My Amazing Sister

My Amazing Sister

          I have to tell you that I have a pretty interesting family of origin.  I grew up as the middle child of five.  I have one older brother, one older sister, one younger brother, and one younger sister.  It is my younger sister that I write about today.  In may opinion, she is an amazing woman.  I am proud our her accomplishments and so thankful that she is in my life.
          You can read all about my little sister on her blog.  Her title, A Journey Through Cancer and Beyond, at http://kaymac2011.blogspot.com/ , is a well documented and very interesting account of her life since she was re-diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2011.  Not only has she had a recurrence of breast cancer, she was also diagnosed with one of the many forms of lymphoma.  It was a stress filled time as she waited months to hear her final diagnosis. 
          When I heard her news, I was very sad and quite depressed.
          However, thoughout it all, she has remained upbeat, positive, and content.  During her wait she and her son made an agreement.  They decided that if she had to have chemo, she would dye her hair pink.  Upon hearing the treatment plan did indeed include chemotherapy, Kay went out and had a very short hair cut.  Later she and a friend each dyed their hair a lovely shade of pink.  The whole process was documented with pictures, and in each picture, there she is with a big wide grin. 
          Amazing!  My hear swells with pride and love whenever I think about her.
          To Kay Mac- this blog is for you.  I love you!


Until next time,




Bee Rich
       
<><>

I think the pink in her hair
brings out the colour in her cheeks!

   

She is Always on my Mind!

          This morning I woke up with the blues.  Really blue!  It was 5 a.m.  My alarm went off, "brrrrrring, brrrrrrring, brinnnnng" and I rolled over.  I was going back to sleep.  But then as small voice in my head said, Get up and get moving!          It is now 5:55 a.m.  The coffee is on, the first cup is downed, emails are checked, facebook messages read, and still I am waiting for the call to supply teach.  So far, no call.  Probably, it is not going to happen today!  After all, occasional teaching is occasional. So, on to plan B. 
          For days like today, I need a list of things to do.  Yesterday I tidied the house, went for a ski on the lake, made a casserole of super duper macaroni, visited with a neighbour, and walked the dogs several times.  I also had a discussion with my husband about the need for more pictures of our daughter in our living room.  On the mantle above the fireplace are many pictures of other family members, but only one our our daughter, and that is as part of our son's wedding.
          So today, I am going to root through pictures, maybe organise them like my friend Mary, and select the best to print and place on the mantle.  Just for starters, here is her latest facebook profile picture.  What do you think? I know that I no longer have the blues!!!

Some fun in the sun!

Until tomorrow!

Bee Rich
         

More FUN that Writing a Blog? Reading the Blogs of Others!

          Today I was not called for Occasional Teaching and that was okay with me.  After a two week break it can be challenging to rise to the occasion (ie get up out of bed).  I took advantage of an empty house and a not-in-use computer to catch up on blogging.  I started to write but was distracted on my dashboard when I saw that some of those who have been missing recently, due to holidays, have returned.  I love to read what others have been up to in their lives since their last blog entry.  I thoroughly enjoyed the quiet hours of the morning and reading the following blogspots and have placed them here for your enjoyment.

http://thepearlcurriculum.blogspot.com

Written by friends from our Egyptian teaching days.  They are currently in Kuwait but spent their Christmas holiday in Nepal building a house for Habitat for Humanity.  Now, they are back to work. 

         

http://kaymac2011.blogspot.com

This blog is written by my sister who was diagnosed again with cancer and is undergoing treatments.  Though I haven't heard her latest news because she has been so busy, I look forward to reading about her road to recovery.

http://honeywhatdyoudotoday.blogspot.com

This blog is kept by a woman from my past.  She was a member of a swim team in Eastern Ontario when I was coaching in Collingwood many years ago.  She is now a young mother of two, wife, high school teacher and blogger!

http://starlightstarbright09.blogspot.com

This blog is written by another teacher from our days in Egypt.  Since meeting her, she has taught in Viet Nam for two years and is now located in Kuwait.  Her lack of capital letters should not put you off.  I love to read her stories. 

http://themsmysentiments.blogspot.com

Finally I have just started reading this delightful blog, written by a friend in North Lanark County, also known as Lanark Highlands.  She is a tiny bit older than me, and I love her sense of humour, common sense, and sentimentality.

