We've survived Hurricane Kyle - rain is coming to an end and winds weren't as high as predicted. It did motivate us to get the lawn furniture off the deck, which it was time to do anyway. And the cruise ship scheduled to come in today is going to Bar Harbour instead.
My appointment with the radiation oncologist was rescheduled until next week. Shingles rash is healing well, although it is still rather painful, especially at night.
Picked a few blackberries, but they are done now. Rose hips still to pick, once we've had a good frost.
Wendy
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Sister Visit
We made sure that my sister Joyce's recent visit included sightings of various New Brunswick icons, including:
Covered bridge
Lighthouse
Fishing boats and lobster traps
Caves at St Martins
Fundy Trail Parkway
Reversing Falls (and the paper mill) at several stages
Ferries - across the Kennebecasis and St. John rivers
Fog
Frenchy's
Uptown Saint John, including City Market
Rockwood Park walks
It also included a variety of New Brunswick tastes:
Fish and chips at St Martins
Wild blueberries in muffins and pancakes with maple syrup, on their own
Harvey's cranberry theme dinner, with ratatouille, salmon, a blueberry experiment for dessert accompanied by cranberry sorbet
Fresh Digby scallops
Stir fry with vegetables from the Kingston Peninsula
She was forced to play Cranium and listen to political discussions.
The visit did not include:
Perfect September weather
A cruise ship in the Harbour as scheduled (unable to come in because of winds)
The sun did come out a couple of times and, since previous visits featured snowstorms, ice and rain, this was the best weather she's experienced in Saint John. New plan is that next time we badly need precipitation, we'll get her here for a visit!
Wendy
Covered bridge
Lighthouse
Fishing boats and lobster traps
Caves at St Martins
Fundy Trail Parkway
Reversing Falls (and the paper mill) at several stages
Ferries - across the Kennebecasis and St. John rivers
Fog
Frenchy's
Uptown Saint John, including City Market
Rockwood Park walks
It also included a variety of New Brunswick tastes:
Fish and chips at St Martins
Wild blueberries in muffins and pancakes with maple syrup, on their own
Harvey's cranberry theme dinner, with ratatouille, salmon, a blueberry experiment for dessert accompanied by cranberry sorbet
Fresh Digby scallops
Stir fry with vegetables from the Kingston Peninsula
She was forced to play Cranium and listen to political discussions.
The visit did not include:
Perfect September weather
A cruise ship in the Harbour as scheduled (unable to come in because of winds)
The sun did come out a couple of times and, since previous visits featured snowstorms, ice and rain, this was the best weather she's experienced in Saint John. New plan is that next time we badly need precipitation, we'll get her here for a visit!
Wendy
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Another Learning Opportunity
My only post-surgery complication (knock on wood) has been an outbreak of shingles, an ugly skin rash extending from the middle of my back around the right side of my upper body. It was intensely itchy for a couple of days, but a prescription and good old calomine lotion did help. It stopped spreading and is starting to heal up.
I've learned that shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox. If you had that as a child, as I did, the virus stays in your body and can recur as shingles, usually not til you're over 50. They think it can be triggered by things like a weakened immune system, cancer treatments, stress or physical trauma (surgery!?) An old name for it was devil's whip, because of the way the rash curves around the body. The rash normally clears up in a few weeks, but in some cases becomes something more long lasting. Hopefully I'll avoid that part of the experience.
Wendy
I've learned that shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox. If you had that as a child, as I did, the virus stays in your body and can recur as shingles, usually not til you're over 50. They think it can be triggered by things like a weakened immune system, cancer treatments, stress or physical trauma (surgery!?) An old name for it was devil's whip, because of the way the rash curves around the body. The rash normally clears up in a few weeks, but in some cases becomes something more long lasting. Hopefully I'll avoid that part of the experience.
Wendy
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Blueberries - The Sequel
Wild blueberry picking has finally come to an end here. Also picked a few rock cranberries in the same areas, and Harvey is experimenting with some recipes using them. Here's another blueberry one we like.
Lemon Blueberry Loaf
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup yogurt
2 cups flour plus 2 Tbsp
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
juice from half a lemon
lemon zest from half a lemon
1 1/2 cups blueberries
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and cream again.
Add yogurt, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix well.
Add everything except the blueberries and 2 Tbsp of flour. Mix well.
Coat blueberries with flour and gently fold into the batter.
Place in greased loaf pan and bake at 350 F for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean.
Adapted from Flavours of New Brunswick by Karen Powell
Lemon Blueberry Loaf
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup yogurt
2 cups flour plus 2 Tbsp
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
juice from half a lemon
lemon zest from half a lemon
1 1/2 cups blueberries
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and cream again.
Add yogurt, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix well.
Add everything except the blueberries and 2 Tbsp of flour. Mix well.
