Archive: November 2005

Nikon has today announced the Nikon D200, a 10.2 megapixel digital SLR with professional features and quality in a compact body. From a features and functionality point of view the D200 is much closer to the D2X than the D100. Highlights are a magnesium-alloy body, an 11-area AF sensor, 3D Color Matrix Metering II, 5 frames per second continuous shooting, 2.5" LCD monitor, USB 2.0, 1/250 sec X-sync plus WiFi and GPS support. The D200 is about 100g heavier than the D100 but 240g lighter than the D2X.
See DPReview.com for more details.

My cholesterol is down. It was 6.6 3 weeks ago (5.0 is a good number) and the test from last week was 4.6. As expected, there was liver damage, so the blood test will be repeated in a couple of weeks. The GP wants to see me weekly to see if my pains get worse, or level off.
Today was not a good day. Was coughing this morning, then puking (even though I had not eaten yet). Even with the nitro patch, I had to use the spray a few times...

To help create a less stressful environment when I go back to work, Northlands has agreed to change my job to "Project Specialist." As of today I am no longer the manager of the Technology Services department. Ed Barth is the new manager and I will be reporting to him. After 10 years of working for me, I now work for him. I think it's a win-win for everybody.
I am grateful to Northlands for accomodating me in this way.

Friday night Cecile and I went out for dinner at La Boheme restaurant. Very enjoyable but when looking out the window, there was a bit of snow. This was gone the next morning.
Now we are getting more snow, and I am to drive Cecile to the airport early tomorrow morning. I hope the roads are not too slick.
Cecile is going to Holland for 3 weeks. They're celebrating 3 birthdays, including Cecile's 56th. More about that later, I'm sure.

I have been working on a new web site for our local lily society for over two months. It started as a fun project in August. Since then, my creative efforts have been suppressed to the point where I am asking myself if the effort is worth it. We'll see, I guess...

Cecile finally figured out that we gotta get up 4AM tomorrow... Doh!

Got a letter today that I won an Apple iPod mini. Never having won anything useful in a lottery, this is a first.

It doesn't hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time, and this should help get you started.

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. "Well," said the director, "We fill up a bathtub, and then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."

"No." said the director, "A normal person would pull the plug." Do you want a room with or without a view?

Got a copy of a letter from Dr. Chan who administered the stress test on Oct 12th. Apparently I was referred for an URGENT angiogram because the stress test was positive for ischemia (Ischemia (is-KE'me-ah) is a condition in which the blood flow (and thus oxygen) is restricted to a part of the body. Cardiac ischemia is the name for lack of blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle.).
My question, if this is urgent, why haven't I heard from the hospital yet?

I feel rather stupid. After leaving the doctor's office, I did not find my keys in my pocket. Went back and no keys anywhere.
When I came home, no keys in the door, nor was the door unlocked. Fortunately my neighbour had a key and she was home. Haven't locked myself out for 20 years, but it had to happen when Cecile was not going to be back for two and a half weeks. Curiously, I had mentioned to the GP that I lacked concentration lately, probably because I was not sleeping well. He agreed that due to lack of sleep, one's IQ and other brain functions decline. I guess I proved him right...

Had a great visit with Paul today. We talked about the job he did not get and the one I gave up. Both will in the long run be better for us, less stress.
After Paul left, I noticed it was warm outside (18C), so I went for a drive to Greenland to get some 6" plant saucers. They said the saucers were seasonal. Geez, nobody transplants during the winter? Salisbury had plenty. I had them load up a bag of peat for me. The next person to visit me can haul it to the backyard for me. :-)

A Time To Remember
More than 100,000 Canadians gave their lives in the wars of the 20th century. Millions stood beside them in personal sacrifice and loss, in the service of Canada, and the world. Commemorate the veterans who fought and gave their lives in wars past and the peacekeepers who continue to serve around the world at this year's Remembrance Day services.

