PEIBlogs.com: the definitive Prince Edward Island blogroll since 2004.: Lifestyle

Barry's Blog - Dr. Barry Ling - Dr. Barry Ling, a Charlottetown orthopedic surgeon, passed away at the age of 60 on February 8, 2008 after developing a cancerous brain tumor. ^pop
(Added: 4-Dec-2006 Hits: 663 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 2) Rate It

Farewell
When we started this blog on the day of Barry's surgery we never imagined it would grow into what it has become. We also couldn't stand the thought that one day it might come to an end. Barry's Blog will always be here, but this will be the last post from us. Before we sign off, there is a little more that we'd like to say.

First, on behalf of the whole family, we would like to say thank you to all of you for your kind and thoughtful gestures. From the food, cards, flowers, donations and posts to the many kind words at the visitation and funeral. All of this has helped us get through the hard times.

We'd also like to let you know that we are all doing okay. We miss Barry terribly, but we know he's smiling down on us and encouraging us to take care of each other. We can hear him in our heads and picture him doing all of those Barry-like things. And we take comfort in knowing that heaven got a little funnier last week. We're not sure where God stands on Cohibas and Old Sam Rum, but whatever the circumstances, we are confident that Barry is enjoying himself.

Here is a poem that Jamie was planning to read at the funeral (were it not for a little oversite from the presider) and some remarks that he had prepared. Personally, I thought that might have been a little divine intervention from above-- even at his own funeral, Barry was probably a little antsy sitting there in church.

My Hero
by Debbie Hinton Young
As I ponder the love that I saw in his eyes,
A Godly love, given without compromise....
I recall many times that he stood by my side,
And prodded me on with great vigor and pride.

His voice ever confident, firm and yet fair,
Always speaking with patience, tenderness and care.
The power and might of his hands was so sure,
I knew there was nothing we couldn't endure.

It's true, a few others provided insight,
Yet, he laid the foundation that kept me upright.
He's the grandest of men to have lived on this earth,
Although he's not royal by stature or birth.

He's a man of great dignity, honor and strength.
His merits are noble, and of admirable length.
He's far greater than all other men that I know,
He's my Dad, he's my mentor, my friend and hero.

Dad taught me a lot in the past 35 years, perhaps nothing as valuable as the things he taught me over the last 16 months. He taught me to play the cards you are dealt and not feel sorry for yourself. Dad was facing a battle and he knew it. I think everyone will agree from reading the blog that he kept positive and enjoyed each day. He was always worried about making other people feel better. Secondly, he taught me the value of friends. How many people have a group of friends that would change their schedule to be with you, make meals for your family, open their house for your family to stay at, generally do anything that they thought would help out and make it easier on everyone? We can all hope to have a great group of friends like he and Pam. Thank you to everyone. Finally he taught us all the value of a hug (love). You never know when it is going to be the last time you will see someone so you have to let them know you love them whenever you can. Also he showed that a hug can brighten your day and everyone needs them. It's been an honor to call him Dad and we will never forget him. We only wish we all could have had more time with him.
Thank you for being on this journey with us. Dad enjoyed this blog immensely and drew great inspiration from your comments and the frequency with which you checked in on him. It has also meant a lot to all of us.
Hugs,

Jamie & Beth

P.S. We've posted some of our favorite Grampy Bear photos on the blog we keep for our kids: http://kgl2003bjl9.blogspot.com/
Arrangements and nice article
Dr. Barry Ling
The death occurred at The Palliative Care Unit of The Prince Edward Home , on Friday February 8, 2008 of Dr. Barry Ling of Charlottetown age 60 years. Beloved husband of Pamela (nee Moreside). Dear father of Jamie (Beth)Ling, David (Jenn)Ling, Suzie (Shane Dowling) and James Pickard. Grandfather of Katie, Caroline and Bates (Tugger). Son of Margaret and Elmer Ling. Brother of Norma (Mike) Alberg and Nancy (Gary) Nymark. Resting at MacLean Funeral Home Swan Chapel. Funeral Monday from Spring Park United Church at 11 a.m. Interment later in Sherwood Cemetery. If so desired memorials to The Cancer Society would be appreciated. Visiting hours Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Online condolences may be made at www.macleanfh.com

A nice article from Today's paper

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=106959&sc=98

Hugs to all.
One Last Bear Hug
Dad passed away peacefully early this morning with Pam, Suzie and James by his side.

Thanks everyone for being along with us on this journey. I know it made a difference to Dad and the family to have the love and support of friends. I hope the blog and Dad helped bring attention and reminders that everyone needs a hug and what is important in life.

Thanks to everyone especially the daily crew of Jack, Danny, Mike, and Terry. We can all hope to have friends like you guys.

Funeral arrangements are being made. The plan is to do the viewings on Sunday and the funeral on Monday but with out-of-town family it could change.

Hugs to All,
Jamie
Update and Thanks for the Stories
Dad's condition continues to worsen, as expected. He is comfortable and not in pain. Pam's niece was home recently for over a week to do the night shift to give Pam and Suzie a break. Thanks from everyone, Laura.

We appreciate all of the stories that you have emailed. Keep them coming if you have them. I have been sharing them with the rest of the family and they have really been fun to read. Some made us laugh and others brought a tear to hear how kind he was. I am going to share a couple of the stories that show the different sides of Dad.

From Jan Shepard:

"I clearly remember one Sunday morning when I still worked in Paeds. and had a small child (Christopher) who believe it or not also had a brain tumor. Barry came in to make his rounds and asked why Christopher was crying so. I told him all he wanted was a banana and apparently, having called dietary, there were none in the hospital that morning. Barry did not say a word. However about 30 minutes later Barry turned back up after going out to a store to buy bananas for Christopher. I found him in beside Christopher's crib where he was feeding him bananas and Christopher was nothing but smiles and banana mush. I cried at his love and generosity and told that story many times after."

From Jean Tingley:

"When Barry and I were both candidates in the 2003 election, it was then that I got to know him as a friend and really was thankful for his sense of humour. Anyone who is on the campaign trail definitely needs a sense of humour just to endure the rigorous schedule. I'm sure Barry remembers how great it was when we finally got rotated to the back row on the stage, far away from the prying eyes of the audience and he would let loose with his comments that had us in fits of laughter. Somehow, losing didn't matter because we really enjoyed the time we all spent together thanks to his sense of humour.

Near the end of the campaign I got really run down and my mouth broke out in cold sores and my bottom lip had a huge crack on it. The last night we were standing in line waiting to be announced to go on stage and Barry was making his usual crazy comments. Everytime I started to laugh at him it caused the crack on my lip to open and bleed. I finally told him to leave me alone because everytime he made me laugh my crack opened. He looked me right in the eye and said 'Wish I had known you when you were 16!' A classic Barry moment. "

From Sheila Molyneaux:

"I was told a story about the very proper head nurse on Unit 2 surgical unit at the QEH (Miss Charbelle? I think). One day, Barry sauntered to the nursing station and went up to Miss Charbelle, handed her sweater to her and said "you forgot this at my place last night". As the story was told, Miss C was mortified."

As Dad would say: "Don't wait until there is a crisis to appreciate your friends and loved ones. You know how much you appreciate a hug. So do they. We are very lucky to have each other. Show it."

