"EVERY PATH SERVES A PURPOSE"

Kelli

kellisherlock@gmail.com

Just checkin in and although I did have a stream of visitors that was all I really did today.  Kathy drove in from Red Deer and has taken Boomer  back with  with her.  He will love the lake and labrador time most assuredly,
As much as you insist you love walking him also get a great holiday!  Huge big hugging thanks to you for who have assisted in this department!

Thankyou my darling friends for what you do each and every day.  You will never realize what you emails and kindnesses have done for me and my family.

I seem to be sliding a little on my blog these days, probably due to my bouts of not feeling well.  Food has no appeal these days but continue to force feed myself under Bill's ever watchful eye.  I know I have neglected many of you with my absence and there are many out there wondering if they have offended me.  It hurts me to think you could even begin to consider this possibility given the fact you have all treated me so well.  Believe me I would love to be out smacking the ball on the golf course, going for lunch, heading west to Windermere, walking the dog, enjoying coffee dates but it just isn't possible right now.  I'm trying to find myself back there and truly believe I can be there but just need some time to myself.  Some of you definitely get this and some feel neglected.  Please don't feel like this.  It just isn't the case and the last thing a need to fret about is my friends and family feeling as if I'm snubbing them.  Pure and simply, I think this is the roughest I have felt from start to now.  Eeven my Dad feels a little helpless.  He keeps offeing to do something.  At this point in time there is nothing to be done so sit tight, sent me positive vibes, keep those emails rolling.  I love reading your lovely upbeat mesages every single morning, I LOVE YOU!  And to those of you who need to see mel......just call or drop by.  I still enjoy my visitors....just not all day!
Love to all!!!!!Thanks again for the time and energy you have put into keeping me positive and happy over the entire year and a half!!!!  It is unbelievable to me how may have stuck by my side,  I have some very special people in my corner and I know it!

Another laid back day.  They have become frequent in my days that's for sure.  Had the drain again yesterday and again he pulled off another 1.5 litres which is quite a lot in only ten days.  They are unsure  why this is happening but will monitor me through it.  I can breathe better for sure but still have some nasty side effects such as nausea which never seems to be pleasant.  I just choose to plod through these days and hope to regain a little more feel good on the other side but honesly don't know where this is going to end.  Kelli came home from her retreat with her residency group.  What a great idea to introduce you to the people you will be working closely with over the next year.  They went rafting on the  Kicking Horse yesterday and then stayed overnight at a beautiful cabin in the Golden area.  It is always a good thing to get to know people outside of the work situation.  She was pretty much dead when she arrived home and we were both happy to relax in our respective recliners for most of the afternoon.  Geoff came over before work and took some of my money back at crib.  Imagine doing that to your Mom!  Crib is one of those games we have fallen back to frequently as a family.  Bill is not crazy about it but when he knows I'm down and out he will play.   Still it is hardly a favourite game of his....all he can grumble is "No skill in this game....sheer luck!"  I certainly don't agree with that especially for one on one crib....perhaps a little more so for partner crib.  Im definitly not crazy about that.  Dad and I often run a tally when I am at  the lake,  Twenty five cents a game and a dollar a point!  My kids also enjoy it so it is one you will often find us sparring away at!

Anyways....short and sweet tonight.  Friends are here!

Well, another birthday under my belt and one, if we are all a little honest, many, including myself wondered if I'd see.  Well see it I did and although I must confess I wasn't really excited about it like I am most birthdays actually turned out to be quite special indeed.  My good friend Margot who lives in flew in for a surprise visit on Friday night and we pretty much jawed our lips off for two days solid.  Margot is one of those people you cannot see for months, sometimes even years but there is no problem picking up the lines of friendship.  We had a lot to talk about and quite honestly, not a minute of the weekend seemed to drag.  Boomer and Bill were in seventh heaven because she pretty much took over the dog walking duties so happy dog and happy husband who got a well deserved break.  My other life long friend, Kathy drove down from Gull Lake o spend Saturday with us.  I had told you in a previous blog how we were so concerned he might have swallowed one of the Lady Bug Crystal Golf Balls.  He is an amazing dog.....swallows a golf ball and pukes up a sock!  Ohh George....I do believe you could win America's Got Talent with that Trick!!! Me thinks you and Kathy should consider this as a good retirement pursuit..  People would pay to see that trick.  Not sure you could perform it again though so maybe not.  Kathy got back to the lake and during the night George puked again several times,  Nice thing to arise to Sunday morning, I'm sure.  She called me and asked what I thought she should do.  I wasn't liking the way this was looking and told her if it were me I'd be taking him to the emergency clinic.  Kching....Well she did and luckily the x ray did not show a ball and the vet decided the stomach was probably just irritated from the sock.  Yes, it was an expensive trip to the vet but not as pricey as another friends dog experienced when he swallowed a tennis ball....can you imagine.... and had to undergo surgery!  $2000!  I also remember our friend Barry telling us about one of the dogs in the Police Canine Unit who ate a hockey sock.  The handler did not realize it until it was well entwined in the dogs guts.  By the time they got to the surgery it was several thousand dollars and I don't believe the dog was ever quite the same.  Moral of the story.....lock up those socks!  When Boomer was a puppy he acquired a real taste for Ladies underwear but was quite selective to the parts he liked.....only the crotch!  Not enough to worry about a blockage but certainly didn't impress Kelli or myself!  Fortunately he did grow out of this one.  I remember talking to my vet though about the things dogs do gobble down.  One of the most worrisome are the rock eaters.  They actually go outside and gobble down rocks which over time build up inside and have to be removed.  A very hard on to prevent given the fact that there are rocks everywhere a dog goes.  Then he told me about the lab who's owner was baking a pan of brownies.  She pulled them out of the oven and dropped the glass baking dish on the floor shattering it  The dog rushed in and gobbled up several bites before she was able to restrain him, glass and all.  Definitely a surgery situation with the sharp pieces of glass.  I just don't get it. These dogs are fat and happy but when presented with an opportunity to eat they just become huge gluttons.  If I opened up Boomers storage bin for his food he honestly would eat it till he popped!

Anyways...back to Saturday morning...Geoff and Lindsey floated in around 11 and worked their magic making us a fabulous brunch.  Such a treat!  Then our friends Brian and Brenda dropped by....it was pretty much a non stop entertain Leslie day.

Today I am not feeling good! Not sure if it was the constant stimulation of visiting all weekend or the chinese food we ordered in for dinner tonight but I have paid the price today.  Thats OK.....it was totally worth it.  Tomorrow another day of appointments and perhaps another drain on the lung.  The labored breathing has pretty much resumed which leads me to believe I need another session.  I just want to turn the corner and get out of this slump but so far not happening for me.  I keep telling my Dad I'd like to come out to see him at the lake but I honestly am not sure that is in my best interests right now.  So will continue to hang in there and hope for stronger days ahead.

Thanks to all of you who spoiled me on my birthday.  So many sweets and treats and so many messages.  It warms my heart that so many of you continue to follow along and cheer me on!  You will never know how much this has helped!
Love you all and count my blessings each and every day to have you in my life.

Oh and special bulletin on my pal Maureen!  They got back from their 4 day trip into Assiniboine and she discovered she likes this kind of back country experience.  If you have ever experienced Mount Assiniboine you would totally get it!  Its a place worth putting on your list.......Maureen loved it!