There Is A New Cook In The House... Ohhhh Yes

Another day has arrived and to me it has ended... I spent a lot of the day translating a Germany document into English... well almost I have several words that wouldn't translate and on the last page I got a little annoyed and stopped leaving the rest of it for tomorrow or another day... While I worked on this Carl has been working on his album from his Aunt... I do believe he is almost done... he also took the time to put some light on the subject in a few of the rooms today... like going from 60 watts to 100... I can't believe the difference...

Besides that I spent the day driving around town getting groceries and a few other things...Matthew took over the kitchen tonight and made dinner... amazing little salad maker he is I have to say... it is nice to have someone else around to add a little something different to the menu through out the week...
actually he is a pretty good cook when he wants to be...

Nothing new in the home front that I know of.. because I was a bad daughter today I didn't even call at the house...

Have a good one all... Joanne

Sunshine Finally

Good Sunday afternoon... the sun has been shining for the last two days... it was actually way too hot in the bedroom last night that we actually opened the windows last night so we could sleep... actually Carl wanted to take the air conditioners out... you know I stopped him... and with the spring like weather the urge for cleaning has entered this mind of mine... and don't worry it didn't last long... I did finally did some cleaning up around the computer area of the bedroom something that was needed...

On the news front Mom didn't get her new hearing aide on Friday because once again there was a build up of wax that Mrs. Arseneau couldn't put the mic into her ear to set the hearing aid so when we go see Dr. Boucher on Friday it will be another thing that he will have to do...

Today was a day of drop ins... first at Opa and Oma's for a visit and of course lots of talking about family history and the questionnaire that we gave Opa this week to answer for us... he is working on it a little at a time... we are also planning on doing one with Dad as well but since dad's hands are not all that great we are going to do it with the recorder...

After that we dropped in to see mom and dad who were waiting for us since I did mention we were coming last night when I talked to them... ohhh by the way Yvette Mom wanted to share her chocolate you bought her this week went I was over there but I told her only on Sunday.... and don't worry for some reason she didn't forget about it... very good sis... and I only had one little piece... told her not to share it with any one else he he...

Everything is going good there was well... it being a quiet Sunday as usual... Roger and Flo are out and about looking for things for their trailer for the summer... getting a few things here and there... I am sure by the time they get the trailer the front porch will have lots to haul to it...

Well that is about it for today... we are soon off to dinner with the Hills Family this evening... it is Mrs. Hills's birthday tomorrow and they are celebrating it at Danny's...

Thanks Diane for the commet... thought it was about time I changed the blog... there was way too much snow on the other one... maybe that is why it was still winter outside my window LOL....
Have a great one Joanne

The Melanson News

Thursday night almost according to the clock Friday morning.... the first part of the day we played the taxi service for everyone that didn't have a drive to where they were going but I did get a bit of time to pick up a second photo that I needed to finish off... no not the many photo project, but a 50th anniversary frame that Opa and Oma had for the last two years and didn't fill... Carl dropped over tonight to give it to them and they were very pleased with it... I am glad about that one...

While Carl was out visiting I was chatting it up on the phone with my oldest sister... it had been a while since I took the time to have one of them.. but then she was away for a while... the nerve of her.... lol... but am glad that she is back and we can have our little chats... I am sure her ear was some sore at the end of it all...

Last night I thought I would get myself back to scrap booking since I have spent a few nights with Rebecca getting her started and that lasted all of last night and this afternoon.... tried tonight but there was crap on the television and it didn't take me long to give up and come upstairs...

I get up each morning this week noticing that there is more and more grass showing around the house... which means that maybe soon I will be able to get into the garden and get a few things done before Carl has to head back to work... there are quite a few plants that need dividing and I know I can't do that on my own... with the grass showing the nose is starting to burn a little more... and the eyes are watering a little longer ... allergies suck but I will put up with them from the old grass of last year if it means that spring is coming our way... hmmm which reminds me I need to find my meds to make things feel a little better any way....