Jamie
Update and a Request
I just got back from Charlottetown. Dad is still comfortable. He is slowly deterioating but he still recognizes everyone. He has some moments when you are surprised with how sharp he is. He still is cracking jokes and making people laugh. The staff there is great and his doctor is terrific at helping him with everything that is going on. It was good to see the so many people helping out Dad and Pam with everything. Suzie and Pam are almost living at Prince Edward Home and giving Dad all the love and care that he needs. His friends are great in helping him and giving Pam a chance for a break. Suzie and Pam have been taking turns staying at night in case he wakes up. I was glad I was able to take a turn to spend the night with Dad and give them a break. Pam's niece is coming home this weekend and I think she will give the night crew a break. Thanks again to everyone who is helping out.

One thing we thought of while I was there and laughing at some of the Dad stories that people were telling was how great it would be to have a collection of stories to look at but also for the grandkids to learn about their grandfather down the road when they are older. I must say that I have learned a lot about Dad that I didn't know from all the posts on the blog. It would be interesting to see the stories from friends, classmates, patients, family, etc. I set up an email address for people to send the stories to as we did not want all of them on the blog-- we all know that many of the Dad stories are not appropriate for public consumption! Please email a story, recollection, etc. about Dad, or even favorite photo to barrylingfamily@yahoo.ca. I will get them to Pam so they can have a copy at the PE home to read to Dad.

Dad told me to send a hug to everyone and he appreciates all the hugs and prayers that he is getting.

Jamie

A Considerable Speck - A Dialogue of Self and Soul... (A work in progress and thoughts in process). Welcome to my personal musings and conversations about the emerging church, postmodernism, culture, spirituality, the journey of life and loads more. By Rushan (former PEI resident, now in New Hampshire)
(Added: 4-May-2005 Hits: 355 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 1) Rate It

Wed., November 5th, A New Day?
A new day has dawned for America (and for the world). People are walking around with goofy smiles. Everyone I’ve talked to this morning has been floating on air and there is a renewed sense of hope and optimism in everyone I have met. Today feels different than yesterday. You can feel the difference, taste [...]
Mon., September 15th, HFCS?apparently it?s good for you?NOT!!
I am still recovering from the shock of seeing the new TV commercials by the Corn Refiners Association trying to convince us that High Fructose Corn Syrup is not harmful, in fact, their campaign website seems to say that HFCS is good for you because it is “all natural”. The site has a whole lot [...]
Mon., September 15th, Coffee?anyone?
I am not a huge fan of those corny, “inspirational” e-mails that do the rounds and more often than not they end up in my spam folder. This one managed to sneak through a couple of weeks ago, and although it is a little corny, it does make you think. This one is especially appropriate [...]
Fri., August 8th, Sometimes You Just Have to Wonder?
For the “There are some people who….” file: There’s a story out of Florida about a man who called 911 to complain that his sandwich order at Subway was made incorrectly and then he called 911 again to complain that the Police didn’t arrive on time. Thanks to Jason Schreiber for pointing this one out. You can read [...]
Sat., August 2nd, Letter from God to Man (Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip)
Comment/reflection/post on its way. In the meantime….enjoy!

Aiken House and Gardens - Photos of the Aiken Home and Gardens in Warren Grove, Prince Edward Island.
(Added: 16-Feb-2008 Hits: 33 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 1) Rate It

(no subject)
Thrift Shopping
Today I am mainly sharing my recent thrift shop finds. I had been looking for a wingback chair lately and yesterday I found one at Hardy's in Charlottetown for a faction of the cost of a new one, in really good condition.The moss green color also suits our home well.
The coffee table I found at the thrift shop for $15. I like the shape of it.Someday I might paint and antique it but for now I like it as it is.
The red and white Florence cups and saucers were $2. each and I have the teapot and plates to match it. I found the vase the same day.I'm so glad someone wanted to get rid of them.Like they say one person's trash is another's treasure!
Now ,who could resist buying more bulbs at 90% off.Vankampen's Greenhouse had a good selection of bulbs at $1 a bag(24 bulbs) and it is not to late to plant tulips.There is some snow on the ground today so not much time left.When I get these planted I think I should pick up a few more bags- imagine all those glorious blooms in the spring!
Hope you have a good day!
(no subject)
(no subject)
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Artist in Kensington - A blog sharing an artist's life in the small eastern Canadian town of Kensington.
(Added: 27-Jan-2007 Hits: 184 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

(no subject)
We're not wanting to be insensitive to what so many of you are feeling, but we are very much wanting you to put this death thing in the proper perspective: You are all going to die! Except there is no death. You're all going to make your transition into Non-Physical. It is time to stop making your transition into Non-Physical sound like a subject that is uncomfortable, and begin acknowledging that it is something that happens to everyone. This death thing is so misunderstood that you use it to torture yourself never-endingly and just absolutely unnecessarily. There are those who feel such fulfillment of life and such Connection to Source Energy, who understand that there is no separation between what is physical and Non-Physical; who understand that there is not even a lapse in consciousness, that "death" is a matter of closing one's eyes in this dimension and literally opening one's eyes in the other dimension. And that, truly, is how all death is, no matter how it looks, up to that point.. The re-emergence into Source Energy is always a delightful thing.
Excerpted from a workshop in Buffalo, NY on Tuesday, September 25th, 2001
Our Love,
Jerry and Esther
Visit Us Online | Modify Details ©1997-2008 Abraham-Hicks Publications.
(no subject)

Passing this along for Island Author Carol Little! If you haven't heard of Carol you will!
I will be supporting her with a link and a funny comment! will you?
-shayli

Hello!

As you may know, my first novel, Hide Your Life Away,is being published on September 23, 2008. With thousands of new works being released weekly, it?s all too easy to get lost in the new book market, so I?ve been wracking my brain to come up with some innovative advertising schemes.

With this first idea, you can help! I?m calling this my?cross-pollination? advertising campaign. The basic idea is that you give me a quote(preferably unusual, and no, it doesn?t have to be flattering) about me, our relationship, or my work (I can send you a brief excerpt from the novel) that I will feature on my web site. With your quote, I will list your professional title (if applicable) and web or blog site, and you can post a link to my web address on your site on the day I will be listing your quote. This way, we will both get more internet traffic and free promotion.

So,come on, tell the world you love me (or that I drive you crazy and you?re just doing this to get me off your back). I plan to start posting quotes in July and if you participate, you will get the spotlight at http://www.carollittleauthor.blogspot.com/ for up to a week,depending on how fantastic, eye catching or heart stopping your quote is.

Thanks so much!!

Carol Little
(no subject)
Summerside and Kensington Artists

If you are interested in being a part of a new artist group, North Cape Artists, please email me your information and I will get you on my website
http://www.verestudio.com/content.html?page=8

Please email me or drop by the Gallery for more information.

Lets help everyone find us!!
(no subject)
I have been asked many times to donate art to local charity/nonprofit fund raisers.
I've just got to pass on to you my concerns about this practise. We are asking OUR POOREST people on the Island to give and support all the charities on the Island. Many artists work sell for hundreds more than they would ever get themselves. In such a small population, we have only so many sales of art all year. IF our paintings are being sold to our 'elite' in charity auctions, I doubt they would buy another painting all year! and our artist have no sales and are just continually asked to work for nothing and give all the artwork away.

Please. We need to be heard!!

What about a yearly 'Support Local Arts and (maybe Prince County Hospital) auction where a percentage/predetermined amount goes to the artists and all monies over this amount goes to the charity?
Artists are givers, and want to support their community but we need to also be supported.

What about creating a job here where the arts administrator's job is to help artists market and sell their work???

