I'm sorry about my vanishing act.
I didn't mean to disappear.
I have a few down and quiet moments right now, so I'm going to grab them.
Right now my brother Roy is about halfway through a six-hour open heart surgery
to replace a failing heart valve he had received in Kuwait about fourteen years ago.
We're all waiting on pins and needles.
Typical Roy, his last message to us at 3:59 am from the hospital was "Oowie!!!"
He likes exclamation marks too. 😂
Roy Always Sees the Sunny Side of Life
(and my sister Bertie is a barista extraordinaire).
Bertie and Peter's, Smith's Cove
Nova Scotia, Canada
July 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Tomorrow (Friday) we fly to Panama City in Florida
for Terry's brother's memorial service.
He died unexpectedly from cancer last week.
Bill was a kind, generous, and good person.
It's hard to believe. He was gone so suddenly.
You always think you'll have another time to see each other.
That's why you must always tell the special people in your life
what they mean to you while you can.
Terry and I Visiting Carolyn and Bill
Panama City, Florida, USA
April 10, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Before that I was distracted by returning from Hawaii, unpacking, taxes,
packing up our home, making the basement livable,
and dealing with the demolition, wiring, plumbing, and drywalling upstairs.
Kitchen Demoed 😭
(I loved our kitchen, the nicest one I ever had.
Our new one should be awesome! 🤞 🎉)
Aurora, Colorado, USA
April 14, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Just the Beginning of a Very Full Truck
Headed for the Sedalia Landfill
Aurora, Colorado, USA
April 14, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Our Contractor Al Straarup of Tivoli Renovation, INC.
draws our new island on the kitchen floor.
Aurora, Colorado, USA
April 16, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Then there was the short cruise we were supposed to be on now,
but canceled when we got the news about Terry's brother Bill.
Maybe we'll have another chance to cruise on the beautiful Holland America Zaandam.
NOTHING takes priority over family!
I've just unpacked for the cruise and repacked for Florida.
Sailing the Inside Passage to Alaska on Holland America's Zaandam
Just the Best Time!
June 29, 2015
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Terry has been a champ.
When we looked at our "kitchen" of microwave, kettle, and coffee pot,
Terry ran to Sam's Club and returned with an air fryer.
He dove right in and made a meal of salmon, baby potatoes, and salad.
We enjoyed it with wine at our banged up kitchen table from thirty-four years ago.
He can still surprise me after 43 years of knowing each other.
A Happy Chef Preparing Pork Chops
In our Makeshift Kitchen
April 19, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
He insisted that I have the futon on the floor while he sleeps on the less comfortable couch.
He doesn't grouse at me when I forget that we can't use
the microwave and air fryer at the same time and blow the breaker.
He doesn't grumble when I read with the lamp on before going to sleep.
We won't talk about the tv (although we can usually agree on CNBC). 😂
Home Sweet Home
Aurora, Colorado, USA
April 14, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Really, We Have Nothing to Complain About!
We've gone from surviving to thriving!
Aurora, Colorado, USA
April 14, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
I did notice that it's been a nice spring,
and I have managed two walks along Piney Creek.
On the Edge of Spring Bursting Out!
Middle Pond
Aurora, Colorado, USA
April 15, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Beautiful Blossoms Looking Toward Mount HEB Club House, Aurora, Colorado, USA
April 16, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
I've been picking at this off and on throughout the day while waiting ~
playing Solitaire, chatting with Terry, playing Words with Friends,
working out with Julie, anything to distract myself.
Finally at 3:42 pm I sent out a text: "Any news on Roy?"
Roy immediately replied: "Surgery went well."
🎉🎉🎉
Ahhh! Thank God! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I can think again.
I'll try to answer some comments before I leave for Florida tomorrow.🤞
Hopefully, by Monday or Tuesday, I'll be back on track again.
I've been missing you all, my friends!
Oops, I accidentally scheduled this for May 9th. Happy Friday!
