Kevin is Happy

Kevin loves Coke (as in Coca Cola)(and Dr. Pepper but today's post is about Coke).  While shopping today we found these cute little bottles of his preferred beverage.  They look like little Christmas ornaments.   Unfortunately they are probably too heavy to hang on a tree - but I bet they'd fit great in his stocking! 
I, on the other hand do not like pop of any sort.  I might have 3 sips a year - if I am really, really thirsty.   What do you like to drink?

Paddling with Darcy

Yesterday was another beautiful, unseasonably warm day so we went for a paddle on the Nottawasaga River. At the last minute we decided to take Darcy with us.  She is the more timid of the dogs and not really happy unless Shasta is with her but she sits quietly in the canoe - sort of.  She is so nervous she shakes the whole time she is standing and  the whole canoe vibrates.  She doesn't want to lie down and relax as scary things like tree branches and splashes may attack.  But we keep hoping she will become more comfortable with the canoe.  She also suffers from travel anxiety (the fancy name for canine car sickness) so she drools like crazy when stressed and often throws up (she did on the way home). We don't like to take Shasta paddling - once was enough - she is too high strung and LOVES to swim.  She would be racing back and forth and throwing us off balance or jumping in. We didn't see as much wildlife as we usually do but we did see this duck.  I cannot identify him (her?) using my book or internet.  He is quite small and the eyes are red.  Anybody know what kind of duck it is? 
A large fungus. 
 NOTE - The waterbird has been identified as an American Coot.  Supposedly common - I guess I have been canoeing with my eyes closed previously.

Update

The surgery went well.  My dad was a real trooper through the hospitalization.  He remained upbeat unless he was in a lot of pain.  When he started joking with us and the nurses and telling stories we knew he was well on the road to recovery.  He came home this afternoon.  We still have to wait the results of the biopsy, have spots on his lung checked out and then go ahead with mitral valve repair/replacement.  He has been tired and has had very low endurance for the last while and they determined he needed mitral valve replacement or repair.  The cancer was discovered because of pre-op blood work for the heart surgery, so it was discovered early. Thanks to everyone for your support.

Fall Frenzy

It happens every fall when I am laid off.  I go on a cleaning and baking and organizing spree.  I clean things like ceiling fans and the top of the fridge, defrost the freezer and re-organize bookshelves - the things that I just don't have time for when I am working.  I start by baking tons of goodies with the leftover pumpkins from hallowe'en like bow-wow breakfast bars for the dogs and muffins and loaves for the people.  Then I move on to the Christmas baking and shopping and cards. This year is going to be different for several reasons.  I was laid off Friday, about 3 weeks earlier than normal because of the weather. In theory that should give me more free time but it hasn't worked that way because my best in-town friend's 15 year old son was hit by a car last week when he was long-boarding and I have been watching their house and trying to get everything cleaned up at both houses before leaf pick up this week.  He is at Sick Kid's (2 1/2 hours away) and is expected to make a full recovery over the next few months but will have pins in both legs forever. He also had a fractured skull and a broken vertebrae in his neck.  It is a miracle he is alive.  An old friend of Tori's died - he was 3 days younger than her.  Kevin is away for 2 weeks. Tomorrow my dad goes in to have surgery on a cancerous section of his colon.  I will be staying with my mom for the next 4 days.  It is impossible to sum up the worry of the months of testing that have been happening; the feelings I want to share but can't put in words.  Needless to say I am very emotional right now.  I would appreciate everyone's prayers during this difficult time.

I'm Ready Now

Hallowe'en is past and the reindeer are heading south so it is time to start the Christmas preparations. Aren't they cute?  I wish I had storage space for off-season.  I would have brought one home in a flash.