Thank you for your time
Shayli Vere
Support Local Arts
(no subject)
Troy Little
Another great review and buy yourself a copy of Troy's acclaimed
Chiarscuro

Ask Jo - Love, Life, and Longings - Ask Jo is an on-line advice column.
(Added: 28-Sep-2008 Hits: 8 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Thu., November 20th, Wants Help With The Cooking
My husband doesn’t like cooking…and I’m really getting tired of having to do it all the time. What should I do? - Kathy This is a common problem that unfortunately a lot of women face even during these so called modern times. I suggest being honest with your husband. Tell him how you feel. If you [...]
Wed., November 19th, Can I Make Money From Paid Surveys
I recently saw an ad which stated that if I purchased a product it would tell me how I could earn up to $125 by filling out a survey. The product costs $49. I was wondering if this offer was legitimate. - Joyce. Hi Joyce. I am not an expert in these on-line business so I [...]
Thu., September 4th, Are Pineapples An Aphrodisiac
What happens when a man eats a pineapple? There are many positive and negative side effects of pineapple which affect BOTH males and females. Pineapple Juice is said to enhance intimacy if eaten within 24 hours of male to female contact. You will just have to try it and find out for yourself! There is an old [...]
Thu., September 4th, Seasonal Affective Disorder
This winter has been very hard on me. I feel as though I am always tired. A friend told me that certain people are affected by winter. Is this true? Yes, unfortunately a number of people have the same problem as you. It could be caused from various things. A number of people are affected by SAD [...]
Thu., September 4th, Glass Half Empty
I have often wonder why some people see their glass as half empty or half full. I look at my glass and say “I ordered something else” Is that wrong. How sick am I? Your statement is very telling….it appears you are never satisfied….just accept the glass whatever is in it and drink up, whether it [...]

Connections - connecting consumers with the people who produce their food - Today, people are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from and how it is grown. FoodTrust responds to this concern by providing an important link between you and a group of dedicated farmers and growers who produce and harvest high-quality, safe and wholesome foods. FoodTrust works with these growers and harvesters to establish sustainable growing standards that respond to your need for a safe, high-quality food source.
(Added: 20-Aug-2007 Hits: 105 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Tue., June 3rd, Planting Mini-Tubers
I mentioned these little guys in my last post. We had some mini-tubers from last year’s growing season that we planted today. Mini-tubers are small potatoes that were grown in containers. Because they are so small they must be planted by hand. Leonard developed a handy planting tool to take the [...]
Wed., May 28th, Plantlets and Mini-Tubers
Potatoes are native to South America and the Incas were one of the first groups to cultivate them. In the thousands of years since they were first cultivated, potatoes have spread around the world and there are literally hundreds of different varieties being produced. We are very keen on some of these ancient varieties and [...]
Wed., May 14th, Please excuse the pause
It’s been so long since I’ve posted here I’m pretty much ashamed of myself. There’s really no excuse other than it’s been a long and cold winter with little to write about. But spring is here finally (actually it has been spring-like off and on for several weeks) and things in the potato [...]
Fri., February 15th, Introducing - New Bagged Potatoes!
Even though it has been quite a while since my last post, we haven’t been sitting around doing nothing. We’ve been working hard getting our new bagged product line into production and onto store shelves. These new 2 pound bags are an easy and convenient way to buy the same high quality potatoes that [...]
Mon., January 28th, A Jaunt to Town on the Ice
?I remember going down by horse and sleigh and crossing Belle River. It was warm and the water came up into the sleigh. It?s amazing the horse didn?t go down. We got wet but we had a buffalo blanket. We?re lucky we didn?t go through.? The horse was named Maud. A ?buffalo? was a warm [...]

Crib Chronicles - Life with a new baby, by Bonnie Stewart (partner of Dave Cormier)
(Added: 5-May-2006 Hits: 261 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Sun., November 16th, a quiet place
sometimes it steals up on me, like that six-foot rugby chick from my misspent youth, the one with the steel cleats and the hamhock legs. out of the corner of my eye, i catch a glimpse, a shadow…and then WHUMPH. she hits me like a train. i’ve been hit enough times to know what’s [...]
Thu., November 13th, pottykampf
Oscar is learning that his body is his own, these days. in corollary news, my house smells like urine. we tried full-on potty boot camp last weekend, since Dave had a few extra days off and nothing says vacation like wiping piss off the floor. in hindsight, we should’ve just flown to Thailand for [...]
Sun., November 9th, boy, 2, questioned in local incident
Originally uploaded by o&poecormier at first i was sure he was innocent. i mean, look at that face…those curls…that sweet expression. what could bring more joy to a mama’s heart than to see her boy snuggling her baby, both of them smiling? then i looked a little more closely at the photographic evidence. more [...]
Wed., November 5th, the morning after
…and we Canadians can finally get our lives - and our news channels - back. whew. this morning feels historic, even way up here north of the border. i fell asleep before the race was called last night, but i watched Obama’s acceptance speech on youtube this morning, and damned if there wasn’t a whole lot [...]
Sat., November 1st, smiles
Originally uploaded by o&poecormier …they abound. her whole face lights up. i’d forgotten how nothing is quite so heart-melting as a baby’s first smiles. someday, if the world is kind, she’ll flash this same cock-eyed grin - with teeth, we’re hoping teeth come with the package in good time - to some kindred soul, and maybe the [...]

Crusade For Justice (In Our Closed Society) - Phillip Miller has been fighting for an operation since 1995. Here you will find the link to a lengthy file which details this struggle.
(Added: 6-Mar-2007 Hits: 221 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Our Letter To The United Nations
Mail Petitions Team
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

May 7, 2007

Phillip Miller
P.O. Box 462
Cornwall, Prince Edward Island
C0A 1H0
Canada

Dear High Commissioner for Human Rights:

I wish to file a complaint under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, specifically regarding Article 25 (also Articles 3 and 8) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, involving the Government of Canada, and the Government of Prince Edward Island.

The Prince Edward Island government is predominantly responsible for my situation, I have attempted in every way to get help from my provincial government, including approaching the federal government with letters to the Prime Ministers (pages 201-202, 208-209 and 210). The file that we are submitting is very detailed, and contains the complete history of my fight over the last 12 years, and is an official file which was submitted at my Canada Pension Plan final appeal hearing for disability benefits (187-193). There are many letters in the file that clearly spell out my plight and would address most questions you would have. A few examples can be
found on pages 110-113, 137-138, 158-161, and 182-186.

Perhaps it is unusual to receive complaints of this nature from Canada, a founding member country of the United Nations, we may be a leader in human rights around the world but, as is evident in the media on a daily basis, and from my experiences, I feel that our levels of government are experts at covering up human rights
violations; these issues are only addressed when they are brought to light by legal means or public outcry. This situation is so serious that no lawyers, organizations or individuals would ever want to take on the case for fear of reprisal by the medical community, which is all powerful; this is clearly evident in the file. In addition, I have done an exhaustive search throughout our legal community and the common theme was conflict of interest; Prince Edward Island is a small place.

We have not made an application to any other international body. The facts required for my complaint are in chronological order in the file.

The fairly far lateral disc herniation that I have been forced to live with for the last 12 years has totally compromised my central nervous system, which in turn has placed me in a very precarious and unknown situation; in August 2005 I suffered an attack of congestive heart failure as a result of this situation not being dealt with. No cause could be found for the congestive heart failure (ie. defects, disease) other than what the doctor termed as a "one time event." My injury and living with the impact of it, I would think, constitutes that one time event. The treatment that I was given by the heart specialist was a prescription for a
collection of 12 different pharmaceuticals, even before the test results were processed. I feel that this was just an action taken to put me in my place, especially when the doctor said to me, "what I did to you was standard practice."
I need surgery, not pharmaceuticals.

