Nov 16, 2014 – willowdot21

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Hello everyone and welcome to this weeks If we were having Coffee . Come on in the fires are lit the cushions are plumped up and we have the coffee on.Paul and his guests are all here and enjoying the warmth and food and drinks. We have tea and coffee from all over the world not to mention all our cakes and muffins and as Paul calls them sweets! Every single one is calorie free!

I do hope you have had a better week than I have ! If we were having Coffee . I would tell you what a strange week I have had a meds change only two tablets but they are Tramadol which is a morphine based tablet making them addictive. I have been working at getting my pain management regime under control for over eighteen months.I had managed to get from 26 tablets daily to 10. I had had not help from my original GP he was just happy to deal with me over the phone just refilling my prescription not once checking me out or enquiring if I felt I could drop any of the tablets.

I managed to find a friendly and helpful pharmacist who recommended a cut down regime which I followed! Two months ago I changed my Doctors surgery. I now have what seems to be intuitive, and caring help . I have had a small op, a change of tablets loads and loads of tests all to make sure things are all A Okay! Her latest idea is for me to drop the two remaining Tramadol which I am. BUT I am suffering I am having to cope with withdrawal which my dear friends is not nice, not nice at all. Joints hurt, my back hurts, I have a runny nose and I have fits of coughing and sneezing, I feel so low almost depressed but I know the anxiety and fear is withdrawal induced. Nightmares and being unable to breath or relax in the night, headaches and Oh! the tiredness. But Day Four and I am still standing. She has upped the Gabapentin though . These are a neuropathic pain killers. I have to take these, one , three times a day ( I was taking one twice a day ) It is a trade off but it should keep the pain at bay when the withdrawal is over and I am back to my old self.

Right sorry enough of me moaning, lets have some hot chocolate and brandy and a huge piece of calorie free cake!! There is so much here to choose from. So come on have your fill, enjoy.

If we were having coffee : I would tell you we saw the Newbie on Friday and he was such a joy , the hubby was over helping out by doing a repair job for our son and his wife I joined him as I was feeling stressed and anxious due to the above meds situation. While the little family was out (our son having a day off) I did some ironing as I cannot just sit around. Unfortunately I think I overstepped a line.

If we were having Coffee: I would tell you that I am going to try and colour my hair today . Of late I have to admit I have let the colour grow out . I had, had it done black one side and a subtle red the other the two colours feathering in to each other at the rear! Well I do not feel like a trip to the hair dressers so I am just going black I am sure the colour will give a highlight effect. I am doing this because whilst out with a friend we dropped into where I used to work and one of the woman there asked my friend ( I had gone in to the Ladies) ” Is that willow ? I hardly recognised her , she looked so normal” That hurt so it is time to take action. I do not mind normal but …… well maybe I do.

If we were having Coffee: I tell you all about the wonderful Autumn colours and the fogs that are closing in on us. Sometimes we have fog all day and it is damp and wet. Then a beautiful day may, just as easily emerge through the fog and we can have beautiful Autumn sun. Mind you it is very difficult to drive into low sun… especially people like me under 5ft! I must not moan because it will be Winter soon and then it will be dark and cold most of the time!

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE: I would say lets go and see what Paul’s guest are up to lets all mix and have fun. I would ask you if you would like another cuppa, or another cake . ! If we were having Coffee Original idea from http://parttimemonster.wordpress.com/

Yea Mark

Life and Death

Afternoon Tea (The Gossips) by Sir John Everett Millais 1889

Recently acquired by the Winnipeg Art Gallery

Welcome to Willow’s weekly coffee and tea garden. My name is Paul and I’m happy to be here once again inside Willow’s home where it is nice and toasty, tending to your for a cuppa, and sweets. We’ve moved inside to beat the winter cold in the garden. I’d be pleased to bring a pot of whatever beverage you prefer – we have a wide range of teas and coffees to satisfy our world-wide readership. We can relax with a cuppa an calorie free electronic sweets while we discuss the affairs of the week both personal and/ or worldwide. How has your week been?

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This week I have been closely following Sue Jones blog as she and her family go through the loss of her granddaughter. Their strength and emotional fortitude is inspirational. I cried often while reading the real-time series of blogs that describes the premature birth of the little girl, then her subsequent death and burial. My heart goes out to Sue and her family. My prayers are with them.

Poppies laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa

Photo Courtesy of: TOM HANSON / The Canadian Press

Remembrance Day was unseasonably warm this year as Canada paid tribute to all who fought and died to secure our freedom. The recent memories of the deaths of two Canadian soldiers here at home by murder – one at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier– have weighed heavily on the ceremonies. How did Remembrance Day go in your country? Was the weather decent? Were any particular ceremonies memorable?

Would you like another cuppa? Perhaps a sweet (remember these e-sweets are caloriefree)? Moving along then, the week here had one very warm day – November 11, Remembrance Day – sandwiched between below freezing temperatures with dark, threatening clouds and brisk winds. Friday afternoon and evening it snowed fast and hard for short periods of time. Sitting in the handicap bus waiting for another passenger on my way to dialysis, the snow swirled around and the world disappeared from view. It felt very peaceful, as if nature was covering the sins of the world in a clean white blanket. The mini blizzard slowly died down leaving a slight dusting of white on the ground and trees.

Mini Blizzard

So, the doctors finally got my medication right in order to control the restless legs in dialysis. As a result, this week’s treatments have been going very well. I was a little stiff after Friday’s treatment (not being able to move around during dialysis does that sometimes), but a good sleep cured that. My energy levels are up and I feel more positive.

Here in Canada this week all eyes have been on a developing story in Winnipeg, Manitoba (on the plains in central Canada). As a bit of background, there has been an increasing clamor about the worrying increase in the disappearances and deaths of First Nations Aboriginal women. The province of Manitoba has been the worst, with Alberta not far behind. The statistics are a bit confusing and the government has been hiding behind those statistics. Over the whole country, the deaths are slightly above average for the general population – nothing worrying. But when the small geographical area is taken into consideration and the history and increasing numbers – the picture is very, very bad. A number of high profile groups have been demanding an inquiry.

Eagle and Wolf Tattoo

Earlier this week a young 16 year old First Nations girl by the name of Rinelle Harper went for a walk with two young men down by the Assiniboine River in Winnipeg. She and friends had met the men earlier and when her friends left she decided to stay chat with the men. They then beat her, raped her and threw her into the very cold river to die. She managed to scramble out downstream and while lying there, the young men came by again and beat her once more. Seven hours later some passers-by found her and rushed her to the hospital. She is recovering – against all odds. The absolute horror of this behaviour – the inhumanity of the men – is resounding around the country. In order to find the perpetrators, the police got permission from Rinelle’s parents to release her name. It worked, and the two men responsible were arrested on Friday and imprisoned.What are your thoughts on this horrendous behaviour? Can someone exhibit this behaviour and still be sane? What do you think should be done with the young men? (They will be tried and sentenced here, likely on attempted murder charges as well asother charges.) Meanwhile the really BIG question remains – Why is this happening to our Aboriginal women? What are we doing that is failing their safety?

Would you like another cuppa? Willow and I are honored that you dropped by today to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and the conversation and please feel free to look around at Willow’s other posts while you’re here. Have a great week. We look forward to seeing you here for tea again next week.

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE: I would ask you if you would like another cuppa, or another cake . ! If we were having Coffee Original idea from http://parttimemonster.wordpress.com/