Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

And thank you for all your Easter Greetings.

Thanks, too, for all the greetings that you sent for HORSE month!

Love Isabel

Prairie Waters

Isabel had her first spring outing on Monday. Sunshine, warmth, and no jacket needed as we headed out in the late afternoon. Isabel's increasing strength and balance meant for an easy transfer from her portable wheelchair to the car. And away we went west of Regina towards Pense. Mum said that the hour's drive made real the flooding that she has been seeing on each newscast on TV (local and national). She estimated that 40% of the farm land was flooded. We are thankful for Mum's increasing mobility and the spring warmth and wind to get the snow moving and to dry the ground.

Photo is of the elevator at Pense with grain fields in the foreground.

Curling Again

Last evening Isabel's friend Elaine breezed in with a personalized autographed photo of Team Canada.

So now the two photos of the Men's Teams ~ Team Canada and Team Scotland ~ sit side by side.

And guess who meets who in tonight's Final Game?

Yea Canada! Yea Scotland!

And Yea! People of Saskatchewan who have done such a fine job of hosting this international event.

Curling!

The Men's World Curling Championships are happening in Regina this week. As usual, Isabel is skipping behind the glass from Room M-519 at Wascana. She provides commentary on rocks as they leave the hack, are swept, and slip into the house. Visitors sit down to add their views. A security guard at Wascana often drops by to catch an end update. Mum, are you under careful watch for some reason?!?!

Dilemma! Tuesday evening Canada meets Scotland ~ both rinks undefeated. Who will Isabel cheer for?

At 5:30 pm that day, a friend sweeps through her door in a Saskatchewan Roughrider T-shirt to deliver souvenirs to one of Wascana's biggest curling fans. Elaine is working at the Information Centre at "The World's" this week. On GREEN DAY at the competition, she acquires a large postcard of the Scottish team autographed by the players, their partners, and other supporters with the inscription: To Isabel~ Get Well Soon~ Best wishes from Team Scotland and their Supporters. Let's Go Scotland, Let's Go!

Decision made. Isabel will cheer for Scotland in their first game against Canada.

The daily newspaper from the Brandt Centre features Scotland. The newspaper and an autographed photo of Amber Holland's Team Canada (Women's Event) are also part of Elaine's surprise delivery.

Isabel certainly expects Canada & Scotland to meet up again, and admits she will cheer for Jeff Stoughton's Team Canada rink from Manitoba. After all, she knows that when Amber Holland's Saskatchewan Team beat Jennifer Jones' Manitoba team for the right to represent Canada at the World Women's Championship, many of her Manitoba friends were cheering for Holland's team.

It has been a loooonnng winter in Saskatchewan and there is still snow in Regina for this last big international curling championship of the year. Mum has loved watching curling hour after hour day after day between therapy appts this winter. She says her eyes are tired! Hmmmm...wonder why?

"You Raise Me Up"

On Thursday evening, 15 members of Prairie Gold, Regina's 4 part harmony women's chorus braved a windy evening to bring their gift of song to Wascana residents and family members. 40 minutes of non-stop harmony took us through the snowy winters of Saskatchewan ("with feet frozen to the ground") to memories and anticipation of warm sunny beaches and summer outings. One of Isabel's favourites was Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up". One of Isabel's favourite recordings of this inspirational song is by Celtic Woman whom she heard sing at Regina's Connexus Art Centre last fall. Here is the Youtube link to Celtic Woman followed by the lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faKFcfytlxU

"You Raise Me Up"

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up... To more than I can be.

March is Horse Month

The staff on Mum’s new unit have noticed the photographs of horses in her room including those of Rufus the First back in 1948. They have asked lots of questions about her interest in horses.

Isabel had not had opportunity to see any horses (in real life) since her move to Regina. However, on Friday morning, we just missed seeing two moose between the north side of Wascana Rehab Centre and Wascana Lake. Yes, two moose!

Some of you have written asking what Isabel is enjoying reading these days. I suggested to some of you that March could be HORSE Month. If you happen to be writing Isabel in March, would you please consider sending something about a horse? It might be a card, or a photo from a newspaper, or a story of a horse that you knew ~ anything to do with horses! Thank you!

A Winter of Red Blooms

Isabel and her friends, Beth and Carl have been gardening all winter. Gifts of amaryllis bulbs throughout November and January have meant nearly non-stop blooms for four months. When Isabel left Unit 2-6 in early January, her neighbour Beth and Beth's husband, Carl promised to keep watering and turning the bulbs that had just arrived. Each time Isabel would venture upstairs to her old stompin' grounds the stalks would have grown three inches.

Tending and enjoying them in the midst of this long winter has brought much enjoyment and a little adventure. One night a nurse accidentally sent one flying across her room. Mum thought it was in a 100 pieces but the apologetic nurse cut off the stems and the blossoms continued for another two weeks in a large vase.

We are grateful for this gift of colour and light in the winter; for friends who enabled the bulbs to be purchased; for Beth & Carl who have watched over them so carefully; and for Sandra, Mum's volunteer who tends her plants and flowers ever so carefully (under Isabel's direction) each Tuesday afternoon.