Outside of my injury I am healthy and disease free, and would like to live another fifty years. If I don't get help soon I know that, from what I am experiencing now, my time is limited.

I am urging you to please act as soon as is humanly possible. I do not have access to medical care.

My daughter has assisted me with this case since the beginning and is the only reason that I have been able to pursue this for as long as I have. We have attempted to garner support from the public by posting my file on the internet(www.philliptmiller.blogspot.com) but the situation is such that no one would ever dare speak out on this, therefore my final hope for a remedy lies with you.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Phillip Miller
(no subject)
Dear Mr. Binns:

Since you have failed to act on my case I have no choice but to take drastic measures.

This case will now be filed with the United Nations. I will bring to light your embarrassing policies on individual human rights in any way that I can, including contacting newspapers in places like Fort McMurray, Alberta.

The lengths that you have gone to in protecting our broken health care system are unbelievable. This is not going away...I have many options left. As Premier you, and no one else, are totally responsible for resolving this situation.

Sincerely,
~Phillip Miller
Response To Mr. Binns
Mr. Binns, you are totally off-base with the letter you sent me.
(My File, Page 213)
Response From Mr. Binns (Page 213)
You very well know the structure of our health care system. No family doctor will have anything to do with me, and even if you could find one...what help would that be to me? Nothing more than a referral to the specialists who have put me in this situation to begin with. I know that it is not in the mandate of The College to get me the surgery that I need because I have already dealt with them extensively, which you, Mr. Binns, would know, if you had read the file...or at least scanned the Table of Contents. Mr. Binns, you are the Premier, and as such you control the legislative assembly, which in turn controls even the very existence of The College of Physicians and Surgeons, therefore it is up to you to resolve this, and no one else...certainly not Mr. Gillan.
Phillip Miller?s Response to Mr. Gillan...in a letter to Paul Martin (My File, Pages 208 and 209)
To Paul Martin (Page 208)
To Paul Martin (Page 209)

Response From Mr. Gillan (My File, Page 207)
From Mr. Gillan (Page 207)
PEI Blogs
Just an update to say that my blog has been added to PEI Blogs.

You'll find it by clicking HERE.
Hippocratic Oath Post
Just an update to say that the file has been posted on the forum at Ratemds.com.

You'll find it by clicking HERE.

East Coast Style - Summerside native Amanda Bulman lives in Halifax and comments on East Coast designers, photos, locals band interviews, and random fashion insights
(Added: 14-Jul-2008 Hits: 17 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Sunsets on the East Side
If I was an eighteen year designer bursting at the seams(no pun intended) with talent I can?t promise I would be anywhere near as modest as the three girls who make up the design company ?Sunsets on the East Side?. Katryna Crabbe, Kirsten Sweet and Jackie Skinner of Queens County Prince Edward Island first debuted their clothing line at PEI fashion week in 2006 when they were barely sixteen years old. Now two years later, the girls have formed a small company and sell their cute wares both online and at the local vintage hipster haven.
As if is this isn?t reason enough to be impressed with the self possessed and ambitious eighteen year old girls-the clothing they design also tends to leave local fashion lovers breathless. The pieces in their most recent collection vary widely as each girl?s
sense of style lends something a little different to the clothes. Jackie?s designs are the most artful and involve bold colors, big funky buttons and crazy prints. Kirstin cites American designer Christopher Wang and street fashion blogs like Hel-Looks as influences and her clothes reflect that by being both way feminine and punky(think Sonic Youth?s Kim Gordon). Finally Katrina?s designs are classic and offer up an old time movie star glamour that isn?t seen often on the streets of Charlottetown.
So what?s up next for the talented teens? The girls are plotting their next line, working on updating the company web-site, and are psyched to be launching a fashion blog. To contact Sunsets on the East Side, add them to facebook or e-mail the girls at sunsetsontheeastside@gmail.com
Fall! For the right Trends
The fashion mags are advertising plaid like mad and the boutiques have begun to stock up on jackets and tweed. Fall fashion hunting has officially begun. As a avid fashion magazine buyer and a notorious shopper I've begun to figure out which fall purchases will last several season and which trends are a bit more flash in the pan(I.E a waste of my hard-earned bar tended tips). Here's what I'm buying for Fall
1. Boot cut jeans in a dark rinse(according to Marie Clare the oh so flattering boot cut is back in). My short legs are so grateful.
2) A long striped cardigan by B.B Dakota(Just us Girls on PEI carries tons of BB and the line is amazing and affordable). Mary-Kate Olsen does the prison stipes with ray bans, rock and roll boyfriends, and coffee. Me too.
3) Something in vintage lace...Dolce and Gabbana and Valentino rocked lace hardcore on the runways and sheer delicate lace really is more than romantic enough for fall. I'm thinking a baby doll lace dress with some boots.
4)Plaid...I heart plaid. I'm on the lookout for a light weight plaid trench, it's perfect for jumping in leaves and lifting thick texts books across the quad. Winners might be the place for scooping up a plaid trench or Ebay.
5. Some serious Boots. I'm thinking of hitting up Kick Ass Shoes on Spring Garden and scooping up some studded motorcycle boots, I love the versatility.

Trends I'm skipping for Fall
1. Chunky Necklaces. Not being a big costume Jewelery fan, this one is an easy skip and I'm not a big Lanvin fan anyway, so I won't feel like I'm being disloyal to a house I like. I'm more of a less is more girl on the necklace front.
2.Fur. Oh Alexender McQueen I will usually follow you anywhere anytime. You have ushered in countless trends that I almost live for, you're a visionairy, cutting edge..so what's with all the fox fur this season? Let this flash in the pan die out quickly.
3. Floral. I, like most, like floral for spring..it makes more sense to wear blossoms when flowers are, well, blossoming. And most of the houses are mixing their florals with fur which just isn't working for me at all. Roberto Cavalli is just too quirky sometimes.

Happy fall shopping.
Fashion Magazine Contest, Hip Halifax Hangouts and a few photos
So,
Yours truly has been selected as a potential fashion reporter for Fashion magazine. The public votes so get out there and vote for me like mad. Each voter can vote once per day. Just go online and vote for me. It's simple.

In other news I've been on a hunt for hip Halifax hang-outs and I have found a few faves.

Paperchase cafe, is haunted by about a gazillion cartoonists/writers/artists who also happen to be coffee fiends. Slouchy chairs, free wi fi, and tons of fresh organic goodies also makes this the hangout to beat Check it out on Blowers Street.

The Black Market, is a truly great place to shop. Hard to miss too with it's outdoor murals and huddles of Amnesty international workers waiting outside. The store sells kites, shirts, bracelets, anklets, saris, bangles. Everything you could ever want.

Dio Mio. Next to the world's most fantastic vintage store this ice cream/gelato cafe also makes one mean veggie burger. I suggest checking it out Pronto.
Blame it on the Rain
Most of the articles I have written so far for my fashion blog(the one you're currently reading) have revolved around Vintage finds, local designers, and bargains all found on the East Coast. This is because I do truly believe that fashionable people on the East Coast are for the most part very interested in the intersection of community/environmental sustainability and looking damn good. The city of Halifax is so concerned with sustainability that the most rad mag in town(The Coast) prints an annual guide to sustainable consumerism that goes beyond the usual common sense such as "shop at the farmers market" and, "buy local sweaters woven in rural farm communities". But, fashion on the East Coast isn't just driven by a sense of community activism and a concern for the environment. The weather(sadly) also plays a big part in deciding what to wear. It's hard to dress hip when the wind is gusting at 110 kms an hour. The following is a list of East Coast staples(the kind of staples that might make us a constant joke in other parts of Canada) that are weather driven, fashionable, and for the most part sustainable.

