Monday, April 26, 2004
Jamie and I have been in Toronto just under a week. We drove up last Wednesday, and the boy was very, very good on the trip. We arrived in time to have a visit with Grandma before she left Toronto.
I think I'm finally managing to shake this bronchial thing. I have no voice to speak of (or with) just now; I've been coughing all night for over a week, and it takes its toll. But last night, thanks to an early bedtime and some good luck (Jamie slept in until 7:30!), I got lots of extra sleep and am feeling quite a lot better today. Early to bed again tonight, and maybe I'll be rid of it and get my voice back in time for Ian and Joyce's wedding on Saturday!
Perhaps due to the extra sleep he had last night, Jamie had a simply charming day today. He was Mr. Sunshine! We haven't had such a cheery day in so long that it was really a treat for me. We went to drop a card off with Patrick this morning for his mother, who has had her hip replacement and moves today to a convalescent home; he had us stay for breakfast, which pleased Jamie greatly. After a good nap and some lunch, we went for a long play at the park, and shared a soft ice cream cone on the way home. We also went by a kids' stuff store so I could pick up a suction-cup sunshield for the car window; he had the sun on most of his body for part of last week's drive, and I'd like an option for avoiding that in future!
My grandmother is at home now, against all expectations, and holding her own just fine in spite of continuing health concerns. She's a tough lady!
Tomorrow afternoon Aunt Tracy arrives to spend several days with us; I've got a couple of evening commitments, and Aunt Tracy will keep Jamie occupied and happy for those and also for some daytime time, which will give me the down time I need completely to shake this cough. I'll also make a start on packing up some of the house here. Thom moves on Saturday, and he'll be taking one of the wide red-brown bookcases, so I want to pack up enough books to free it up for him; there are lots of other things that need sorting through and packing as well, and I'm going to price out local self-storage options so we have a game plan for the stuff we want to keep, but which will not fit in our NY apartment in the short term.
Much to do!
I think I'm finally managing to shake this bronchial thing. I have no voice to speak of (or with) just now; I've been coughing all night for over a week, and it takes its toll. But last night, thanks to an early bedtime and some good luck (Jamie slept in until 7:30!), I got lots of extra sleep and am feeling quite a lot better today. Early to bed again tonight, and maybe I'll be rid of it and get my voice back in time for Ian and Joyce's wedding on Saturday!
Perhaps due to the extra sleep he had last night, Jamie had a simply charming day today. He was Mr. Sunshine! We haven't had such a cheery day in so long that it was really a treat for me. We went to drop a card off with Patrick this morning for his mother, who has had her hip replacement and moves today to a convalescent home; he had us stay for breakfast, which pleased Jamie greatly. After a good nap and some lunch, we went for a long play at the park, and shared a soft ice cream cone on the way home. We also went by a kids' stuff store so I could pick up a suction-cup sunshield for the car window; he had the sun on most of his body for part of last week's drive, and I'd like an option for avoiding that in future!
My grandmother is at home now, against all expectations, and holding her own just fine in spite of continuing health concerns. She's a tough lady!
Tomorrow afternoon Aunt Tracy arrives to spend several days with us; I've got a couple of evening commitments, and Aunt Tracy will keep Jamie occupied and happy for those and also for some daytime time, which will give me the down time I need completely to shake this cough. I'll also make a start on packing up some of the house here. Thom moves on Saturday, and he'll be taking one of the wide red-brown bookcases, so I want to pack up enough books to free it up for him; there are lots of other things that need sorting through and packing as well, and I'm going to price out local self-storage options so we have a game plan for the stuff we want to keep, but which will not fit in our NY apartment in the short term.
Much to do!
Saturday, April 17, 2004
It's supposed to be very warm today. I'm hoping we'll get Jamie's activity structure - the one he got for Christmas from his Grandma and Grandpa, which just came home to Brooklyn in the last carload - put together in the garden today. It's been rainy or cold almost every day since we got back. We're also planning to take Jamie and his bouncy yellow ball to Prospect Park to the big open field there. We went last weekend, and he spotted about a million dogs (and told us about each one), interrupted several ball games and one game of frisbee, and got thoroughly grubby. Today he might even be warm enough in just a t-shirt and overalls: even more scope for grubbiness!
We got him some sidewalk chalk earlier in the week, and on the one rainless day we had, he made a sidewalk display of sorts. Actually, he was more decorated than the sidewalk...but he really enjoyed himself, especially in taking the chalk out of the box and putting it back in. Chalk makes an interesting clinky sound when it hits pavement.