So, if you have time, drop in to any or all of these blogs. 

Until next time,

Bee Rich

A Saturday Job



Riculosity!



 

          Have you ever had one of those days?   A day when everything you say comes out sounding really like a b&%#t?  Today was one of those days and I have to admit that it was not comfortable at all. 
         It happens occasionally at our home and I have begun to notice a bit of a pattern.  It usually occurs after a transition.  For example, my husband was out of the house for a few days helping our son complete some renovations at his house. I know he worked hard while he was there. During this time I kept busy by cleaning the house, taking down the Christmas decorations, walking the dogs, cooking meals for my brother-in-law and me, and driving to medical appointments.
         As I was working at a swim meet on the day my husband returned home, yesterday was the first day we were together in four or five days.  You would think that I would be celebrating his arrival home and the opportunity to work together.  It started off innocently enough.  "I would you like you down on the ice with me while I use the chain saw to cut up that fallen tree." 
         "Can't you do it by yourself?" I asked b&%#tingly.
         "I could but I would be much more comfortable if you were there."
          Okay, I thought to myself.  Safety does come first.  I had planned to do many other things this weekend, like write my blog, prepare for school start-up, go cross country skiing.  As we worked together I said aloud, "I wish I had some time to just play!  It would be nice to get my skis out." 
          No comment from my partner-in-life. 
          One thing led to another and the plan to cut the logs on the downed oak tree and then carry them by four-wheeler over to the neighbour's place was revised to include cutting down an old dead pine tree and then burning its remnants on the shore of the lake.  I wish I had taken pictures!
          Long story short, a job that I expected to take the morning, turned into a full day session.  My role included not only being there, but lifting logs onto the trailer or the fire, climbing up and down the steep hill using a rope I tied to a tree, and cleaning up the large amount of small debris left on the ice. While I was shovelling the final sawdust up on to the rocks beside the lake, my husband said, "Whenever you get that finished I am ready to go up." 
         The fire was still burning brightly and smoke was rising from the large fire.  "Are you sure you want to leave the fire like this?" I asked.  I guess that was a bit too b&%#ty, because his demeanour changed as he announced that he would stay to make sure the fire was out. 
          I trudged up the hill, determined to prepare a nice dinner.  In a short time the salad, potatoes and veggies were ready for whenever my husband decided to come in and then we would barbecue steaks.  A couple of hours passed before he arrived home, our neighbour in tow, and we settled down to enjoy a nice dinner and then part of the hockey game before heading to bed for a well deserved rest. 
         Those plans I had for Saturday?  They will wait for Sunday! 

Until next time,

Bee Rich (not Ridiculous!)
         
            
              

My Wonderful Sisters-In-Law

          I have four sisters-in-law on my husband's side, ranging in age from 52 to 77.  One is married, two are single, and one is a widow with four daughters of her own. Each of these ladies is amazing in her own way. 
          The eldest raised four daughters while working full time in the family business.  She has always been active in various volunteer groups throughout her community.  She has aged gracefully, enjoying time with her children, her three grandchildren and recently, her first great grandson.  Her home, shared with her youngest daughter, is open to family and friends.  Recently, over the Christmas holidays, this loving sister was hospitalised with pneumonia; however, she is at home now and hopefully making a full recovery. 
          The second sister-in-law lives quite a distance away from the rest of her family.  She retired after thirty-plus years working in a hospital.  What I admire about this lady is her determination to keep in touch with her family on a regular basis.  When our family lived nearby, she would often invite us to her home for a meal or take the children for a day or more to give mom and dad a break. I remember her taking our children to the circus, the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, and many other special outings.  She has recently developed severe pain in her foot and called us this evening from her bedroom. I am sending prayers up for her to make a quick recovery. 
           The third sister-in-law lives in the "home place" with her eldest brother.  She has worked at many different jobs during her life and loves tending to her collection of succulent plants and the family pets.  I heard from her today with the sad news that our beloved cat, Tigger, died in her sleep last evening.  Tigger was born some 16 years ago in a barn near the family home.  Her mother abandoned her and she was brought from the farm to live in the house, where she was hand fed. My mother-in-law was not too fond of the idea of having a cat in the house, so my daughter talked us into letting the kitten (now weaned and housebroken) come and live with us.  Three years ago, when my husband and I decided to teach overseas, Tigger was welcomed back to the family home and reacquainted with her sister, Miss Elly, who had come to live at the home place shortly after Tigger's departure. This sister-in-law  openly demonstrates love and care to others in many different ways. 
          The youngest sister-in-law lives with her husband in a small town along the St. Lawrence River.  She is special to me because she has had to put up with my husband's teasing for many years, and yet she remains loving and kind.  At Christmas time she made a Santa sackful of beautiful gifts, from a Santa wreath to homemade dishcloths. She and her husband also took care of her parent-in-law's two dogs (bring the household total to five) for almost two weeks while they travelled during the holidays.  She also spent Christmas Eve at the hospital with her brother.  Love knows no limits with this lady. 
          I could go on and on.  I haven't mentioned the four other sisters who have passed away from various forms of cancer.  They were all equally loving, kind, caring and full of grace.  It is quite remarkable that I have had the privilege of marrying into this family and I am truly thankful. 