1. Wellies/Rubber Boots. Stop light red, taxi-cab yellow, deep hunter green or, funky patterns. You choose. Paired with a organic skinny jean a la Kate Moss and a sexy short coat these fun rubber boots keep your feet dry in the rainy Island or Halifax weather. The cutest Rubber Boots I've spotted in Halifax can be found at Mills Lady's Wear on Spring Garden Road. These boots are Burburry (yum plaid) which is so so very English Rose.

2. A Warm Winter Hat that an East Coast Individual might be Forced to Wear Year Round Due to the Miserable Slushy, Stormy Weather.
Your Best option for a cute-year-round-winter-hat on the East Coast is to buy a slouchy beanie. These hats are the best for several reasons. They can be worn from side to side(like a beret) or front to back,which means you can create entirely different looks with a single item of clothing. The Slouchy Beanie is like a chic toque, meaning that you won't get frostbite by donning one and you won't look like you just spent hours hosing down your back yard hockey rink. The owner of AB Fab on PEI hand knits colorful beanies and they sell for about twenty bucks a pop. Which is quite a steal. Just Us Girls on PEI, a crazy great little fashion cafe also carries a fantastic hat line that uses only organic material. The Bargain Bin at Elsies, or Le Chateau are the best hat places in Halifax.

3. Black Rimmed Glasses-Wide Lenses
My fashion senses are tingling and I'm guessing it's because I have a hunch that big nerdy glasses are becoming a must have(A hunch that is based on the many photos of Sienna Miller and the girls from the Hills rocking this trend), This works for us on the East Coast because a) We are a society of chic nerds who love to read, and b) The crazy wind conditions make contact lense wearing a challenge. American Apparal is currently selling great vintage framed wide lense glasses, but I reccomend hitting up some of the local boutiques and finding a less generic pair.
Scene(spelled wrong on purpose) and Heard in Halifax-Vintage Edition.
Fashionable people(sorry Joel Plaskett) are everywhere in this fair city. Twenty-somethings decked head to toe in studded leather, girls in full on lolita(Lolita?) style, beat up con wearing indie kids, and most common of all urban hippies(note the colorful scarves and Northface gear) can be seen at anytime, and anywhere. I've been in the city for a few days now, and have mostly spent the time scouring the local vintage and thrift stores for deals and killer finds. Most of the used clothing stores are solid gold, but a few fall short. Below is a list of what I believe to be the most fun, and most affordable vintage nooks in the city.

#1. Elsies- This great gem of a store in easily my fave vintage place in the city. The store carries the always fun Orphanage clothing line(also found at The Green Man Vintage and Vinyl), a line that reworks old concert tees. They also sell organic local goat soaps that smell like heaven and might make you clean enough to get in. Easily the greatest thing about Elsies is the two dollar bargain bin. Scarves, shirts, dresses and shoes all float around in this old hope chest until some fashion savy but broke university student scoops them up. Check out Elsies on Queen Street.

#2. Allie's New Boutique- Located on Barrington street, this cool shop's best feature is it's owner. Allie Edgecomb is an aging, super fun, hippie type, whose personality lends a sense of comfortable lightness to the store. The boutique also sometimes features local hand crafted jewelery and textiles-always a good thing.

#3. Dressed in Time- I heart this store. First of all it's located next to Dio Mio just off Spring Garden road. Vintage shopping and tasty ice cream like treats is almost more than I can handle. Second of all, the store's excellent shoe collection is a delight for any chick with a shoe fetish. I saw lace up green booties, red square heeled pinup shoes, and perfectly worked in cowboy boots. Dressed in Time also seems to hire only the nicest and coolest staff who will go above and beyond in order to help out the customer.

Coming up...photos of fun fashionable Halifaxians

Greenspree.ca - Striving for a bright green future! - Environmental issues blog.
(Added: 21-Mar-2006 Hits: 258 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Sat., November 1st, Interior Stucco and Humidity
We’ve started doing interior stucco and almost immediately ran into a few stumbling blocks. Number one was the fact that without horse manure in the stucco the mixer didn’t do as good a job mixing the product. Apparently the manure was acting to keep the clay in the mix from clumping together and [...]
Mon., October 27th, Update!
So what happened? Where have we been? Having a baby and working on finishing our house! on August 28th, 2008, 8:35am, Isobel Rayne Collier was born weighing 6lb14oz and was 21″ long. The birth took over 30 hours and I have never been more impressed with my wife’s strength and courage. Izzy has been home with [...]
Tue., August 19th, (Another) Chest Fridge Update
One of the things we noticed when we plugged in our new chest fridge was the amount of condensation we were getting inside the fridge and how useless the little drain hole in the bottom was. To be fair it IS supposed to be only for draining water when defrosting… It got so bad that [...]
Thu., July 17th, Chest Fridge Update
Well we bought a chest freezer about a month ago to test out our idea of converting one into a fridge via a temperature controller. We bought a 10cf model that we will be using as an actual deep freeze when we move in for testing so that if we decide to go a [...]
Mon., July 7th, Step Five - Stucco (Update)
The stucco is taking much longer than anticipated, the weather in May and June being so dismal being part of the problem and just the shear amount of work to do on the stucco. We’ve had some great help the past few weekends from great friends and family though and are making headway! [...]

Guardian Lifestyles section - The Guardian, PEI's largest daily "Covers the Island Like the Dew". This is the feed for their Lifestyles section
(Added: 28-Jan-2006 Hits: 261 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Thu., November 20th, Rabbit fans: Max & Ruby to make debut at Charlottetown Civic Centre on Nov. 30
A pair of rabbits is causing quite a stir at the Ing house in Charlottetown.
Max & Ruby, the animated television series about a brother and sister bunny is Nathaniel’s favourite show.
Thu., November 20th, Christmas in Victoria: Roy Johnstone and Allan Rankin to perform music of the holiday season
Alan Buchanan’s eyes twinkle when he recalls his favourite Christmas present, as a child.
“It was mechanical hockey game — a gift not from Santa, but from my sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Leonard Munroe.

Hidden Island Paradise - We all need a hidden island paradise.. right? Well... let me tell you about a place where you can feel safe. You can swim in the ocean, eat strawberries (right out of the berry patch) and sleep under the stars at night. Listen to birds singing and the wind gently whispering in the trees....And THAT is just to start.... (Gary Gray)
(Added: 25-May-2008 Hits: 20 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

A Hidden Island Paradise Adventure

Laura-Jane and Cam

Hi

This post is to highlight a most interesting Hidden Island Paradise adventure. Imagine both you and your partner resigning form your jobs. Then selling your home and setting out in the depths of winter to cross the Canadian Rockies. Everything that you own is packed into a tiny covered trailer attached to a Toyota Land cruiser and you are headed East, four thousand miles East into a land where you have never been before. Why? You might ask, would anyone do such a thing. A great job? A chance to get rich? No, just the image of a tiny house on the internet that was calling to the hearts of two young residents of Victoria B.C.

So leaving family, home and jobs the adventure begins.

Read and see the entire adventure here

This is an adventure that all of us need to become part of.

Join the adventure

Till next post,

Smiles :o)

Gary
Had lunch today at Famous Peppers.....

Hi again everyone

If you are in Eastern PEI (Prince Edward Island) give Famous Peppers a try...