As for news on the Melanson side of this world... mom goes tomorrow to get her new hearing aide... I am hoping that this will help her with her problems of hearing... also yesterday I got a call from Dr. Boucher's office... he wants to see her again in April... I am assuming from the conversation I had with the office that they either found something with the bio that they took or that they are doing another one... but I will let you know as soon as I know... actually I have to drop into the office tomorrow on a different matter and the subject will be brought up since it was not really made clear yesterday...

Susan and Kirsten (who is Carl's sister and niece if you didn't know) will be heading out in about 6 hours for a week in Cuba... hope that they have a good time.. it is a well desired trip for the two of them...


Well besides that it is garbage and pill day tomorrow there is not a lot more to say... have a great one all... Joanne

The Second Day of This Week

I am sitting here waiting for Carl to do the scanning so I can number the 129 photos we once again found this morning while we were at Golden Image looking through the rolls of negatives Carl's father found in this basement last week... so I guess I am not done yet as I thought I was...

The naming of the photos went to the way side... too many for one thing and too many repeated people ... I will be here until God knows when if I really took the time to name them all... there are some of the old photos that I want named so that is what I will continue to work on as well... I am really hoping to have this done before Easter... it is only a few weeks away so I better get my butt in gear and get this done...because the next one is their anniversary in September.... hmmm now that is a thought... no pressure... but then if I know me I will put it off until the week before and still be under pressure... lol

We the News on this side of the world is... hmmmm lets see there is not a lot this week... we were called yesterday to be told that mom's new hearing aid is in... now lets cross our fingers in hopes that it will work better if only a little then the one she has now...

Carl is going to a first aide course tomorrow so I am hoping to spend some time over at the house... which reminds me (and I stop and pick up the phone) Roger was to the doctor this afternoon because he has been coughing out 1/2 a lung each time he coughed... he has a lung infection the doctor said as she passes him meds for it... hope you get better soon...

With new photos in hand this afternoon we headed up to Carl's parents to show them our new treasures... one of the first photos was Opa with another female which was before he started dating Oma... it was a camera moment without the camera sad to say... the look that came across his face when he seen the picture and stated that he was in trouble... it was a very enjoyable afternoon going through photos and getting some information on them....

We also went out and purchased a digital recorder last week so while we talked I had it on so that I can go back and mark down some of the interesting things that were said while we were together... there are many time I thought of getting one of these and never took the time to do it... and I do have some regrets that I didn't because I would have more information then I do have on my family if I had used it the times I was with Aunt Vina... and with her passing all of it is gone ...

Well time to get on with my little job... have a great night ... alll ... Joanne

Sunday Just another Day in the Neighborhood

It is terrible when you can't remember what you did just a few days ago... well that is where I am today... I was up early this morning trying to get more done with the photos and their names... I actually had Carl sitting down for a while to help me out with people I had no idea who they were... and finally I said enough of this... I am going to get down to some of the things I have been ignoring for a while ... like this blog...and posting some memory photos...

So I took them out of the file to down size them and then realize that they were already been done... hmmm when did I do that.... well that is less work I have to do in psp since I have been working in it since about 7 am.... came on started to upload them to the page when this really strange thought came to my head... have I done these already.... with a check of blogs and there they are all in a row done 6 days ago.... my mini run down memory lane... I am getting way too old... lol

This weekend I got to go through a box of documents that Opa wanted to be put on to the cd...like his papers when he became a Canadian Citizen and things like that... the old pass port that he had when he came to Canada and the story of how Susan and Karen got a hold of it one day and took it apart and on some of the pages you can see where they were copying what was actually stamped on the passport...

Talking about Susan and Karen... Karen has started a blog... and if any one doesn't know who she is, she is Carl's baby sister that is living in Dhaka with her husband Mark and their daughter Erin... they have been there for almost 4 years now... so if you would like to check her blog the addy is on the side.... she is new at it so be patient with her he he....

As for Susan she is off with her daughter Kirsten (who I finally learned to spell correctly) this coming Friday to Cuba in the sun... we are having dinner with them tonight... free meal always like one of those...

On my side of the family well there is not a lot going on that I know of... I have not been up to the house since Friday... I know bad daughter... we spent a lot of our day yesterday at Carl's place... today I am just being lazy and don't want to get dressed until I really have to... but all seems to being good on our end...