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Santa Wreath

The Home Place Christmas Tree Plus Pug

             

When a Daughter Grows Up

My daughter, all grown up!

          The bond between a mother and daughter is a special one.  I know from experience.  Even when a mother is separated from her daughter, there is always a connection. 
           For me, as a daughter, it was a weekly call to my mother during my years away at university.   We had no cell phones, no email, no skype, no facebook.  I remember standing in line  in residence waiting to use the one available telephone, so I could call my mom collect. We would catch up on the trials, tribulations and triumphs of our days.  Mom would tell me about her business and our family and I would tell her about my classes, my frustrations with living in residence, and my experience on the swim team.  Once in a while I would send her a letter and more often I would receive a note with a small cheque inside.  I looked forward to those connections. 
          As a mother, I  have always looked forward to the connections with my daughter.  Even when she's been busy with her own life as a student, a varsity athlete, or a young professional, she has taken time to connect with home. We recently received a boxful of lovely Christmas gifts from her- a beautiful Scottish blanket, three lovely scarves, a wooden sudoku game and a Christmas tree ornament from Paris- from the post office.  Her constant contact is sometimes taken for granted; it is only when I don't hear from her for a couple of days that I begin to appreciate her loving connection.  For that I am truly thankful. 
          What my daughter probably doesn't know is that her communication has often inspired me to contact my own mother to let her know that she is appreciated and loved.  And so the love of the daughter is passed on from generation to generation.

Until next time,

Bee Rich

I LOVE the Christmas Holidays!!!

My Mother and her Great-grandson!

          I am truly blessed!  Almost a week ago, four generations of our family gathered for a late in the week Christmas dinner.  My husband and I, my mom and her husband, my son and his wife and their son, plus our four dogs, spent an afternoon and evening together eating turkey with all the trimmings and appreciating the company of one another.
          The last time were all together was in September for my mom's 80th birthday.  Before that it was Christmas 2010, when we were all (except the grandson) in Egypt for the Christmas break.  And before that, it was at my son's wedding in July 2010. 
          As I looked around the table, I thought to myself about how fortunate I am to be able to spend time with my mother and my grandson in the same room at the same time.
          Oh, and guess who we spent New Year's Eve with this year?  Grandma and Grandpa and our grandson, were all together, while mom and day attended the wedding of a friend from university days. 
          I am blessed and thankful!  

The Three Richmire Men!

Proud Dad

Loving Mom

Ever so thankful, Grandma!

          Sadly, there were a few family members missing from our home this year.  My big brother was working during this time, my sister was recovering from cancer treatments, and my brother-in-law was hospitalised with an infection.  My thoughts and prayers were with them.  More about these three important people in my life in the next blog. 

Until then,

Bee Rich

PS  I was reminded after posting this blog that there is one other person missing from home this year. Our daughter is living in Scotland and was not home for Christmas.  I think the reason I forgot that she wasn't home was because she regularly phones or facebooks or emails or skypes with us.  During the five days of our our son's visit, our daughter Sara was online and we chatted several times.  I know it is not the same as being here but for me it makes all the difference.