Famous Peppers
A Healthy Alternative in family dining
in the heart of the village

6876 Water Street
Cardigan, PEI
C0A 1G0 Tel 902.583.3366
Famous Peppers is fast becoming a favorite lunch spot in Eastern Prince Edward Island.

I had the pleasure of being treated to lunch there today. My friend Peter said I am taking you to lunch my friend and we are going to Famous Peppers. The menu is always on line at Lunch on Line and they have the best pizza around. (we had a great pizza)

Peter and I each ate a quarter of the pizza and Peter had the other half boxed to take home with him.

The location is perfect located in the tiny village of Cardigan you can sit out on the deck and have a commanding view of the marina and of course the always beautiful Cardigan River.

Sidebar: I first saw the village of Cardigan in 1989 when our family was vacationing in the Eastern part of the island. I instantly fell in love with this quaint and beautiful little village. We had the opportunity to live there for a year (1993-4) when we first moved to this end of the island. The people are very friendly and the salt of the earth.

Just as we were finishing lunch a couple from Ontario came in . They were not in the mood for pizza but had a yen for some great seafood so we directed them to a great restaurant about 10 minutes away in the community of Georgetown called the Clam digger. I will save the Clam Digger for another post.

Our Island hospitality is to be experienced not just read about. Come join us here in my hidden Island Paradise. Prince Edward Island.

Till next time.

Smiles :o)

Gary
A beautiful unique momento of Prince Edward Island

Hello readers

Welcome back to my Hidden Island Paradise.

Inspired by Prince Edward Island's beautiful beaches- swirled with red clay and seaweed and scented with a soothing blend of pure lavender, bay and cedar essential oils. A mini vacation!

Natural scented soap making right here on Prince Edward Island. Check out this very successful local business and learn how they make this beautiful product. Read the comments and if you wish, try out any of the unique natural Island products. If you like this unique line please be sure to tell Jennifer and Marcus.

Click here to visit the site.

Relax and enjoy, mmmmmmmmmm this is the life!

Smiles :o)

Gary
It's Comming Back!...Get Ready...

Hi

Are you getting excited?... The Tour de PEI is returning to P.E.I. (My Hidden Island Paradise) on June 8th, 2008. Read the exert below and click through to the official website to follow all of the great world-class action... (these ladies are FAST!!!) Be sure to notice the bridge cam link below.

World-Class Cycling Returns to
Prince Edward Island with Tour de PEI
CHARLOTTETOWN ? Prince Edward Island?s seaside villages and idyllic countryside will be transformed into Canada?s most exciting new cycling destination with the return of Tour de PEI from June 8-12.
The inaugural race was named Road Event Organizer of the Year by the Canadian Cycling Association in 2007. The event is now attracting a growing amount of interest from athletes around the world.
One hundred female cyclists are expected to participate in the five-day, five-stage race. The new route highlights the Island?s scenic countryside and coastline for thousands of spectators and 600,000 television viewers who are expected to tune into a feature presentation of the race. Media coverage reached one million households during last year?s event.
?Tour de PEI is a perfect fit for Prince Edward Island because it showcases before the world everything the province has to offer,? said the Honourable Valerie Docherty, Minister of Tourism and Honourary President of Tour de PEI. ?This event is more than a bike race as it presents Prince Edward Island to the world.?

The participating athletes will cross scenic but challenging terrain covering a total of 403 kilometres, including a 120 kilometre-long race across the hilliest regions in central PEI.
A highlight of the race will take place on Monday, June 9, when cyclists will race in a time trial across the 12.9-kilometre-long Confederation Bridge. The bridge will be closed between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on that day. (Read more....)
Also check out the LIVE Bridge cam. The Confederation Bridge in real time

Smiles :o)

Gary
This is a one time special post!
Hello to my Social Networking friends. If you think that Barack Obama (see video ?Yes We Can!?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY can change the real lives of millions of American people. Then Ed Dale, Dan Rain and the Thirty Day Challenge (see video " The Thirty Day Challenge Music Video") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eX0_EEvUWE can change the real lives of billions of people around the globe in ways they could never imagine in their wildest dreams. I just wanted to share this little known but empowering information with friends within my own social network. Shhh don?t let the cat out of the bag so to speak. You can check it out if you wish at http://www.ThirtyDayChallenge.com/challenge/336

iRunman - Autistic Celebration Run - iRunman - Autistic Celebration Run Tip-to-Tip for Safety Training and Education
(Added: 5-Jan-2007 Hits: 167 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

CBC TV Interview - Aired on CBC News Compass June 14th, 2007
This follow up interview to a number of interviews we did surrounding Alex's Tip-to-Tip Run and Dennis Debbaudt's Seminars was done for Charlottetown's CBC 6pm News Compass on June 13th and aired June 14th. It runs 2:33.
PEI Council of the Disabled Special Recognition Award 2007

Photo (left to right) : Mom/Janet, Bernie Wilson, Dad/Roger, Alex

Saturday, June 16, 2007

After the trail run we went to the new residence building at UPEI to the PEI Council of the Disabled's Annual General Meeting.

They give me and my family a Special Recognition Award "For individual achievement in raising awareness of Autism" for my Tip to Tip from North Cape to East Point in 2006 and training law enforcement and first responders.

The PEI CoD helped us set up the Runman Fund to collect donations.

Thank You very much.
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=39823&sc=117

Council of the Disabled honour Islanders, businesses
The Guardian

Several Island businesses have been honoured for efforts in making their facilities more accessible to those with disabilities. The P.E.I. Council of the Disabled hands out the access awards annually.
The Clyde River Community Centre, Clyde River, was awarded for barrier-free renovations, including a ramp, widened doors and handrails in washrooms.
St. Mary's Parish Council, Souris, was awarded for efforts made to make barrier-free renovations, including fund-raising and installation of an elevator.
Life Bridge Incorporated, Charlottetown, was awarded for constructing and providing accessible and supportive housing for people with intellectual and mobility disabilities.
St. Pius X Parish, Charlottetown, was awarded for its barrier-free renovations.
ONI Properties, Charlottetown, was awarded for considering and addressing the need for barrier-free apartments in new developments.
Kim Levesque with the Arthritis Society of P.E.I., Charlottetown, was awarded for her efforts in assisting people with visual disabilities by transcribing a lengthy manual into an electronic format.
Several appreciation awards were also handed out. The CBC, Charlottetown; the Journal-Pioneer, Summerside; Stew and Sharon Arkwell, Summerside; Paul Schurman, Summerside; Clary Stubbert, Meadowbank; Wal-Mart Summerside; Kristin Rowe, Halifax; and Danny and Marty Murphy all received awards.
A special recognition award went to Alex Bain and his family for raising awareness of Autism.
The Council of Canadians with Disabilities award was presented to Laurel Smyth of Charlottetown.
Alex's New Blog - Runman

Although his Autistic Celebration Run has long since ended,
Alex continues to Run For Autism.
You can follow him & his running on his new blog Runman
at therunman.blogspot.com
Alex's Movie - Tip-to-Tip PEI
When Alex first told me he wanted to run across PEI, he told me he wanted to make a documentary about it. So, shortly before we took off, I rolled up my jars of saved quarters and loonies ($1. coins) and we bought a little video camera.

We didn't get a lot of footage. It was hard enough biking and keeping my balance, snapping all the photos I did was quite a bonus, but trying to video as we were in motion proved next to impossible. Every morning (except the morning we were in Charlottetown and discovered the camera had been left on and the batteries were dead) we started our day with Alex's commentary. We do have some footage from the trail, far more than made it into this final cut. His first movie was over an hour and a quarter long. Because, at the time, he was putting it together to show during our PEI Marathon presentation I told him he'd have to cut it down to about 30 minutes and he cut out all the actual Run video except, I think, a bit in Summerside, the Police escort into Kensington, and the bit at the end as he reaches the East Point lighthouse.

