Joanna's Spa

Joanna has spa parties and she invited me over to get a taste of it. We soaked our feet in something that made them very soft, and covered our lips and eyes with other stuff and then relaxed. The neck pillows had been warmed in the microwave and felt so-o-o good.

This picture of me is embarrassingly uncomplimentary, but it gives you the idea.

Then we put plastic bags on our feet and slipped over cotton socks that had been warmed in the microwave.

Our feet were so soft and warm when we were done!

BREAKING NEWS!!!

Mal is missing his right kidney! That's right, he's 59 years old and has just discovered he was born with only one kidney. He figures he better give his mother a phone call! It's called renal agenesis and occurs in 1 in 750 people, more common in males. It was discovered in an ultrasound today. However, it doesn't affect him and "most people" with only 1 kidney function normally....
Hi people, this is me, the one kidney kid.
So there I am this morning in a Calgary clinic having an ultrasound, relax, I'm not pregnant. And the Tech man/guy says, "oh, oh", as he is trying to find my kidneys. He asks me if I have 2 kidneys. So like I say of course I got 2 kidneys. Everybody's got 2 kidneys, right. And he pokes his finger at me and says like how do you know for sure you got 2 of'em? I just say that I'm assumin'. He brings in his expert sidekick from the other room, and they both try to find a right kidney, but seems it ain't there. Inferior genes, I 'spose. Today I am feeling a little insecure, what with not having a backup and all. All kidneying aside, apparently I only need one-in fact in 59 years I haven't missed the missing kid, so I guess I'm ok. I'm planning to milk this deficit to explain many other deficits. So be prepared to hear this story again, and again, and again... "Did I ever tell you about my one kidney? Hey, don't run away, I just got started".

After the ultrasound we stopped in to see Kristen. She has started a daycare, and the middle girl is her first. Next week she gets another. It'll be a busy household! Keep smiling, Kristen!

Then we met Jon and Magan and Jack at a mall for lunch. It's so nice to be close enough to be able to do that. So all in all, it was an interesting day.

Gathering of the Girls!

We had a fun sisters time. We shopped...

We went to a Beth Moore convention...

We did lunches out.

Of course some flowers were blooming.

And it was all over quickly and time to go home!

I'm outta here!

I'm off to B.C. tomorrow to visit with my sisters. We try to do this every year but it's been awhile so I'm looking forward to it.

It's always a blast!

Eclipse

We watched the eclipse last night. The earth was passing between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow. Won't happen again until 2010.

Darrell and Jess and Jon and Magan were here. Mal and Darrell were watching Matt Friesen with Ron McClean and Dick Irwin on Hockey Night in Canada.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you had a happy one!

This welcome stone is in the corner by our front door. The snow covered all but the welcome and I thought it looked kind of cute.

Chinooks

We are in the -20's today and tomorrow but by Sunday it is supposed be +1. I googled chinooks and learned that they develope when air is forced to rise over the mountains, losing its moisture, then descends on the other side, warming as it goes down. That forms a warm wind that melts the snow. Since the 1980's winters in southern Alberta have changed to just a few cold snaps. In Calgary, 59% of Christmases have snow, whereas in Edmonton it is 88%. Calgary gets many chinooks because the Bow Valley acts as a funnel for chinook winds.

Interesting facts: In February/92 the temperature in Clareshom hit 24 degrees! Pincher Creek holds the record for a fast change in temperature: from -19 to +22 in 1 hour! Trains have been derailed by chinook winds in that area. Empty semis on Hwy. 3 south of Calgary have been blown over by the winds.

Today we have cold and blowing snow and tomorrow is supposed to be worse, so I'm about ready for a chinook. Bring it on!