Sick beds, being kids and the end of winter (almost)

Catching Up – A Lot Has Happened Since November 12th

Looking back at my last post, it was mainly about me being an idiot and falling off Hannah's pink scooter. Well, there's much more to tell on that story, and a whole lot more that has happened since November 12th and the last time I posted.

To start with, my physio appointments made very little headway with my shoulder injury – it just didn't get better. So, just around Christmas, I went through the process of getting a doctor's appointment and then an X-ray with a specialist to see what was going on with my shoulder. On January 8th I was referred for an MRI and given a corticosteroid painkilling injection to reduce the pain for a while.

It's now mid-February and I am still awaiting a date for my MRI. I've become very used to relying on my left arm and hand for a number of things, while being very cautious about using my right. I just have to wait, I suppose!

A few days into December the kids started to show signs of illness. What began as a cough and a sniffle for each of them developed into full-on hot and cold flashes alongside fevers, clammy skin and general overall tiredness. In the three weeks leading up to Boxing Day, there were just 2 days when one or the other of the kids wasn't ill. Just 2 days.

So when it came to Christmas, instead of getting together with everyone for celebrations, we were stuck at home with our kids, opening presents and eating pizza for Christmas dinner. To be honest though, it was actually really nice and we all enjoyed ourselves – the kids were just about recovered by then, and we simply didn't want to risk anyone else getting ill, especially little ones and older family members.

Luckily, by the 27th everyone was fully recovered, and so we headed over to Jon and Susan's for the traditional Cowtan Christmas, with Stef, Pat, Alana and Erika, plus kids. It was so nice to finally get out of the house with the kids for the first time in almost three weeks, and it was a great way to spend 'Second Christmas'.

At least that was all the inllnes over with - Oh no wait...again.....

Just a week into February, I started to feel off. The first weekend was mainly spent in bed, sweating and coughing, dosed up with painkillers for headaches and general aches and pains. I dosed myself up again on the Monday as I had an installation port date at work, but by 3 in the afternoon the drugs had worn off and I was back in bed. I took three days off work that week, and on the Friday I worked from home, sat all wrapped up and drinking hot tea – but still ended up back in bed just after lunch. The second weekend was spent in bed again, even as the kids had friends over to play. I hid away in my darkened bedroom.

Eventually, I made another trip to the local minor illness clinic, and after a chest X-ray showed what the doctor described as a bit of 'fluff' in my lungs – his actual words – I was given a 10-day course of antibiotics and told to rest. It's now 10 days later, nearly three weeks since first getting ill, and I'm nearly back to 100%.

One thing I have noticed is that since I was ill in Thailand back in 2011, whenever I get sick I seem to get hit with it really badly. The virus I had back then – Cytomegalovirus – knocked me out for most of a month while I was travelling, and it can apparently reactivate later in life. I do wonder if that's what happens to me now whenever something comes along.

What makes this all the more frustrating is that I went 23 years in the army without ever really taking a day off sick – apart from one occasion when I was unable to see because of an eye infection. If you know that story, it's epic. If you don't… unlucky!

Anyway,  everyone seems to be better now and I may even get back out for a run late this week. 

Right, that's enough about illness and doctor visits. What else has been happening?

Well, the most important thing happened just a couple of days ago. February 22nd marked 15 years since the Christchurch earthquake of 2011. If you have a magnificent memory, you may recall that on that day I was in New Zealand, just a couple of hours drive south of Christchurch. The bus tour I was on had actually been to Christchurch just two days earlier and had dropped off some friends in the city.

On the day of the earthquake, we were spending the morning at the Speight's Brewery, on a tour to see the beers being brewed, along with a few tasters – we had a lot of tasters actually, and enjoyed our day very much. We all felt a bit wobbly from the drinking, and did feel something of a tremor when the earthquake hit. At the time we had no idea how much damage had been caused and carried on with our day.

A couple of hours later, when we got back to the bus, a certain Canadian girl joined the tour.

Yes, that girl is now my wife – and the earth actually did move the day we met. This year marks 15 years since that day, and later in the year it will also be our 10th wedding anniversary. Crazy days eh!

Heres a photo of me and my mate Rich pulling pints in the brewery and the first photo I took of Buffy- she is stood on the other side of the pub that night, with the girls - the day we met...

15 YEARS HAVE FLOWN BY!

Anyway, enough of the big moments – let me fill you in on what Buffy, me and the kids have been up to recently!

Winter is nearly over now, and it hasn't been too bad this year. It didn't really start with a vengeance until mid-November, and apart from a couple of cold weeks it's been pretty manageable. We had a bit of snow and what was almost a record low temperature for me personally, when the wind chill took us down to minus 47 degrees Celsius. That didn't stop me and Buffy getting out for our early morning runs though, and the kids have been doing great too – keeping their mittens on and getting out and about climbing the ice mountains that build up when the ploughs clear the roads every now and then.

It's been a pretty good winter all in all, but we are all very much looking forward to spring arriving in the next three or four weeks!

The kids are also doing what kids do really well – growing up! They have suddenly hit a stretch where they actually play with each other, and we are able to sit and relax, normally with a brew and a jigsaw on the dining table. It's lovely to hear them both laughing and playing together without any need for us to get involved.

They are both getting bigger and stronger, and I am getting older – at 55, carrying a 23kg toddler on my back is fine for a few minutes, but I can't do it all day! They are beginning to understand that though.

They are also both now able to give as good as they get, throwing sarcasm back at Buffy and me, which is amazing. Being able to have a proper adult conversation with your kids is brilliant, especially when they are old enough to understand the art of taking the piss. It's not normally something that happens much over here in Canada, but coming from the UK – and especially from the north – it's an essential life skill. I genuinely couldn't be more proud of the kids than when they call me a dickhead.

We have also introduced the kids to Minecraft, so we play it once or twice a week now. They play pretty well together and both have their own worlds where they can build, dig and blow things up to their hearts' content. It's a great way to get them together in a relaxed way, and honestly I love that they are spending so much time together – whether that's playing Minecraft, playing games without a screen, or just spending time with me and Buffy and with each other.

Ollie is a bit of a card sharp (or is itshark)  and regularly beats me and Buffy at Uno and other card games. He is also getting so much better at reading and writing and is doing really well at school overall.

Hannah is also doing great. She is the top reader in her class, and often after quiet time – where the kids get a peaceful hour to themselves, and we get an hour too – she presents us with a handwritten book. Not just written by her either; she actually builds the book herself, taping and stapling pages together. She has probably written between 15 and 20 multi-page books now, complete with stories and hand drawn pictures. Just a week ago she even got the chance to read one of her own books to the rest of her class. Her teacher was so impressed that they have helped Hannah set herself goals for the rest of the school year.

They are both doing amazingly – not only with their education, but just in being good kids too. Of course they still lose their shit regularly, like most kids do, but we are seeing a definite improvement in how they recover and how they conduct themselves. They are a joy to be around sometimes and a pain in the arse at others – but that's just how things are supposed to be, 

Well, its time for me to get my old weary body off to bed - Its' been too long since I posted and as usual I will now make a promise to do it all again really soon - Let's hope I get time. 

Please make time to leave a comment if you can - I would love to hear from anyone who reads this, to know who is reading and to see how things are with you!

cheers

Here's a few pics to finish off!