What he ended up with in this video short is a 21 minute video that tells the story of his run, in daily commentary of where we are and where we're going, his choice of photos from that day, and his choice of music to help tell his story. He has captioned it to accommodate his poor articulation so you'll all understand him.

Again thanks to everyone who helped make the Run possible and helped out along the way. And thanks to our friends who actually put it up on YouTube for us.

As much as we love this beautiful little Island, if you live in a spot like we do, you end up beyond the world of highspeed, somewhere just out of reach of Route 2's towers on one side, Ruranet's towers on the other and despite Aliant's promise that we'd have highspeed years ago (and all the money the Government gave them to make that happen), it never happened. Even if Eastlink cable ran past our lane, running the cable in our (very long) lane would cost a fortune. Satellite, our only "choice", is just too expensive and too restrictive. Consequently, YouTube (among other things) is virtually inaccessible to us. It can take hours (and more than one try) to load a video that's just a couple of minutes long. I look forward to the day I can thoroughly explore the videos on the Posautive YouTube group.

So, with all that said, here is Alex's 21+ minute movie, split into 3 parts to accommodate YouTube's 10 minute limit. Enjoy....
Year End Review - Eastern Graphic

Island Energy-Facing new challenges with a strong spirit - What I am hoping to do here is to record the story of people, communities and PEI as we work to reduce our dependence on oil. Of course as I tell our story, it may be of some help to others from away who have the same goals. And also to help us with our story, I will tell the stories of many from away who are also moving the cheese. - Rob Paterson
(Added: 1-Sep-2008 Hits: 7 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Wed., September 24th, Heating with Wood - A Great Resource - Wood Stove Accessories
I have been heating with wood for several years now. Each year I learn more. For heating with wood is like baking. There is a recipe but in the end it is an art form with many variables - the wood itself, your stove, your chimney, the weather, the time of day, whether you need [...]
Mon., September 22nd, The who, what and how of the Canadian Federal Grants for Energy Reduction
If you want to see if you can get a grant from the Federal Government - Here is the link to the homeowner’s program Key to accessing the programs will be an energy audit - here are the 3 organizations on PEI that provide this service Sustainable Housing (www.sustainablehousing.ca) 1-877-722-2842 AmeriSpec of PEI 1 866 922 6607 HouseMaster PEI [...]
Fri., September 19th, Could we heat sustainably with Wood in Atlantic Canada?
Some of you have asked whether we could rely on a regional wood strategy to heat Atlantic Canada. Roy MacMullin is one of the people I follow - He brings deep understanding and knowledge to the practical aspects of what confronts us on the energy front. In this important article he makes the case that with the [...]
Wed., September 17th, Everything you need to know about Geothermal
My friend Tom asked for advice on how Geothermal worked and voila - We got mail! Here is a link to a very complete site on all you need to know about Geothermal.
Mon., September 15th, Everything you need to know about Pellets
Here is the link to the Pellet Fuels Institute a non profit organization that offers the Institutional and Residential user of pellets a wide range of information Here is a link to their cost calculator I have added the link to the blog roll as well

Journey to our daughter - Natalie and Daniel Arsenault from the Kensington area adopted a baby girl from China.
(Added: 16-Oct-2006 Hits: 172 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Last Post

The main reason I wrote in this blog, was to keep my sanity and use it as a journal of all my thoughts throughout the process. Something to give Mei Lin a history for a part of her life she is likely to not remember, and as well, to educate others who are starting the adoption process on all the ups and downs of International Adoption. I think I have done that.

Our journey to our daughter has ended and we have started a new chapter in our lives. The other day we celebrated 6 months that we have been a family and Mei Lin is everything I have ever dreamed about and more. I hope each and every one of you get the chance to meet her at some point in life. She is the happiest kid I have ever met...somebody had to have taken good care of her!

(I will still be working on the quilt blog, so please feel free to check in on it and send us a quilt piece.)

I'll miss writing in my blog, but there is just no time for it anymore...and at this point, I have to step back and think about how this is Mei Lin's life after all...and it's her story to tell someday...when she's ready.

Here are my most recent pics of Mei Lin and I've put 2 new videos on the right side of the blog! Thanks for tuning in and keep in touch.
100 Wishes blog updated
I have just finished updating the 100 Wishes for Mei Lin blog! You can find the link on the right hand side of this site. My camera died so there are 1 or 2 left to enter, and I will as soon as I get a chance.

Our goal is 100 pieces for the quilt...we currently have 26 posted on the site...plus one or two more to add. So...still a long way to go, we are only a little over a quarter of the way there. Thank you to everyone who has sent Mei Lin a piece!!

I am setting a deadline for quilt pieces. If you would like to contribute (all welcome), please send your pieces no later than May 13th (my very first Mothers Day!!!)...thanks Stephanie!! ;o)

Take care all, looking forward to seeing your pieces!!
Back from IWK
We are back from IWK. All I have to say is that Mei Lin is an amazingly determined little girl. She had her surgery on Wednesday morning and I cried as I watched this tiny little girl walk down the long corridor looking up trustingly at the nurse while holding her hand...not looking back once.

She barely cried when she woke up in recovery...just for her mommy to hold her closer. Her tiny little mouth was swollen and bloody, but she was a trooper.

We left the recovery room at 3:30 in the afternoon and by supper time she was eating and drinking. I couldn't believe it! After having the surgery she just had...I couldn't do it! Later in the evening she was smiling and laughing and doing a little talking. By 8pm though she had enough and it started to get to her. Her little arms were in restraints so she couldn't bend them and get her fingers in her mouth. This was starting to get to her because she has a rash and was trying to itch and scratch...but couldn't reach. And she didn't like the taste of the meds at the hospital. Apparently they don't get the bubble gum flavoured kind that mommy gets.

After a few hours of trying to watch Mei Lin sleep with her retraints on her arms and seeing how uncomfortable she was, mommy decided to take off the restraints and just stay awake and watch to make sure she didn't stick her hand in her mouth and ruin her surgery.

Thursday morning started out very tired and lathargic. Her face was more swollen than the previous day and she couldn't open her mouth much. She wasn't drinking or eating anything and hadn't had a "pee" in 24 hours. The doc said we would wait 2 hours and if no pee...they would have to use the cathedar. So mommy and daddy tried everything to get her to pee, finally we tried the old hand in warm water trick and .5 hours before the cathedar was due...she had a pee! And she started feeling better, the IV came out and the doc sent us home!!

It is 9pm...34 hours after her palate was repaired and to look at her, you would never know she had anything done. She is playing, screaming, laughing...all her normal things. She is stronger than I will ever be!

Her little voice has a new clarity to it and Daniel and I are amazed o hear Mei Lin speak her words so much clearer already!

Here's to Mei Lin!

Mei Lin at her Pre Op appointment on Tuesday

Daddy's girl a little groggy in the recovery room, but starting to come around

Mei Lin's IV...she took this one herself, not a bad little photographer!

Mommy and her brave little munchkin!

