I was coming to Canada March 6. I didn't dare blog while here, because I was surprising my friend Patty Dixon, by coming to her St Patrick Day party in Regina March 14, and I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag. I already had once in a Skype call with her, where I said something about when I was back in Canada. She hooked on to that and said "too bad you can't tack on St Patty's. Oh, I said, I have to get right back, I hadn't even thought of that. Oh I can't. Too bad.) HA. It went off her radar and the surprise worked.
Her girlfriend Kathleen picked me up at the Regina airport yesterday. Thank you Kathleen.
I walked in on her last night, so other than screaming like she was seeing a ghost, she was surprised to see me, and now I can write. (I don't think she reads my blog anyway!)
I came to Vancouver March 6 and took a hotel room at the airport (having no idea how I would feel when I got to BC).
I travel stand by, and it is wonderful, but it is a bit hairy too. I flew Singapore/Tokyo, on All Nippon Air, but I got the last seat on the plane. It is always a little unsettling. Then in Tokyo, it was very close, but I got the LAST seat in AC business class, Tokyo/Vancouver so I was very lucky. It is wonderful to be able to fly stand by, but it is edgy, too. The back of the mind becomes very busy with -will I get on? will I have to get a hotel room and try tomorrow? where in Tokyo? How much? yikes! But you know, all I need is one seat, and I mostly am very lucky.
Booked in to a hotel at 2 p.m. at the Vancouver airport, and slept deeply for 3 hours. That is a miracle for me. I am lucky if I sleep deeply any time! Got up at 5 p.m. and went to visit a dear dear friend, Margot, 95, who has just moved in to a long term care. It took me 1 1/2 hours to get there, but I had a lovely visit, 1 1/2 back and a good sleep that night. So really very good crossover from the other side of the world.
To Kelowna the next day and stayed with friends Heinz and Sylvie, for an overnight. Then we went to a fund raiser at Sparkling Hill, near Vernon. Google Sparkling Hill Vernon BC. It is amazing!
This is a lovely tale. My friend in Vernon, Sylvie, emailed me in Singapore that she was putting on a fund raiser for a young girl. Colleen Venables, 15, from Armstrong BC. Colleen is a finalist at the Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition in Beijing, this April. (One of 20 out of 228 entrants) The fund raiser was to help the family with travel costs to get there. Sylvie asked me to talk it up to my ski buddies at Silver Star. So I forwarded her promo email to the group list. 70 buddies. 40 of them came to the concert!!!! 20% of the audience!!! I was so touched. Teary eyed as I saw all my dear friends that I miss soooo much, that they had come, that this young girl was being helped, that we were at gorgeous Sparkling Hill. Within an hour of getting the request from Sylvie, she had requests from the ski buddies. The wonder of the the computer. My buddies loved that I am letting them know what is going on in little Vernon, while I am living in Singapore!!
In Vernon I stayed with my dear friends Rae and Brian Jensen for the Vernon visit.
I had a wonderful time seeing my extended family group in Vernon. Our friends in Vernon are such an amazing groups of active, enthusiastic, healthy, social, loving, curious, adventurous people. I am so happy to be a part of the group, and so missing this wonderful family away from home. My soul was fed. I was bowled over that they remember me, read this blog, enjoy it. I am just bursting with joy. Thank you, ALL! (And I will continue to update you on the arm thing)
While in Vernon, I stayed with dear Rae and Brian Jensen. So weird to be near our condo but not in it! Ron and Jean live there now for 2 years. I was 2 units down at the Jensen's. Such dear friends. Saw neighbours, visited with Rae. Never seem to have enough time, but it was great.
Rae booked me in with a fantastic physiotherapist. I saw her twice, and she worked wonders. AND she said the physio I have in Singapore is right on. Thank goodness. She will be sending diagnosis and exercises via email, so I have a continuity of treatment. As good as can be. ( I see a person in TO next week- twice- for 2 hours- no pressure but for 2X$300- I did say I expect to be cured!) And maybe I will. I am so much better.
It turns out it is an injury in my shoulder. All therapists have asked if I have had an injury to my right shoulder. (the only injury I have had was 23 years ago skiing, which caused my shoulder saga, my quitting the orchestra, blah, blah, blah. Just how much memory does a body have?)
Something has caused, because of the stress of the last few years, the nerves from wrist to neck and down to ankles to become inflamed. So I am not dealing with joints, or muscles, but nerves. I can tell you the path of these nerves, up and down my body, because they are all inflamed and sore. Anyway, enough. I will just say, that I know now, I can stretch in to the pain, in fact I have to. The Vernon physio, Jen, said I am lucky I got started on treatment when I did, or I could have had permanent damage. So enough of the medical, for now!
I am in Regina, visiting with my dear friend, with a good ceilidh coming Saturday night, and Sunday, I fly to TO to stay with my sister Marnie, see my dear children Elizabeth and Alex and Heidi, and visit with family.
It is interesting how things unfold. I really needed this visit for my soul. It has been so wonderful to see friends and see that the world has not closed around me, and forgotten me! I felt that way in Singapore. Because I was so sad, and in such pain, and felt so alone, and had no idea how to make things better.
So here is a pic of my dear friend Patty. I know I know, I am not going to look for a job in Singapore as a photographer!
It was so good to see you even if it was crazy busy and too short! Guess you had a blast on the 17th. Jane, I sure am glad you are going back to Singapore feeling better than when you arrived. Hugs,
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