We all have chest congestion colds; not sure who started it, since we all seemed to come down with it at the same time. Paul probably would have escaped it if he hadn't been seriously sleep-deprived due to tax deadlines and lots of client work.
Yesterday, while Jamie was at daycare, I spent a large chunk of the day at the Motor Vehicles Bureau (or whatever it's called) having my Ontario driver's license exchanged for a New York State license, as required by our car insurance company. It was incredible! I got there at 9:30 and joined the snaking lineup. At about 10:30 I reached the head of the queue and presented my documents (application form, letter from the Social Security Administration certifying my ineligibility for a Social Security Number at this time, and various ID documents totalling 6 points by their system of rating) for inspection. At 10:35 I was told I had sufficient documentation for the process (though I needed to fill out another form to explain why my license was in the name Baxter whereas the rest of my ID was Baxter Golding, my Ontario marriage certificate not being acceptable proof of name change due to marriage in the US), and I was issued a number. I then found a seat - no more lining up, but infinite waiting! At 11:25 I was called to another window, where my ID was all reviewed all over again (still OK, thank goodness) and I had my photo taken - deer in headlights, no doubt - and signed their signature card. Then I got another number, and waited until 12:40. At the third window, my ID was all reviewed a third time - and this time there was a problem with my letter from the SSA, so I had to wait an additional half-hour while they contacted the SSA to verify that the letter was valid for their purposes. That hurdle being cleared, I waited while the clerk entered all my data as Baxter, issued me a temporary permit, took it back immediately, processed a name-change to Baxter-Golding (note the hyphen), and issued me a second temporary permit. It appears that their system won't process two-part surnames without a hyphen.
Anyway, my new photo ID card will be coming in the mail. And at 1:30 I ran through Old Navy's maternity department, which is in the same mall, and found a dress on the sale rack for $7 - that's right, $7! - that will be great for Ian and Joyce's wedding on May 1. So I guess the time was well spent...
We got him some sidewalk chalk earlier in the week, and on the one rainless day we had, he made a sidewalk display of sorts. Actually, he was more decorated than the sidewalk...but he really enjoyed himself, especially in taking the chalk out of the box and putting it back in. Chalk makes an interesting clinky sound when it hits pavement.
We all have chest congestion colds; not sure who started it, since we all seemed to come down with it at the same time. Paul probably would have escaped it if he hadn't been seriously sleep-deprived due to tax deadlines and lots of client work.
Yesterday, while Jamie was at daycare, I spent a large chunk of the day at the Motor Vehicles Bureau (or whatever it's called) having my Ontario driver's license exchanged for a New York State license, as required by our car insurance company. It was incredible! I got there at 9:30 and joined the snaking lineup. At about 10:30 I reached the head of the queue and presented my documents (application form, letter from the Social Security Administration certifying my ineligibility for a Social Security Number at this time, and various ID documents totalling 6 points by their system of rating) for inspection. At 10:35 I was told I had sufficient documentation for the process (though I needed to fill out another form to explain why my license was in the name Baxter whereas the rest of my ID was Baxter Golding, my Ontario marriage certificate not being acceptable proof of name change due to marriage in the US), and I was issued a number. I then found a seat - no more lining up, but infinite waiting! At 11:25 I was called to another window, where my ID was all reviewed all over again (still OK, thank goodness) and I had my photo taken - deer in headlights, no doubt - and signed their signature card. Then I got another number, and waited until 12:40. At the third window, my ID was all reviewed a third time - and this time there was a problem with my letter from the SSA, so I had to wait an additional half-hour while they contacted the SSA to verify that the letter was valid for their purposes. That hurdle being cleared, I waited while the clerk entered all my data as Baxter, issued me a temporary permit, took it back immediately, processed a name-change to Baxter-Golding (note the hyphen), and issued me a second temporary permit. It appears that their system won't process two-part surnames without a hyphen.
Anyway, my new photo ID card will be coming in the mail. And at 1:30 I ran through Old Navy's maternity department, which is in the same mall, and found a dress on the sale rack for $7 - that's right, $7! - that will be great for Ian and Joyce's wedding on May 1. So I guess the time was well spent...
Sunday, April 11, 2004
A rainy Easter morning. Jamie had a jelly-bean-filled plastic egg for his Easter morning, but liked the egg better than the jelly beans, and the fried egg he had for breakfast better than either. Kids!
Had word from my mother in Toronto last night to the effect that my grandmother's condition is worsening. My mother's best guess is that it's no longer a question of her returning home at all...If this is the case, I hope things happen quickly for her. My grandmother belongs in makeup and tailored clothing, sitting on the patio at the York Club with a martini (Tanqueray, on the rocks, with olives), not hunched in a hospital bed. (And if it comes to that, who does belong in a hospital bed??)