John McCrae's "In Flanders Fields" is very appropriate:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

I'm glad to live in Alberta. It may be -10C but we don't have tornadoes like in Iowa. It's supposed to warm up to +6C in a few days, not bad for November.

Happy birthday, my sweetheart. Even though you're thousands of miles away in Holland, we will celebrate with you. Paul may be a poor substitute, but we're going out and have dinner at the Korean Village. We'll drink to your health.

Went out for supper with Paul to Applebee's then we picked up a bottle of port and had a few glasses while chit-chatting. That was the best three and a half hours in the last week and a half. Thanks, Paul.

I follow a Usenet newsgroup called alt.binaries.pictures.gardens and every so often there is a "discussion" about how large or small the photos should be. This time there was a link to the FAQ from alt.binaries.photos.original. Checking that out on ABPO.net I found some other interesting things, such as a recipe for chicken feet. Something I always wanted... ;-)

Planted my lily seeds today. 17 different crosses, some open-pollinated. Should be interesting in 2007. I really enjoyed my 2003 crosses this year. See seedling page for pictures.

Saw my GP today and the blood test for liver and/or muscle damage was ok. He wants to see me in two weeks if I don't see him in the hospital first.
The pattern of pain has not changed so the weekly visits are changed to bi-weekly visits.
Next week I will start phoning the cardiology department and see if I can move things along. I don't want to do it now and have to go in before Cecile gets home.

Tried Heather's recipe for ribs in the oven today and they were delicious. I'll tweak it a bit (less salt) and try the other 2 pieces tomorrow. Total cooking time was 2 hours today, but I'll add 15 minutes tomorrow and see if I can crisp up the thicker piece a bit.
Ed stopped by after work and we had a couple of pleasant hours of shooting the breeze. Nice way to have a few glasses of port.

Was watching "Call For Help" and they featured a person on web design. Here's his site: Box of Chocolates.

18 Degrees yesterday, 16 degrees today. And another two days like it. In about a week we're supposed to go down to MINUS 15 degrees for a day-time high.

Got a call from the hospital that my angiogram is scheduled for next week Thursday, December 1st. I have to be there at 6:30am. If all goes well, I will be discharged around noon or 1pm. If they do angioplasty (the balloon thing) I will have to stay overnight. I'm glad I now have a schedule. Another step toward recovery.

Now that I have a date for my angiogram, I'm really looking forward to having Cecile come home. Her flight comes in at 10:30PM tomorrow. Duncan will come along to welcome her.
Thank you to all of you who are praying for the right solution next Thursday.

First had lunch with Susan and Kevin. They came over and picked up something to eat on the way. Spent a very nice hour chatting.
Then coffee with Bob and Bertha at the Drake, and just as I walked in the door, Ed called that he had sold my fish tank for me. So over to the office to pick up the money.
I think I'll have a nap before I go out to pick up Cecile...

Cecile just called that she's still in Chicago. They had a snow storm and her flight was cancelled. She's now due to come home tomorrow afternoon.
Reminds me of "Planes, Trains & Automobiles".

Cecile finally made it home. The flight left Chicago 15 minutes late, but arrived 25 minutes early. However... Coming through Customs, they checked all her luggage, well not all of it, fortunately. She had shared a room with 2 other ladies and I was going to give them a ride. The 2 women came out, but no Cecile. She spent a cozy 30 minutes with the Customs agent...

After all the excitement of Cecile coming home, then coming home later, I slept remarkably well last night. Yet around 5pm the normal routine kicked in with being tired, pains (and having to take extra nitro), and headaches. Just getting my energy back now, but it's after midnight already. Yet I feel I need sleep.
I hope they can do angioplasty on Thursday, so I can get some relief. Right now I'm getting close to vegging all day. Even when I walk around the house, I often get pains.

The lily seeds I planted on November 17th started coming up yesterday. So far 3 out of 17 pots have seedlings.