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My knees don’t like this cold weather

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Oh my aching knees!

The weather here in Toronto has been strange this month. January began with a major snow storm, then it warmed up, so much so it seemed very spring like, and then in the last week it’s been like living in the Arctic.

I must be getting older because I’m feeling all these weather changes. Especially when it’s really cold outside. Ok it’s not really aging. I have Crohns disease and it can affect your joints too. I’m sure that’s what it is.

If I’ve been sitting for a while and then have to get up to go upstairs to use the washroom my knees protest. Walking up the stairs really hurts. Of course by the time I’ve been moving around for a little bit knees usually start to feel a bit better, but those first few minutes are bad.

My mom had a bad back and bad knees too. As her pain got worse we started to worry about her walking up and down the stairs. Luckily my parents had set up their home so that they didn’t have to go up and down the stairs all that often, but of course the freezer was in the basement so there would be occasional trips downstairs to get things out of the freezer.

When my father passed away we worried about my mom even more. She got around pretty well – especially when she didn’t have to navigate stairs, but being alone in the house presented new problems. What if she fell on the stairs … there was no one there to hear her fall or to help her.

My husband came up with the idea of installing one of those stair lifts. I think my mother liked the idea, but we could never fully talk her into it.

Now with my knees starting to speak their mind more and more often I almost wish that we’d install a stair lift here. I’m always going up and down the stairs. The main bathroom is upstairs. Now that we have a puppy in the house I’m also going outside and again up and down stairs outside all the time too.

You can bet that if we ever move I’ll be sure to buy a house with a bathroom and maybe even a bedroom on the main floor.





I have a plan to save money on our home renovations

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I was just saying on my other blog that Chris and I spent some time talking today about our various renovation projects .. the stalled ones that need finishing and future projects.

I didn’t mention that we might be able to get some really good prices on any materials that we need such as tile for the shower or other renovation and finishing products, furniture, electronics and more. We were contacted by DirectBuy a week or so ago, and we’re considering getting a membership.

It’s a member only club that offers merchandise at manufacture direct prices. The savings are huge! Since we have a lot of renovations to do, and then of course we’ll need to redecorate … well … it would be nice to save as much money as we can right? I think it would be worth it.

Are any of you members of DirectBuy?

I need to keep my guard up when walking my puppy

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Yesterday when I was walking our puppy a man crossed the street to come over and pet her.

I had a strange feeling about the man as he approached. He was very short and looked like some of the patients I’ve cared for many times in the ER. I have no proof but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d just come out of our drug rehab or possibly the psych ward. Remember I live only three blocks from the hospital so there are patients that are currently being treated for a disorder walking around at times as well as those that have been recently discharged.

The man turned out to be nice. He said he really loved Labs and that they always loved him. Judging from my pups reaction what he’d said was true as she greeted him as enthusiastically as she would anyone else.

Still … the whole encounter got me thinking about safety. Walking up to someone with a small or young dog could be a good way to get close to someone when you have bad intentions. I mean, most people that have approached me when I’ve been walking my dog are very friendly and I’m sure they are just dog lovers who want to meet my puppy, but it would be a good way for someone that wanted to mug you or perhaps even steal the dog to get close.

I think I’ll keep my guard up a bit more when I’m walking Midnight – well at least until she’s fully grown and hopefully a bit more protective (or at least might intimidate a would be robber). I know labs aren’t known for being guard dogs but I’d hope someone with bad intentions would think twice before approaching someone with a mature lab.

I walk the puppy at all hours and for the most part I feel very safe walking around. This was the first time that I felt really uncomfortable when we’ve met someone that wanted to pet her. I guess that was a little wake up call.

New Holiday – Family Day

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Time seems to be flying by so fast lately. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been so busy with family and our little puppy over the last few months?

I can’t believe that the holidays are already over! Well … last years holidays are over, this years are just beginning. Valentines is coming up in less than a month. I guess I’ll have to start thinking about what kind of valentines day gifts to get Chris this year.

I’ll probably get Chris something guitar related since he’s been looking at new equiptment lately.

I’m not sure if this is happening in the US, but here in Ontario, Canada we’re getting a new statutory holiday this year. It’s called Family Day and I believe it falls on February 18th. I know there’s been a lot of petitions in the last several years for a holiday during the long winter months and it looks like we finally got one. That means we’ve got a government recognized holiday in almost every month of the year now.

Raise your activity level and lose some pounds

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I was saying on my other blog that I’ve lost some weight in the last two months. Ever since we got our puppy in November my activity level has gone way up and that’s resulted in me losing a few extra pounds.

Since I hadn’t been all that active prior to getting the puppy I’d gained some weight. Also, being on steroids didn’t help either! That’s the trouble with having a chronic illness, Crohns, you can’t do much when you feel lousy! But when you have a puppy you have to go out no matter how bad you feel.

I’ve never been a big eater. In fact, in the last year I generally only finish half or less of my meal when we go out to a restaurant and obviously my portions at home have gotten a lot smaller. So food was never the problem. Lack of activity was! I can’t eat that much because of the Crohn’s either. Rice, boiled or broiled chicken, baked fish, some steamed veggies and nutritional supplements tend to make up 90% or more of my regular diet.

I’d say another month of going on several daily walks with my puppy and I’ll be back to my normal weight or better.

Have you set any goals to become more active or get in better shape this year? If so, what are you doing to achieve your goal?

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