Coat blueberries with flour and gently fold into the batter.
Place in greased loaf pan and bake at 350 F for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean.
Adapted from Flavours of New Brunswick by Karen Powell
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Post-Surgery Update
Last week had my follow-up appointment with the surgeon. Healing is progressing well, with some fluid still to drain. 8 lymph nodes were removed and 5 were cancerous. The margins are clear and the tumor was Grade III.
Also had an appointment with the oncologist - the xray of my neck she ordered after my last visit as a follow-up to bone scan showed no abnormalities but some thinning of bones. She wants me to avoid hyperextension of the neck and to wear the hard collar for protection where there is a possibility of sudden movements, like in the car. (Bungee jumping and using pogo stick would be out too!) I'm also continuing to get a drug which helps strengthen bones, every 4 weeks through my pic line.
The physiotherapist paid me another visit. She thought I was making good progress with rcovering shoulder motion - I think flexibility from yoga helps. We reviewed one of my yoga books and she helped me figure out poses I should avoid in order to protect my neck.
I have an appointment with the radiation oncologist in 2 weeks: typically its 5 to 6 weeks of radiation treatments to the breast, to help kill off any stray cancer cells there.
My sister Joyce is coming for a visit later this week - we are hoping that she will finally experience some good weather in Saint John, which was absent her 2 previous visits.
Wendy
Also had an appointment with the oncologist - the xray of my neck she ordered after my last visit as a follow-up to bone scan showed no abnormalities but some thinning of bones. She wants me to avoid hyperextension of the neck and to wear the hard collar for protection where there is a possibility of sudden movements, like in the car. (Bungee jumping and using pogo stick would be out too!) I'm also continuing to get a drug which helps strengthen bones, every 4 weeks through my pic line.
The physiotherapist paid me another visit. She thought I was making good progress with rcovering shoulder motion - I think flexibility from yoga helps. We reviewed one of my yoga books and she helped me figure out poses I should avoid in order to protect my neck.
I have an appointment with the radiation oncologist in 2 weeks: typically its 5 to 6 weeks of radiation treatments to the breast, to help kill off any stray cancer cells there.
My sister Joyce is coming for a visit later this week - we are hoping that she will finally experience some good weather in Saint John, which was absent her 2 previous visits.
Wendy
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Another Blueberry Recipe
We did a "blueberries in every course" dinner the other night, with this used on the salad. It's a beautiful colour with the greens.
Blueberry Vinegar
You make this first, as an ingredient for the vinaigrette.
1 c blueberries
3/4 c white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
small bay leaf
Combine the ingredients and bring to a boil. Mash berries, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Let stand for 4 hours, strain and chill.
Blueberry Vinaigrette
9 Tbsp blueberry vinegar
3 tsp honey
3 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
5 Tbsp olive oil
Combine vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Add oil gradually, stirring with a whisk.
Blueberry Vinegar
You make this first, as an ingredient for the vinaigrette.
1 c blueberries
3/4 c white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
small bay leaf
Combine the ingredients and bring to a boil. Mash berries, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Let stand for 4 hours, strain and chill.
Blueberry Vinaigrette
9 Tbsp blueberry vinegar
3 tsp honey
3 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
5 Tbsp olive oil
Combine vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Add oil gradually, stirring with a whisk.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Grand Manan Trip
We decided we should visit Grand Manan Island before the end of the season this year and didn't want to be there on a holiday weekend. We figured to go on Thursday and return Friday and miss the busy Labour Day weekend. It turned out to be a good decision as we had excellent weather on Thursday, probably the best of the whole weekend.
We left early on Thursday because we had to do some picnic shopping (no prepared meats) before leaving. We had planned to arrive at the ferry terminal at Black's Harbour early enought to get a good spot for the 11:30 ferry. We arrived at the empty parking lot at 9:22 and the traffic monitor motioned us forward. We were the last to get on the Ferry in the last spot which was just big enough for our small vehicle. When they closed the ramp there was less than a hand width between our bumper and the ramp. Close.
We spent the trip over on the aft deck. It was bright and sunny. Lots of sea birds - puffins, cormorants, gannets, gulls - and, much to everyone's delight, a humpback whale surfaced right beside the ship. Wow. Another $100 whale watching tour for free.
Upon arrival we snagged a tourist map and drove to the north end of the island for lunch. There's a look-out there (The Whistle) and while we had our lunch, we saw four (some say it was six) porpoises and at least one seal. Comet made friends with a Forester from Washington State. Power for the Island comes via an underwater cable that comes ahore here. I was hoping that someone on the island had put in a windmill, but none were in evidence.
There aren't many roads on Grand Manan and nearly all the settlement is on the esatern shore because the western shore is almost totally sheer cliffs. One spot on the west side where there is a natural harbour is called Dark Harbour. There is a kelp growing operation there. On the road into Dark Harbour there is a cliff made up of columnar basalt. I haven't seen it for real before.