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue
Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com
Copyright ©2025 – All rights reserved.
My next post will be
IWSG Day
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 🤞
On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Condolences to Terry on the loss of his brother. And best wishes to Roy for a full and speedy recovery! Glad to hear his surgery went well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words, Debra! Terry and I are grateful to be home and are easing back into reality. We have about 7 or 8 more weeks on our renovation. The tilers are working on the bathrooms and kitchen upstairs. I plan to focus on writing ~ finally. Roy is doing great, but he's anxious to get home. I hope all is well with you. ❤️
Delete...life has a way of changing what is important. I wish you a Merry Month of May.
ReplyDeleteYou are a busy lady. I hope the heart surgery went well. Sorry about Terry's brother. Traveling, family, and kitchen remodel. That is a lot. I like your saying that you have gone from surviving to thriving. A good place to be. I really have enjoyed the photos and thank you for joining FFO.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos. Louise, you and I followed each other's blogs years ago when my blog was Linda's Peaceful Place. I had no computer for over 7 years and lost access to my old blog due to the amount of time that had elapsed. I started a new blog at the end of March...Linda's Relaxing Lair, link is in my profile. I am so glad to have found you again.
ReplyDeleteWe already know you have a dear husband, as just as dear as yourself. Sorry for the loss of your brother-in-law. It is not easy when you live several states away. I know, I have a sister in Colorado, myself! That's good that you actually heard from your brother! Isn't that always a relief? (And I love his Beatles shirt!) Louise, with your house construction upheaval and the stress of losing a loved one and having a loved one having a illness, you hang in there!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that the surgery went well. Holding you and your family in my heart.
ReplyDeleteThrough all the heartache and upheaval, your strength, love for family, and Terry’s quiet heroics shine brightly holding Roy in my thoughts and sending deepest sympathy for Bill’s sudden loss.
ReplyDeleteLife sounds crazy Louise. I hope your brother's surgery goes well, and sorry to read about your husband's loss (and yours too). A new kitchen is very exciting. :) Happy May to you. Erika
ReplyDeleteYou've had an incredibly stressful period. Sending loads of good vibes to your brother and hope by now all has gone well. I'm so sorry you've had to deal with sudden loss of a friend. That's so very hard. All that, returning from a trip, rehab and house akimbo. I'm amazed you could write at all. Please take care of you!
ReplyDeleteHope everything went well with Roy's surgery. Sorry again about Terry's brother. You're right, you just never know.
ReplyDeleteGeez, going through the ringer. Great Roy made it through the surgery well and no extra ouchies hopefully came due.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about Terry's brother. You just never know how much time you have.
Renos are an inconvenience, but when done they are worth it indeed. Provided you get a good one and nit some flake carpenter.
Hopefully nothing else crummy comes due.
Thanks for all the caring comments, everyone! We left and returned about 50 hours. Roy is doing really well, and Bill's memorial service was filled with love. We're wiped out. I'll return tomorrow to answer your comments and visit! ❤️
ReplyDeleteA heartfelt beautiful post dearest Louise 🥹🥰
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely to hear from you my friend!!!♥️
Thanks for sharing that your dear brother Roy has a through a successful heart surgery 🙏🥹🥰
Thanks to good God as I can imagine how anxious you must have been while things were in process. By now you certainly have met your brother and seen him well doing perfectly alright 👍 this is relief for the sister 🥹😊
Yes nothing is more important than family.I hope you will join this cruise next and share the beauty of Holland with us “a country of flowers “ we had a huge picture of flower fields of Holland pasted on our wall for years 🥰
I hope construction work is going well and will end soon leaving you with spectacular new kitchen and rest 🤗
Really sorry for Terry’s brother who died because of the cancer! May he rest in peace and may his family get strength to cope with space he left in their lives!
Sending you much love,hugs and best wishes dear friend ♥️♥️♥️