Well the break is done back to work... have a wonderful Sunday.... Joanne

The Middle of the Week

I was some excited a few days ago... I finally finished up the introduction cd to all the other photos and proudly made a cd to take over to Opa and Oma's yesterday to show it to them... knowing that there were still some things that they wanted added to it... well the cd went in and the television was turned on and the photos started to come across the screen and all was great until we hit Susan's part of the cd... it seems I am going to have to learn how to spell names because I don't know or I should say I didn't know how to spell Kirsten right ... had all the letters right but not in the right order... spelling it Kristen... hmmm do I feel like a dork or not... Surprisely Carl didn't catch the mistake either ... so much for the both of us... lol

I was very upset with myself and thought I was not going to bed until they were all corrected but that changed ... a few hours later when I came up looked at the work that had to be done and said the heck with it... and turned on one of the Hallmark movies I picked up this week... The movies are looking great on the screen.... and I have 6 of them to watch... got a great deal on them...

This morning getting up nice and early with a few hours of sleep under my belt I thought it was time to see what the damage was with the photos and was very surprised to find out that there was only 33 photos and there was quite a few of them that only needed a cut and redo and paste back to make them okay again... so armed with two cups of tea... I started at them.... I have quite a few of them done so with some luck and some time through out the day I will be back on track...

Today is Dr. Daigle day with mom... I know I didn't say much about Monday's appointment yet but I am going to... her hearing is basically the same as it was a year or so ago... for word comprehension we only got the right side done because she was getting upset over not understanding what Mrs. Arseneau was saying... she scored a 50% on that but Mrs. Arseneau that mom was doing more lip reading then actually hearing the words... it was also determined that a new hearing aide was in order... because of all the problems that mom has been having with it..lets hope that this will help even in the smallest way to improve her problems... but like everything there is no for sure....

Last night I promised myself that if the weather holds out I am taking my little car... my camera and myself out for a drive this afternoon so see if I can get a few snap shots along the shore line...it has been a long while since I have taken any time for myself and alone so I think today is the day... but it will depend on the weather... it is calling for rain this afternoon....

On a final note... I do believe that my Oldest sister and hubby is coming back to NB today ...so a big Welcome home... hope you had a wonderful trip and visit with Lisette and I will be talking to you very soon....

Have a wonderful Hump Day
Joanne

A Mini Run Down Memory Lane...

Last night I was up to mom's and once again she went through some place in her house and found some photos... and thought I would post them...a little mini run down Memory lane kind of thing this morning...

They are not in any special order....

Danielle's Grad Photo

Connor at what age I am not sure.... but as cute as a button

Sarah... on the back of this frame it was written... Sarah Kelly August 14, 1999 Birthday Party... 2 years old...

Sarah once again a year or so older....

Sorry Monique... had to borrow one of your photos from your blog just to show how much she has grown since 1999...you know this makes me feel very old today ....

Monique.... there is no wonder Sarah is such a beautiful young lady....

Rebecca's grad photo

Connor

Danille and John's Grad picture...

Lisa's grad photo

Peter and Pauline on their wedding day if I am not mistaken....

Last but surely not least... Yvette, Lisette and Mom....

I am sure there will be more coming along the way.... and if any one want their photos just drop me a line and I will send them your way....

As for what is going on, on this side of the world... well I am down to 18 photos with the Opa/ Oma photos... and am running out of ideas with them... I am very glad that I am not doing all 7000 because I would be in trouble though there are many of them I will be putting names and dates on as I finish up the photos to be put on cds for the family.. we are working on that at the moment visiting different members of the family...

Carl and I spent Friday night going through the web sites of grave yards, births, marriages and deaths looking for dates as well... amazing how much information you can get out of those... the only thing they are not complete files so there was a lot we couldn't find...

Mom and dad are doing great.. as I said I was up last night for a short visit since they called yesterday and mom got worried thinking I was not feeling very well because I was sleeping when she called... and in truth I was just having a very lazy day and decided to have our usual Sunday afternoon nap... which messed up my Sunday night sleep... lol...

Have a wonderful Monday all... Joanne....