We continued along the road to Southwest Head. There's a light there along with a number of antennae protected by fences and warning signs. The main vegetation was shrubby birches, junipers, and Cinqefoil. The land ends abruptly here with sheer black cliffs of volcanic rock.
Before heading to our accommodations we stopped at The Anchorage Provincial Park. There is a series of ponds behind a barrachois, with picnic sites and trails all along the ponds. We stopped for a while so I could read the newspaper while Wendy picked some raspberries.
Wendy made reservations at a quirky place (Castalia Marsh Retreat) with a group of cabins, each with a theme. We stayed in a Yurt. Wendy said it had all the nice things about a tent along with all the nice things about not sleeping in a tent. (A yurt is a tent used by Mongolian herdsmen. If you're reading this on line, Google Yurt.) It had a fridge and a stove, a composting toilet and a shower with hot water. It rained Thrusday night and it was pleasant to listen to the rain inside a nice dry, cosy bed.
In the morning we went to Red Point where Wendy and Comet walked a trail while I did some birdwatching. We were looking for a geological feature where volcanic and metamorphic rocks meet. That remains for another trip. There is a magnificent bakery on the island, conveniently located just before you get to the ferry (or just as you arrive on the island) and we picked up some excellent bread before leaving.
Wendy had wisely made a reservation fr the ferry and we were among the first three cars on. We were directed to the upper deck (first on, last off). The trip back to Black's Harbour was cool and wet so we stayed indoors and played Quiddler and read. To get off the ship we had to wait until the lower decks were cleared and then our deck tilted down. Quite an exciting ride!
I have a feeling we're not done with Grand Manan and we'll be going back some day to finish our explorations.
Harvey
We left early on Thursday because we had to do some picnic shopping (no prepared meats) before leaving. We had planned to arrive at the ferry terminal at Black's Harbour early enought to get a good spot for the 11:30 ferry. We arrived at the empty parking lot at 9:22 and the traffic monitor motioned us forward. We were the last to get on the Ferry in the last spot which was just big enough for our small vehicle. When they closed the ramp there was less than a hand width between our bumper and the ramp. Close.
We spent the trip over on the aft deck. It was bright and sunny. Lots of sea birds - puffins, cormorants, gannets, gulls - and, much to everyone's delight, a humpback whale surfaced right beside the ship. Wow. Another $100 whale watching tour for free.
Upon arrival we snagged a tourist map and drove to the north end of the island for lunch. There's a look-out there (The Whistle) and while we had our lunch, we saw four (some say it was six) porpoises and at least one seal. Comet made friends with a Forester from Washington State. Power for the Island comes via an underwater cable that comes ahore here. I was hoping that someone on the island had put in a windmill, but none were in evidence.
There aren't many roads on Grand Manan and nearly all the settlement is on the esatern shore because the western shore is almost totally sheer cliffs. One spot on the west side where there is a natural harbour is called Dark Harbour. There is a kelp growing operation there. On the road into Dark Harbour there is a cliff made up of columnar basalt. I haven't seen it for real before.
We continued along the road to Southwest Head. There's a light there along with a number of antennae protected by fences and warning signs. The main vegetation was shrubby birches, junipers, and Cinqefoil. The land ends abruptly here with sheer black cliffs of volcanic rock.
Before heading to our accommodations we stopped at The Anchorage Provincial Park. There is a series of ponds behind a barrachois, with picnic sites and trails all along the ponds. We stopped for a while so I could read the newspaper while Wendy picked some raspberries.
Wendy made reservations at a quirky place (Castalia Marsh Retreat) with a group of cabins, each with a theme. We stayed in a Yurt. Wendy said it had all the nice things about a tent along with all the nice things about not sleeping in a tent. (A yurt is a tent used by Mongolian herdsmen. If you're reading this on line, Google Yurt.) It had a fridge and a stove, a composting toilet and a shower with hot water. It rained Thrusday night and it was pleasant to listen to the rain inside a nice dry, cosy bed.
In the morning we went to Red Point where Wendy and Comet walked a trail while I did some birdwatching. We were looking for a geological feature where volcanic and metamorphic rocks meet. That remains for another trip. There is a magnificent bakery on the island, conveniently located just before you get to the ferry (or just as you arrive on the island) and we picked up some excellent bread before leaving.
Wendy had wisely made a reservation fr the ferry and we were among the first three cars on. We were directed to the upper deck (first on, last off). The trip back to Black's Harbour was cool and wet so we stayed indoors and played Quiddler and read. To get off the ship we had to wait until the lower decks were cleared and then our deck tilted down. Quite an exciting ride!
I have a feeling we're not done with Grand Manan and we'll be going back some day to finish our explorations.
Harvey
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