Home again

Well...the first semester of college is over for Tyler and he made his way home for the Christmas break.

He was up at 4 a.m. in anticipation of his long day ahead. 6 a.m. saw him calling for a taxi, which took him to the train station. He took the train into Union Station (Toronto). From there, he caught a shuttle bus which took him to the Ferry. The Ferry took him to the Toronto Island Airport where he caught his plane home to St. John's (after stopping in Ottawa and Halifax).

It was a long day for all of us. The last day of the Farmers' Market for the season, meant it was a busy one. That was good as it distracted me from a day of total worry. I must admit though, I became one of those people who are constantly watching/using their Blackberry. He'd text me after he successfully made each connection. Not until he reached the Toronto Island Airport did he request I call him. Nothing major...just unsure what to do next.

Lots of brand new experiences for him as he's never flown before or had to maneuver around in Toronto on his own.

After the market was finished, we returned home for supper and to make his requested meal of macaroni and cheese. Brittney had spent some of her day making brownies for him.

After a quick on-line check of the flight status, it was finally time to head to the airport. As we waited we waited in the observation deck, we were able to see his plane land.

Jake eagerly (and I mean dancing around with great enthusiasm eagerly!!! ;)) awaited for his brother to appear. At around 7:00 a tired but relieved looking Tyler appeared at the gate. Jake ran and jumped into his brother's arms...almost knocking him to the ground.

Great to have you back, Ty!

Scholarship!

Tyler just got word today he's won a scholarship!

Congrats to Tyler....that homeschooled guy of mine ;)

My favourite time of day...

is early morning. I love watching the sun come up over the ocean.

First, the dark sky gets a warm red glow. Soon after, the sun peeks up and before long, the sun seems to be sitting right on the ocean. Watching this *almost* makes me believe...it is a flat earth ;)

From a few days ago... (click pictures to enlarge)...































Different day...but love the way the sun sparkles on the ocean...



Sun is starting to go down...love the pink/mauve/blue sky and pink/mauve/blue ocean

Traffic in Front of our place

This is what traffic in front of our place looks like: (Click to enlarge)

Back to Blogging

It's been awhile...my poor neglected blog.

It's been a very busy, emotional couple of months. We were busy getting Tyler squared away for college. Preparing before we left home was lots of work, but there was even more work once we arrived there.

Before leaving home, Tyler indicated his church denomination of choice and we researched a church in the area. I made contact with them well before we left home, letting them know we'd be visiting with them and about Tyler living there for school etc. They were very nice in their response to me and were even nicer in person. Very welcoming and many "mothers" stopping to reassure me he'd be well taken care of. A few people offered rides each week and indicated they'd make sure he had a way there. He felt comfortable there right from the word go.

We spent a weekend in the city...looking around and getting him familiar with his new surroundings. We met for lunch with our very first piano teacher (who also now lives in that city).

The day we dropped him off, was a very emotional one for all of us. It's one thing to go to a new school, but when it's far away from home, it adds a whole new dimension.

It's been just over three weeks and aside from the usual settling in pains, he seems to be doing very well. He likes his classes, his professors, his class mates and his room mates. He's meeting people at the church and attending events there. One family in particular has been really nice to him....driving him to and from church each week and even treating him to lunch one Sunday after church.

He got 100% on his first Photoshop assignment (but claims it was the first one so the professor wasn't too tough on them...hmmm...)

He's made an oral presentation and feels comfortable with the job he did on that (takes after me ;) lol )

Here is his first 3D Modelling project (animation class). He says it's challenging but fun. (Click to enlarge)



Keep up the good work, Ty!

Remembering my Mom...

on her birthday.

This picture of the two of us, was taken two years before she died (she was quite sick here)

Miss ya lots, Mom!

My M.E. (CFS) and Fibromyalgia Story

Dominique, over at her website, Becoming Visible 4 ME, has posted my CFS/ME story for this month. (M.E. being Myalgic Encephalomyelitis which is another, more appropriate name for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).

Her website is dedicated to making ME more visible. Each month, she publishes a CFS/ME story in order to accomplish this. From her other site, 4 Walls and a View, she writes:

"We are now onto our fifth story of this year. I find it amazing as I read each new story, how vastly different they are … and yet … how similar they are. Linda’s story, for me personally, was quite riveting. I was completely taken in the very first time I read it. Here is a excerpt of her unique and captivating story: As I stopped to look around, a “sensation” shot up the left side of my neck, then"...

Click here to read my full story at Becoming Visible 4 Me Once at the site, my story is featured in June, 2011. (There is a new story posted each month) By clicking on my picture, it will bring up the full story.

Dominique, who also has ME, has been a great inspiration, support and help to me in my battle with CFS and Fibromyalgia.

I've posted these videos from Get Well From ME before, but he explains ME/CFS so well, they bear repeating. Over the course of these two videos, he touches on all aspects of this illness.




He goes into more detail in this one:

Around d' bay...

We quite often hear the response, "Around d' bay". This can be in response to, "Where do yo live?" "Where are you from?" "Where are you going for the weekend?" "Where did that happen?" Almost everything can be answered by "around d' bay". I've often wondered, exactly what that meant...so today we decided to take a drive....around d' bay. It was a beautiful day and Brittney and Jake were away at Spring Forth. We headed out around 8:00 and what a beautiful drive it was. We went up to Grates Cove...which is the other peninsula across the bay (or is that around d' bay) from where we live. So cool to see 'our' peninsula from the other side of the bay.

Click on the pics to enlarge them...

Sunrise from our deck before we left...



Newfoundlanders are very proud of their athletes and whenever one does something spectacular...they get a lot of things (roads, lookouts etc.) named after them...


I believe this ship, stuck here, is The Kyle

Closer up


A write up about Danny Cleary, located at the Danny Cleary Lookout


Looking north at the Danny Cleary Lookout



Newfoundland is home to some of the most interesting town names ever. Here is one --Heart's Content. I think it would be sooo cool to live in a town named "Heart's Content". Can you imagine telling people the name of your town while giving your address.


And...some random shots taken as we made our way up the coast (or is that... around d'bay ;) )


The water was absolutely gorgeous shades of turquoise, navy blue and bright blue.











Finally...up at the tip of the other Peninsula -- Grates Cove. What a cute post office! So tiny.






Across the bay is the peninsula we live on (only the other side of that peninsula)
















Another town with a cute name. Cupids.

There is also Heart's Delight and Come By Chance...to name just a couple. I'd be really interested in learning the history behind how these towns got their names. Hmmm...I sense a homeschool history lesson in the making ;)