Happy Birthday Nicole

Today is Nicole's birthday. Our favourite future daughter in law. I am continuing with my trend of posting on my blog for each birthday in the family.



Here is a picture of Mike and Nicole taken last May at the lot where their house is being built.

Happy birthday Nicole!

Good Air In - Bad Air Out

It has been exactly two years now since I was first in hospital due to respiratory problems with high CO2. The lungs taking in oxygen is critical to life. But just as critical, or maybe more so, is to get rid of the CO2. High CO2 can lead to the blood becoming more and more acidic causing organ shut down and death.

I had an appointment today at the hospital for a checkup with a respiratory specialist. While there I had an arterial blood gas test. It had been a year since my last test. This is different than a normal blood test which takes blood from a vein. The blood from an artery (in my wrist) is analyzed to determine oxygen and CO2 content and PH (acidity level.) Basically the results are that my CO2 is still under control. In fact he said my oxygen level is too high! He told me to cut in half the amount of supplemental oxygen I am using. If oxygen is too high the lungs think they don't need to get rid of the CO2. I don't need to go back for another test for a year.

All in all I am very thankful to God for my health today compared to two years ago.

Quotes for the New Year

I have a small pocket size journal that has a quote at the top of each page. When I looked at my new 2009 journal here are some of the quotes that I liked:

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old one leaves." - Bill Vaughn

"Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday." - Dale Carnegie

"Smart is when you only believe half of what you hear. Brilliant is when you know which half to believe." - Orben's Current Comedy

Happy Birthday Elaine

Today is Elaine's birthday. I was trying to decide on something to post for her birthday. Just for fun here is a classic video of her "rowing" at Candle Lake. Olympic rowing is not likely in her future.



Elaine is a very cool and calm and good natured person, which is a very fortunate thing for me. She very seldom gets upset (no matter how hard I try :>) I am looking forward to many more happy and healthy years with her.

Happy Birthday Elaine.

The Year in Review

I am thankful for the year we have had and look forward to 2009. Like everyone there have been many good times and some sad times but much to be thankful for in 2008.

In 2008 my health was better than 2007. Even though there are still some challenges my health condition has been stable.

Elaine and I have been married for 31 years and are still celebrating being alive!

I have completed 32 1/2 years at work and am thankful for my job. My job was changed to a Senior Advisor role that suits me perfectly and gives me a flexible work schedule. And I can work from home whenever I feel like it.

We were able to make several trips within the province to church camps, weddings, and a family reunion.

We had sadness this year with several friends and relatives passing away. We had a friend staying with us for a month while her husband was in hospital until he passed away. It was a real up and down time but we were glad to be able to be a support and comfort.

Of course there was much more in the last year but the words of the song Great is Thy Faithfulness seems to really sum it up. The chorus says:

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

And I like the words at the end of the last verse: "Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!"

Happy New Year everyone and all the best for 2009.

A Merry Christmas to All

We have always read the Christmas story before opening our gifts. It is something I remember when I was young and we continued it with our family. When we read the Christmas story yesterday before gift opening we talked about when Grandma told the Christmas story to the kids with the flannel board. This is a picture we have up on a shelf in our living room.

We celebrated our Christmas on the 24th because that is when Mike and Nicole could come. We had the traditional turkey dinner with Elaine and I and Janny and Mike and Nicole. Then during gift opening we had Mary and Chris connected by the web cam on Janny's laptop. That was fun.

With the festivities over yesterday we are having a quiet day today. I have been mostly learning about my new GPS. (Did I mention I like maps?) We are hoping the weather cooperates because we are planning to go to Saskatoon tomorrow to be with Elaine's family.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Card from the Past

This is an old Christmas card that says "With best Wishes for a happy Christmas from John and Eliza Hingston 1891" My grandfather would have been almost 7 years old when his mother received this Christmas card from his uncle and aunt. John Hingston was the younger brother of Samuel Hingston, my grandfather's father who died in 1888.

I remember my grandfather telling about his uncle John Hingston who lived near Dublin Ireland and was chief steward at Trinity College. And I found reference to John Hingston in several websites, both in reference to him at Trinity College and as an Irish musician.

In an archive of the Trinity College Academic Calendar for 1892, John Hingston is listed under officers of the college as chief steward. Other references say he was chief steward until his death in 1893.

Several websites refer to John Hingston as a well known Irish musician, quoting from the book Irish Minstrels and Musicians by Francis O'Neill in chapters XVII, XXI, and XXXII. These say that he played for the Prince of Wales who became King Edward VII, and refer to him as "the late Mr. John Hingston. T. C. D., at that time the leading authority on matters pertaining to the pipes." The instrument he played was called the union pipes or Uilleann pipes which seem to be similar to the bagpipes. Chapter XXI of the book referenced above says:
"Music was in the family -- for his brother was also a performer on the Union pipes. Born on a farm not far from Skibbereen, County Cork, Mr. Hingston was a splendid specimen of the Munster peasantry, considerably over six feet in height, and it is little wonder that his prowess as a life-saver in Phoenix Park attracted the attention of Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, who, in recognition of his heroism, secured him the position of head steward in Trinity College Dublin. His experience on the St. Lawrence river, Canada, in early manhood, schooled him in the knowledge which in after years he turned to such good account."

I have had these references about John Hingston for a while now but thought this would be a good time to post the Christmas card from the past.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that I was also amused to see a story about John and Samuel Hingston seeing a sea-serpent in Whitehall harbour.

Happy Anniversary

Al and Tanya celebrated their second anniversary today. This is a picture of the happy couple from their wedding. From all reports it sounds like Tanya has been doing her best to put Al to work and keep him out of trouble which is quite an accomplishment. Happy anniversary you two.