A Whole Lot of This and That

Four days (actually now it is six) and not all that much went on... I am still working on photos though it is not scanning them... we took the cds over to Carl's parents and they loved them ....I thought the next step in this was making each of the children an album with the remaining photos on a cd... but that is not what Opa wanted ... He wants another cd as an introductions kind of thing... so I have been sending the last days looking for certain photos to use and then start tagging them... the only thing I just can't tag anything... I have to add.... I ended up picking up 200 of the 7000 instead of the 75 Opa suggested....of tagging them meant going into psp and that meant that after the first 5 or 6 I got bored and started adding a little tube, a colored border, a frame and then it totally started... scrapping booking in psp... but they are looking so much better now... adding color to black and whites and an added touch to the others... I am up to 142 so I don't actually have all that many more to go...

I am still wondering what I will be doing after this project is done because at -25 outside I don't see spring popping up in the next few weeks... but then I may be mistaken you never know... may be it is time for me to go pick up the rest of the photos at mom and dad's... and do something with them as well...

Here are some of the photos I have been working on .....

This week we had two appointment with mom... the first was her monthly one for her port a calf.... the second was her every three month one for the cleaning of the ears... when mom laid down to get her ears cleaned Dr. Boucher noticed that she had a sore on her left side of her face... he asked how long it had been there... I couldn't tell him but I knew it had been there way too long...so he decided to take a biopsy of it.... I am sure it will take a while to get that back but he said that he will let us know the results...Mom did very well through the unexpected.... I also talked to him about getting dad's hearing tested.. the last testing he had that done was when he was at the mill... think it is time....

Next week is a busy week as well... with mom... I actually didn't check to see if there was anything there for Dad... what a bad daughter I am... but I don't have to normally worry about his appointment because Roger is the one that normally goes with him... Anyway... Mom starts the week off with a hearing test that was cancelled because of the wax in her ears... then on Wednesday she has an appointment with Dr. Daigle who is the one that looked at her 5 years ago for her kidney and then Thursday it is off to Dr. Yousaf for her eyes... so as you can see why I am not looking into what is going on with dad next week there is enough going on with mom lol....

Monday was a good day for Carl and I... we went in for our monthly weigh in and we were both successful... Carl dropped 11 and I dropped 8... on Wednesday Carl was up bright and early to go back to the office to get a blood pressure monitor on him for 24 hours... we will find ot the results of that on Thursday when he goes and sees his doctor...

About a month or so ago I was called by Louie... he didn't seem to have all that great of news for us... they had taken x-rays of his lungs and found several spots of them... they were actually thinking cancer... which he was thinking about the same thing because of weight lose and he had not been feeling all that great for a very long time... so they shipped him off to Winnipeg on the 10th for a bunch of test.... Yesterday I got the call... with the greatest news there could be at this moment... it is not cancer.... his lungs are in bad shape because of his years of smoking but what was causing him to be so sick was a Viral Bacterial Infection which is on the mend at the moment according to the doctors.. he has one more test which we are not going to say where they are going a looking next week to make it 100% sure it is not cancer but it was scheduled so he is taking the test...

Other news in the family... Yvette and Hubert left NB at the beginning of the month and is enjoying the Brier in Calgary .... Missing you sis.... no one to talk to for long hours... wait until you get home your ear is going to be bent out of shape after our phone call to each other.... Lise if you read this before your mom leaves... give her a big one for me....

Well I guess there was more then I thought I had to say to everyone and maybe should have sat down and wrote before this... but then I am slow at things...

It is Friday so I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend... Danie and Family have a great vacation this week... take a little time in the sun for me...

Love Jo

Photos of My Day

My birthday has come and gone... and it was spent exactly as I wanted to be spent with my family.... I think these three first photos are the most precious of them all... I did mention before that when mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday I told her a cake but no boiled icing but she misunderstood....

It has been a very long time since she has taken on the job of making boiled icing but that morning Flo and her and if I am not mistake by the look of the arm in the photo Dad as well ...made up a batch of icing

It was the best birthday cake I could ever have....knowing the great effort that was put into it to have it at dinner...

You see what greeted me when I came through the door... Old goat... it was just telling me it was an old that got the thing LOL....

