….I’m a little late with this challenge but I’ve been away….that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it
This photo is more than 50 years old. It’s a picture of me when I was one year old.
My aunt in her late teens or early 20s. She would have been 89 this year. Miss you!
For more Black and White photos check out Cee’s challenge.
After months of hospital and then nursing home visits my sweet aunt passed away early this morning. She outlived her sister and my mother by 22 years. The matriarchs in my family are now all gone. My father’s only sister also passed away earlier this year.
My sisters, me and our Mom.
My Tante H was a beautiful and independent soul. She moved to this country 32 years ago, shortly after the death of her husband. Like her mother before her she had no interest in finding a new man. She continued to raise her two teenaged children, as a single mom, in a new land and lived off the proceeds of her husband’s company. Her son eventually married and made her a grandmother to two girls and one boy. Her daughter is currently single but blessed her mother with a grand-dog.
My Tante H and my two cousins as toddlers.
My gorgeous aunt and her husband, my Uncle G.
The last four months have been difficult but in a way I got to know another side of my aunt. During our visits she answered numerous questions I had about my family’s past but I think that there are many more secrets that have gone to the grave with her. It also gave me an opportunity to reconnect with my cousin. She lives in another city about 45 minutes away (on a good day). We’ve probably seen more of each other in the last four months than we have in our entire lives.
The entire experience has made me appreciate my own immediate family more. Don’t put off tomorrow what can be done today. Pick up the phone and call your loved ones. Answer that email that’s been sitting in your inbox. Take some time to visit an elderly relative. Tomorrow may be too late.
My 88 year old Dad and me. He’s still going strong.
Peace and love
Carol (aka Mama Cormier)
List 2 things you have to be happy about.
I’m happy that I’m as healthy as I am. I look at friends who are my age and younger and I appreciate how much I’m still able to do and want to do. I know that a lot of it is your state of mind. I don’t allow myself to think of myself as old.
The other thing that I’m happy about is my desire and drive to try new things, especially when it comes to creating art. I’m currently enrolled in another on-line art class where I’ll be learning at least six new art techniques.
List at least 2 things in nature do you find most beautiful.
In nature I love to look at and touch bark. I’m drawn to the texture and the interesting lines in tree bark. The other thing that I find beautiful is moving water. I love the thunderous roar of a waterfall, the foaming and crashing caps of waves and the sweet sounds and ripples of a babbling brook.
Show us a 2 of your favorites photographs. Explain why they are your favorite. If you are not a photographer (serious or otherwise), think of a two favorite scenes in your life and tell us about them.
I love the morning light and the reflection of the fall colours on the lake.
The photo below of me and my husband was taken by our son in Ireland. We are both happy, healthy and fit enough to make this climb at Howth.
I love taking photos of animals. This guy let me get up close and personal.
Another photo taken by someone else (my cousin who was visiting from Germany) captured a rare moment of the two of us spending time together on the beach. 
List 2 of your best personality traits.
I think my two best personality traits are my empathy and caring nature towards others and my spontaneity and willingness to try new things.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
I’m grateful that my aunt is still with us even if she is still in the hospital. She seems happier and somewhat better than she was three weeks ago. Her prognosis isn’t necessarily good but she is more accepting of her situation and makes the best of visits. We’ve had some great conversations the last two times I went to see her.
I’m looking forward to getting going on the assignments from this week’s ‘Summer Camp’ art classes. Lesson five was posted today and I haven’t started one. I’m also looking forward to seeing the Caribbean Festival parade tomorrow. It’ll be the first one I’ve ever attended.
For more Share Your World posts check out Cee’s Photography at: Share Your World – Week 30
….. if I write it down maybe it’ll happen
To Do What I Actually Did
1. Go for a 30 minute walk with the dog – Walked for 45 minutes 2. Continue to clean and de-clutter my room – Cleaned out my sewing box 3. Go to Ikea and buy new book cases – Bought the cases plus new bench 4. Go the the gym – DIDN’T GET THERE TODAY 5. Read my book for book club – Read 55 pages 6. Take down the Christmas tree – Took down the tree
Tree sans ornaments
7. Call my aunt and thank her for the plant – called at 7:00 8. Clean the kitchen – ongoing 9. Put away the ornaments – still on the coffee table 10. Clear off old bookcase to make way for the new – Done
Empty bookcase
11. Decide on lesson for tomorrow’s class – decided on one point perspective 12. Check my emails and reply to comments – Done 13. Finish this post – Finished at 8:00, just in time to
watch the Biggest Loser, new season – I’m addicted!
