

• My new mp3 player allows for voice recording which means I may start to podcasting myself. Jordon has been podcasting lately and finds it a lot of fun.
• I have to work on Canada Day morning but am home for the BBQ later on.
• I need more music on my MP3 player. Alicia Keyes isn’t enough.

Ralph Wiggum Quotes

• Me fail English? That’s unpossible.
• Hi, Super Nintendo Chalmers!
• I bent my wookie.
• The doctor said I wouldn’t have so many nose bleeds if I kept my finger outta there
• And, when the doctor said I didn’t have worms any more, that was the happiest day of my
• That’s where I saw the Leprchaun. He tells me to burn things!

24-7 Prayer Room

Lakeland Church now has a 24-7 Prayer room. Cool. More thoughts and pictures to follow.

Sex sells

Karen Neudorf wonders aloud about what if companies stopped using sex to sell.

I’ve always wondered, with every company on the planet using sex to sell, if it would make a difference if a company actually decided NOT to sexualize everything – especially in this very weird time of sexualizing products for children. It’s highly disappointing to see such a creative company not only embrace such standard way of marketing clothing but (seemingly) unapologetically cross so many lines.

Sadly because money is so much more important than values to most companies, we may never know.

Arlington Beach Camp and Conference Centre

Some photos of my wanderings around Arlington Beach Camp and Conference Centre on Flickr

A broken heart

Jordon wrote about his heart problems here. I thought that I would put some of my thoughts down as well.

• It has been a tough two weeks. It started when Jordon told me that his doctor was sending him to get some blood work done to see if he was diabetic. I kind of ignored that it could be true until the doctor rather emotionally told Jordon and I that he had diabetes and his blood sugar was really high.
• We started to make the adjustments around the house. Out with the Coke and in with the Diet Coke (for the record, Jordon insists that Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, and Diet Dr. Pepper all taste exactly the same and should all be referred to as brown aspertame). New diabetic meals. New no-sugar treats and four times a day, finding out what Jordon’s blood sugar is at. The phone would ring and often have Jordon’s doctor on the other end asking what Jordon’s blood sugar was at.
• On Monday, Jordon was given a new prescription to help lower his blood sugar. Tuesday he took his pill and almost immediately thought he was having an allergic reaction to the pill and then the heart pain hit. We ended up at the clinic. Jordon’s doctor then ordered me to take him to Royal University Hospital as fast as I could. I got scared at that point. They rushed Jordon in, gave him blood thinner, redid the tests. Did them again. Jerry and Gloria came over. Gloria prayed. Used part of the Free Methodist funeral liturgy while praying. Jordon mocked her. Doctors came in and made him sign a waiver for an angiogram and bypass surgery. I got even more scared. The only good thing is that Jordon wasn’t either scared or faked it and tried to get a cookie from me after they told him not to eat. I fought him off and ate the cookie in front of him. Jordon whined. I took his coffee away. Jordon whined again. Nurses kept injecting Jordon with morphine. Jordon still lobbied for cookies. I went home and got Lee and Mark. Jordon was having angiogram and no one knew where he was. Jordon’s nurse found us. We found Jordon. Next guy getting angiogram after Jordon died. That was freaky and unsettling. Jordon’s morphine ramblings made us laugh. In hindsight, I should have recorded them and made them into a podcast. Mark almost yanked out Jordon’s IV when he gave him a hug. Angiogram showed Jordon’s heart was hurting but no permanent damage. Later that night we drove home and we ordered in some food. I finally ate and Jordon fell asleep on the couch.
• Jordon’s heart still hurts and he is weak but is still alive and functioning. Glad to have him still around.

Super Soaked

Today Lee decided we all needed turbo charged water pistols. So he dragged all of us down to Toys R Us and made us pick out a Super Soaker or a Super Soaker clone and bought them for us. Lee’s is the coolest as it has a ice core which makes the water super cold as it comes out. Jordon, Mark, and I went for the more traditional soakers although there was actually a water canon for sale which made us all laugh.

I was never in a waterfight growing up. Actually I used to throw these hissy fits whenever Jordon would get me with the hose until I learned to loosen up. I guess it was inevitable with four Super Soakers in the house that a waterfight would break out and tonight it did. Jordon and Mark tried to ambush me. I came out with my gun loaded and took both of them on until I ran out of water and then it was Jordon and Mark’s turn to soak me good. Mark was soaked head to toe and for some reason Jordon didn’t get as wet as we did. Next time I need to recruit Lee to be on my side and we will see what happens.

Later :: We got Lee involved. We broke the rule, “No Super Soakers in the house!”. Jordon, Mark and I attacked Lee except that none of us are that loyal and all of us got wet. No, wet isn’t the right word for it. Super Soaked is more like it. Actually the only dry in the family was Elway who ran around and just watched.

Note to self :: Don’t trust Jordon, Mark, or Lee ever again. At least not on a hot day. Also, glasses are pointless while being shot in the face with water.

Bad news and the good news

Bad news :: Jordon had a minor heart attack today that looks like is connected to his diabetes.
Good news :: He is back home and resting comfortably.

The South Saskatchewan River Rises

Went with Lee, Jordon, and Mark to the Saskatoon Riverworks last night to see the weir disappearing under the incredible flow of the South Saskatchewan. The river is the highest and fastest in 50 years. Luckily Saskatoon has high and steep banks but there has been some really minor flooding, more of a spectacle than a disruption. Jordon and Lee told me about a place on the riverbank that has flooded in the past and we went by there. It was a lot more than a little flooded, the whole area of the walking path was gone. It was cool to see.

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

1. Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and you’re inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?
2. Border Collie: Just one. And then I’ll replace any wiring that’s not up to code.
3. Dachshund: You know I can’t reach that stupid lamp!
4. Rottweiler: Make me.
5. Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.
6. Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!
7. German Shepherd: I’ll change it as soon as I’ve led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven’t missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.
8. Jack Russell Terrier: I’ll just pop it in while I’m bouncing off the walls and furniture.
9. Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I’m sorry, but I don’t see a light bulb!
10. Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.
11. Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb. Or “We don’t need no stinking light bulb.”
12. Greyhound: It isn’t moving. Who cares?
13. Australian Shepherd: First, I’ll put all the light bulbs in a little circle…
14. Poodle: I’ll just blow in the Border Collie’s ear and he’ll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.