Mom was in great spirits ... lots of smiles, laughter, and wit...


Of course there is always a hug for dad... the only thing most times there is not a camera around to cap it...


Matthew taking his job of the cake very seriously...

I was trying to get mom to help me blow out the candles but she was being a brat once again and won't help me...

How I love to see a smile on her face and hear her laugh....

And of course there is always that stole moment with dad that I try to get when ever I am at the house...and of course it always means the arms around the neck...

I guess I have said this before but I would like to say thank you for everyone that has made my birthday a very special one.... thank you for the good meal... the great cake... and the gifts that were given to me.... thought the meal, cake and you guys were plenty enough... Loves you all and hugs to you as well... Joanne

The Unexpected

Each occasion that comes along I have always said if I can have my family to celebrate that is all I want out of it...and today being my birthday that is all I want out of the day... it is the day I was born and 53 years ago I hope it was a glorious event for my parents especially since I was the 5th one that came along...

On my 40th birthday the greatest gift I received was from this long legged little fellow who crawled into bed to cuddle with me even though his dad told him to leave me alone and let me sleep while he made me my birthday breakfast... and just before it was time for dad to call everyone into the dining room to eat and come get me out of bed... this little fellow climbed out of bed to sneak back out of the room and as he did he turned around and with a smile that could light a room and melt my heart anyones heart for that matter....said to me.. "Mom you are not over the hill today...you are right on top." what else could ever top that, that day....though I have to say 2 years later they used all the ink in the printer to inform me that I was going down that hill now...That is gifts that you can't buy or sell for a million dollars...

This morning I was up early from a sneeze and a pain.... while waiting for my tea I was leaning on the sink looking out the window thinking that there was no way I was going to be going out today if my leg was in this much pain once again I won't be able to drive the car....nice way to start my birthday....yes a good old self pity party for Jo in the kitchen.... I came on line to see what happened in the world or my world of space while I was sleeping and as the browser opened it told me that I got two emails....of course I had to check them out... a smile came to my lips as I read the message from Louie and Yvonne... and a little laughter came from my mouth when I heard Yvette and Hubert's birthday card to me... maybe the day won't be so bad after all... I thought... then I heard movement from the bed and the man of my life greeted me with a Happy Birthday as well....and later on that little long legged fellow who is now a long legged man....came to the kitchen with arms folded to wish me a good birthday as well...

Pat called to sing me a Happy Birthday to her little sister and an invite to lunch...so off I went to spent an hour or so with her sharing some time that we have not made for each other in a very long time... I came home to be told that a dear friend called and my baby brother... so I called Diane up and we talked for a while and as I got off the phone with her the phone rang again... and from the other end I heard two voices singing happy birthday to me.... Tommy and Barbara... and as we talked for a bit they asked if I got a parcel in the mail.... so after I got off the phone I was heading to the mail to check since I don't do that very often... the phone rang again Susan... each call and each different way of wishing me to have a good day put a glow in this body of mine... each time I have gone on Face book someone has wished me a good day... so I have to say thank you with all my heart to those who have taken the time to wish me good on my day of birth... you have put a smile on my face and warmth in my heart....

Tonight I have been invited to mom and dad's for dinner... Mom and dad, Roger and Flo, Pat, Carl and Matthew will be with me to do so.... and that is what I have always wanted when it comes to occasions... and that is what I will have tonight.... what else can anyone ask for... ohh yes I know a birthday with no boiled icing.... okay I should explain that one... mom kept asking me what I wanted for my birthday so to make it simple I said a Birthday Cake but please no boiled icing I really don't like it ... but she misunderstood and Tuesday when I was up to visit I was told that mom had dad in the recipe books looking for boiled icing.... you got to laugh at that one....

Oh yes... I forgot the parcel was in the mail box waiting for me... that is why I called this blog the unexpected.... I got this wonderful piece of art from Tommy and Barbara to mark my 53 birthday.... Thanks guys... it was a wonderful, beautiful unexpected treasure today... I love you all....

Joanne

It is called Raku by Judith Horkoff of Winnipeg MB

As you can see it is placed on my very messy computer desk...

until I can find a place of honor for it...