Not bad for one day. I need to try to work on my room every day for 30 minutes and when I get home tomorrow I should tackle the ornaments right away. Back to the gym tomorrow…. don’t go home first …. go straight to the gym from work! IT WILL HAPPEN!
CHEERS!
…. to reach my goal of 30 pounds by tomorrow
I’m not sure I can reach my 30 pound goal by my birthday but I do know that 30 pounds is inevitable. It might be tomorrow or the next day or maybe not until next week but that’s okay.
The compliments I received today when I returned to school have made all the hard work worthwhile. This is only the beginning. I’ve been here before and I know how easy it is to put it all back on. I can’t afford to become complacent.
Today I spent a couple of hours at school but I didn’t get very much done. I spent a lot of time catching up with colleagues and helping others with ideas and approaches for the upcoming year.
At around noon my husband called me to remind me of my aunt’s doctor’s appointment. I hurried to my car, grabbed a coffee at the Tim Horton’s drive through and made my way to the hospital. Luckily I found parking on the street. K had already dropped my aunt off at the hospital and I looked in all the usual places before finally locating her in the blood lab waiting to have samples drawn from her arm.
She looked relieved when I walked in because things were moving a lot faster today than in the past. After her blood work was completed we headed up the elevator to a floor we hadn’t been on before and were quickly ushered into another waiting room.
To make a long story short we were seen by four more people, including a new doctor that my aunt adores…. thank goodness…..and put through numerous interviews, questions and other tests. After two hours we were set free but not until we arranged for another appointment for a stress test that will take four hours to administer.
The next appointment is in four weeks unless we hear otherwise. After taking my aunt home she invited me inside where she made me a strong coffee and we had a nice visit for about 1 1/2 hours.
This entire time I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. When I got home I was starving. I heated up some leftover homemade curry which K and I enjoyed for dinner. I hope missing a meal doesn’t play havoc with my weight loss. I’m very full and will probably not eat again till tomorrow.
I’m about to head out the door for a nice long walk with Frances. If I see anything of interest I might add it to this post when I get back.
Cheers!
My official ‘before’ picture taken in March 2012 just before I started my weight loss journey.
Photo taken today, 29 pounds lighter, in the same blouse.
…. the worst is behind me
I think that today was the last big stressor for the school year. The Farewell Ceremony! For a number of years I’ve been the MC for the event. It gets a little bit easier every year but I still have at least one stumble. Covering it up with humour helps.
I came to school this morning knowing that I had to write two speeches for the afternoon. Fortunately I work really well under pressure. The words came easily. I loved presenting the special awards. My principal cursed me for making her so emotional but she got through her presentation as well.
After the ceremony, the grade 4 parents served refreshments. I have to say that I wasn’t the least bit tempted by the cake and other sweets. After mingling with the parents and posing for pictures with some of my students I did munch on some delicious vegetables and hummus.
The report cards are stuffed into the envelopes for tomorrow, copies have been filed and I’ve signed off on the OSRs. The only thing left to do is the grade 5 activity day (Wednesday) and the Future Ace assembly on the Thursday. Friday is our last PD day which involves a staff meeting and time to clean our rooms.
At the end of the day my husband called me from the car to tell me that he had my aunt with him. She was released from the hospital and they were on their way to her house. I met them there and had a nice visit with her. We’re a little concerned about her medications and the fact that she lives alone. I think we will checking in on her a lot more often.
I’m looking forward to getting back to walking/running again once this week is over. I still haven’t gotten over that 18 pound hump. It’s late and I need some sleep before another busy day gets under way. TTFN!
………. the rain came and the heat finally broke.
The heat has been unbearable. It makes you want to do nothing but sit quietly. So much for exercising.
The heat makes me retain water and I’ve shown a gain on the scale. It’s also partly due to the stress I’ve been under which also has a negative impact on my weight loss.
After today no more excuses. The heat wave has lifted, the report cards are done, and the activities for next week have been organized and are pretty much ready to go.
I went to see my aunt tonight. She’s still in the hospital but her spirits are good. Tomorrow is her 86th birthday and unfortunately she’ll be spending it in the hospital. I’m away for the weekend but K will probably pay her another visit and I’ll pop in Sunday evening when I get home. It looks like it’ll be Tuesday at the earliest before they release her. The problem is they don’t know what is causing the congestive heart failure in the first place and her lungs aren’t completely cleared.
It’s crazy hair day at school tomorrow. I’ve been pretty bad at remembering some of these spirit days. I’m hoping that writing it down here will help me remember. If I do I’ll post a picture.
Cheers for now!
Mama Cormier 