Mei Lin after hearing the news that she was going home!
Happy Easter!
Yes...we are still alive
Wow...long time since I've posted!! Been soooo busy with Mei Lin. She definitely keeps me on my toes!! I also took a little bit of mommy time and went to the Dominican last week for some R&R before Mei Lins surgery next week. We will be going to Halifax on Monday or Tuesday for her pre op appointment at the IWK where they will tell us what will happen and how to care for her, and she has her palate surgery on Wednesday morning. She currently has a nasty nasty rash all over her little body and it is driving her nuts!!! It is apparently from the laundry detergent that was used on her clothes. I hopefully will have it cleared up before her surgery, I wouldn't want her to be itchy and have her little arms in restraints!! Any suggestions on how to clear it up??...she is completely covered in small red bumps!!

Other than that, she is doing great!! She did really well the week I was away, and when I came home Tuesday night, Daniel was in the process of putting her to bed. I walked in the bedroom and she sat up, her little jaw dropped and she just started into the giggles!! She hasn't let me out of her sight since!!

I missed her very much when I was away...one day I called home and she answered the phone with "hi mama"...wow! she is starting to put words together!! She also used the potty on her own while I was away...geesh, all the stuff I missed!!!

We are excited to celebrate her first Easter this weekend, it will be a good weekend before she has her surgery!

I hope to post some pics soon....and thanks to everyone who sent quilt pieces...I'm behind on updating the website. Not much time on my hands these days!...still looking for pieces if anyone would like to send!!

Here's a pic of the Dominican gang!

PEIBlogs.com: the definitive Prince Edward Island blogroll since 2004.: Lifestyle

Links:

Barry's Blog - Dr. Barry Ling - Dr. Barry Ling, a Charlottetown orthopedic surgeon, passed away at the age of 60 on February 8, 2008 after developing a cancerous brain tumor. ^pop
(Added: 4-Dec-2006 Hits: 663 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 2) Rate It

Aiken House and Gardens - Photos of the Aiken Home and Gardens in Warren Grove, Prince Edward Island.
(Added: 16-Feb-2008 Hits: 33 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 1) Rate It

Artist in Kensington - A blog sharing an artist's life in the small eastern Canadian town of Kensington.
(Added: 27-Jan-2007 Hits: 184 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Ask Jo - Love, Life, and Longings - Ask Jo is an on-line advice column.
(Added: 28-Sep-2008 Hits: 8 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Crib Chronicles - Life with a new baby, by Bonnie Stewart (partner of Dave Cormier)
(Added: 5-May-2006 Hits: 261 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Crusade For Justice (In Our Closed Society) - Phillip Miller has been fighting for an operation since 1995. Here you will find the link to a lengthy file which details this struggle.
(Added: 6-Mar-2007 Hits: 221 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

East Coast Style - Summerside native Amanda Bulman lives in Halifax and comments on East Coast designers, photos, locals band interviews, and random fashion insights
(Added: 14-Jul-2008 Hits: 17 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Greenspree.ca - Striving for a bright green future! - Environmental issues blog.
(Added: 21-Mar-2006 Hits: 258 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Guardian Lifestyles section - The Guardian, PEI's largest daily "Covers the Island Like the Dew". This is the feed for their Lifestyles section
(Added: 28-Jan-2006 Hits: 261 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

iRunman - Autistic Celebration Run - iRunman - Autistic Celebration Run Tip-to-Tip for Safety Training and Education
(Added: 5-Jan-2007 Hits: 167 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Journey to our daughter - Natalie and Daniel Arsenault from the Kensington area adopted a baby girl from China.
(Added: 16-Oct-2006 Hits: 172 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

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	Famous Peppers A Healthy Alternative in family dining in the heart of the village
	6876 Water Street Cardigan, PEI C0A 1G0	Tel 902.583.3366

PEIBlogs.com: the definitive Prince Edward Island blogroll since 2004.: Lifestyle

Links:

Barry's Blog - Dr. Barry Ling - Dr. Barry Ling, a Charlottetown orthopedic surgeon, passed away at the age of 60 on February 8, 2008 after developing a cancerous brain tumor. pop (Added: 4-Dec-2006 Hits: 663 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 2) Rate It

Aiken House and Gardens - Photos of the Aiken Home and Gardens in Warren Grove, Prince Edward Island. (Added: 16-Feb-2008 Hits: 33 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 1) Rate It

Artist in Kensington - A blog sharing an artist's life in the small eastern Canadian town of Kensington. (Added: 27-Jan-2007 Hits: 184 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Ask Jo - Love, Life, and Longings - Ask Jo is an on-line advice column. (Added: 28-Sep-2008 Hits: 8 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Crib Chronicles - Life with a new baby, by Bonnie Stewart (partner of Dave Cormier) (Added: 5-May-2006 Hits: 261 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Crusade For Justice (In Our Closed Society) - Phillip Miller has been fighting for an operation since 1995. Here you will find the link to a lengthy file which details this struggle. (Added: 6-Mar-2007 Hits: 221 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

East Coast Style - Summerside native Amanda Bulman lives in Halifax and comments on East Coast designers, photos, locals band interviews, and random fashion insights (Added: 14-Jul-2008 Hits: 17 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Greenspree.ca - Striving for a bright green future! - Environmental issues blog. (Added: 21-Mar-2006 Hits: 258 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Guardian Lifestyles section - The Guardian, PEI's largest daily "Covers the Island Like the Dew". This is the feed for their Lifestyles section (Added: 28-Jan-2006 Hits: 261 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

iRunman - Autistic Celebration Run - iRunman - Autistic Celebration Run Tip-to-Tip for Safety Training and Education (Added: 5-Jan-2007 Hits: 167 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Journey to our daughter - Natalie and Daniel Arsenault from the Kensington area adopted a baby girl from China. (Added: 16-Oct-2006 Hits: 172 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

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News

Photo of the day from Eastern Kings

Barry's Blog - Dr. Barry Ling - Dr. Barry Ling, a Charlottetown orthopedic surgeon, passed away at the age of 60 on February 8, 2008 after developing a cancerous brain tumor. ^pop
(Added: 4-Dec-2006 Hits: 663 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 2) Rate It

Aiken House and Gardens - Photos of the Aiken Home and Gardens in Warren Grove, Prince Edward Island.
(Added: 16-Feb-2008 Hits: 33 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 1) Rate It

Artist in Kensington - A blog sharing an artist's life in the small eastern Canadian town of Kensington.
(Added: 27-Jan-2007 Hits: 184 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Ask Jo - Love, Life, and Longings - Ask Jo is an on-line advice column.
(Added: 28-Sep-2008 Hits: 8 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Crib Chronicles - Life with a new baby, by Bonnie Stewart (partner of Dave Cormier)
(Added: 5-May-2006 Hits: 261 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Crusade For Justice (In Our Closed Society) - Phillip Miller has been fighting for an operation since 1995. Here you will find the link to a lengthy file which details this struggle.
(Added: 6-Mar-2007 Hits: 221 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

East Coast Style - Summerside native Amanda Bulman lives in Halifax and comments on East Coast designers, photos, locals band interviews, and random fashion insights
(Added: 14-Jul-2008 Hits: 17 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Greenspree.ca - Striving for a bright green future! - Environmental issues blog.
(Added: 21-Mar-2006 Hits: 258 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Guardian Lifestyles section - The Guardian, PEI's largest daily "Covers the Island Like the Dew". This is the feed for their Lifestyles section
(Added: 28-Jan-2006 Hits: 261 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

iRunman - Autistic Celebration Run - iRunman - Autistic Celebration Run Tip-to-Tip for Safety Training and Education
(Added: 5-Jan-2007 Hits: 167 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It

Journey to our daughter - Natalie and Daniel Arsenault from the Kensington area adopted a baby girl from China.
(Added: 16-Oct-2006 Hits: 172 Rating: 0 Votes: 0) Rate It