Had word from my mother in Toronto last night to the effect that my grandmother's condition is worsening. My mother's best guess is that it's no longer a question of her returning home at all...If this is the case, I hope things happen quickly for her. My grandmother belongs in makeup and tailored clothing, sitting on the patio at the York Club with a martini (Tanqueray, on the rocks, with olives), not hunched in a hospital bed. (And if it comes to that, who does belong in a hospital bed??)
Friday, April 09, 2004
Another busy time. Jamie had a great stay in Kemptville, where he enjoyed running free in the back field and on the wide driveway, splashing in puddles and operating the garage door openers, playing on the front hall staircase (up...down...up...down...up...), and generally basking in the attention of Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Tracy. I got back there on Saturday morning, and he was only marginally pleased to see me; I think he was afraid I was going to make him leave. Which I did, but not until Wednesday. He was GREAT on the drive back to New York, which I'd been dreading a bit. And I think he's pleased to be home; certainly he was pleased to see his Daddy.
Jamie started in the walkers' room at his daycare today. He doesn't seem to have found the transition too traumatic; when I picked him up, Lucy, one of the caregivers, told me he had spent a great deal of the day walking around the room pointing at various things and saying, "oooOOoooooo!". This bodes well on the whole! There's so much more for him to do in that room than in the nursery downstairs; there are ride-on toys and rocking toys, a climbing centre, a table and chairs, books to read, and all kinds of toys including a toy kitchen setup.
My grandmother was taken to Mt. Sinai a week ago Thursday night, dehydrated and with a high fever and severe shortness of breath. She's been there ever since; I saw her Friday before the Exultate concert, and my mother went to Toronto as soon as the snow was done on Monday morning. They're still not entirely sure what's going on with her, except that she has a form of viral pneumonia and last night she had a heart "episode" - not an attack, which leaves permanent damage - during the night. Mum was there with her at the time, and is with her overnight again tonight; my uncle lives in Markham and has been there a lot of the time, particularly in the days, and my two aunts have arrived in Toronto and will start to spell Mum in turn for the overnight stays. We're hoping they're able to stabilize Gam's condition so she'll be able to go home before too long, but it certainly won't be anytime in the next few days!
The Exultate concert went pretty well. Great audience! Next for the group is the CBC Competition finals on April 28, and then they have a concert on May 14 to finish the 2003-04 season. I'll be in Toronto for both those events, and Paul will be up for part of the time as well; my mother-in-law Jane is coming from the UK for just over a month to see to the remainder of Paul's father's estate, and he'll be helping her with that as well as helping me to sort and pack things at the Toronto house...which sold yesterday. We close in mid-June.
Eventful times! Not quite soap-opera quality, but (as the Chinese curse goes) interesting.
Jamie started in the walkers' room at his daycare today. He doesn't seem to have found the transition too traumatic; when I picked him up, Lucy, one of the caregivers, told me he had spent a great deal of the day walking around the room pointing at various things and saying, "oooOOoooooo!". This bodes well on the whole! There's so much more for him to do in that room than in the nursery downstairs; there are ride-on toys and rocking toys, a climbing centre, a table and chairs, books to read, and all kinds of toys including a toy kitchen setup.
My grandmother was taken to Mt. Sinai a week ago Thursday night, dehydrated and with a high fever and severe shortness of breath. She's been there ever since; I saw her Friday before the Exultate concert, and my mother went to Toronto as soon as the snow was done on Monday morning. They're still not entirely sure what's going on with her, except that she has a form of viral pneumonia and last night she had a heart "episode" - not an attack, which leaves permanent damage - during the night. Mum was there with her at the time, and is with her overnight again tonight; my uncle lives in Markham and has been there a lot of the time, particularly in the days, and my two aunts have arrived in Toronto and will start to spell Mum in turn for the overnight stays. We're hoping they're able to stabilize Gam's condition so she'll be able to go home before too long, but it certainly won't be anytime in the next few days!
The Exultate concert went pretty well. Great audience! Next for the group is the CBC Competition finals on April 28, and then they have a concert on May 14 to finish the 2003-04 season. I'll be in Toronto for both those events, and Paul will be up for part of the time as well; my mother-in-law Jane is coming from the UK for just over a month to see to the remainder of Paul's father's estate, and he'll be helping her with that as well as helping me to sort and pack things at the Toronto house...which sold yesterday. We close in mid-June.
Eventful times! Not quite soap-opera quality, but (as the Chinese curse goes) interesting.
