November 28, 2008

• First I hope all my American friends had a great Thanksgiving.

  I have been taking some time out here and will be having a lot of catch-up to do.

  A while ago one of my daughters asked me if I would like to join her on a trip to Calgary and Lethbridge for a few days as she was joining her eldest for the Hockey tournament the team was involved in at Warner (just outside of Lethbridge.) I jumped at the chance to see her play, spend time with daughter, get to visit with family members I rarely see, and an added bonus – get to meet an online friend that also lives in Calgary.

  I took very few photos of the trip – too busy visiting and just enjoying everything and everyone. Still I do have a few and am sharing just a couple of them here.
  when we arrived in Calgary, it was soooo cold,  -16C windchill, but the snow had stopped which was a blessing. We had made arrangements to meet with my friend for lunch shortly after arrival, and this was so exciting for me.

  I am in the middle, daughter is the tall one and my online friend that I now know in person. Such a sweetheart.

  Even knowing each other for so long, neither of us realized we both smoked After a great lunch and long visit inside, I let her know I really had to go out for one, and she was just so happy as she was in the same boat as me – what us smokers have to contend with! See the snow and ice outside, and the wind just cutting through us, but we survived while we continued to gab around the corner in a slightly protected place.
  After a long goodbye when we dropped her back at her home, we continued to my neice, who was putting us up for the night. Another great welcome and fantastic meal for us. As everyone was coming and going at this time and we had made arrangements to be back on Sunday for lunch (and have more of the family there) before getting on the plane to come home, I did not take my camera out. Now I wish I had. Things did not plan out that way.

  What a difference in climate and scenery once we were outside of Calgary – no snow, and several degrees warmer (in fact not even freeezing though close) with mile after mile of flat harvested fields – at least I took one pic of this. We had rented a car at the airport, hence the driving. Before this all started I did not know that my Neice’s daughters lived in Lethbridge where our destination was. When they heard we were coming we were immediately invited to stay with one of the girls too. I was so thrilled to get to meet her little ones and husband, and what a wonderful welcome they all gave us.

  As Katie had 4 games to play from Friday night to Sunday morning, we spent most of our time at the arena. The games were intense and great to watch, till the last one. A few minutes before the end of the second period Katie went down hard and hit her back and head – out for a short while and had to be taken off the ice. The attendant checked her out and told us we should take her back to Lethbridge to the emergency section of the hospital as she felt Katie had a concussion and needed to be checked more thoroughly, and they may not let her fly home that night. To say we were all in major shock was to put it mildly. 

  Taken just before she fell.

  I know we had an angel with us that day. Katie was looked at almost immediately, xrayed and checked – yes she did have a concussion, but it looked like a very mild one and it was OK to fly. She would need another check up once she got home again. Sheialgh was able to catch the last of the team group as they were leaving for the airport, so Katie was on her way. We were too late now to visit my neice and have lunch, so grabbed a quick bite and said goodbye to D (who was with us for all of this) and took off for the airport and to return the car. Just made it with under half an hour to spare. The quiet flight home again was anti-climatic, but it was good to be home again.  Needless to say, I still did not function till I heard the results the following night of how Katie was. She was given the go-ahead for this weekend tournamet in Boston Mas. as long as she did no physical activity for the week. Now I have to wait till Tuesday to hear how that trip all went, and just pray it did not have any problems. At least this time both Mom and Dad will be there for her.

   

  • 3:42 pm
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