Sunday 8 January 2017

Sun

I have a new favourite spot to sit in the house. I look out the big window to the north, sit beside the new (remote controlled) propane fireplace and look out at the snow. We have replaced the wood stove in the family room with this new one - it's a whole lot safer for me and it means I don't have to rely on someone being here to load it with wood. One click of a button and I have heat to my space - where I can stand in my standing frame and ride my "bike". I am 7/7 for my standing frame resolution. So far, so good.

I made the kids put on their snowshoes today, because it is something that I would have done on a day like today. Roads closed, lots of snow - what else is there to do but ski or snowshoe? I loved to put on my snowshoes and just go anywhere - no groomed trail required. Facebook has been an evil thing to me lately because I see all the pictures of my friends who love the outdoors - out there on their snowshoes, breaking trail. How I yearn to be out with them. In my previous life I would have been, no matter what marking needed to be done, or what was on the calendar, I would be out there, sweating in my layers and loving every minute. It breaks my heart knowing that I will never be able to do that again. I have yet to figure out how to fit a snowshoe on a wheelchair.

Today I shovelled; all of about ten square feet, but I did it. It was an experiment to see how I could manage in this deep snow. My Mountain Trike works relatively well, but it's hard to steer tight corners, so the small space at the end of the ramp was all I was able to manage. It was a start. And I was out in the sun. Cold winter sun, but sun nonetheless.

This was taken later in the day...the sun had gone and the snow was beginning again. The part I shoveled was from the driver's door of my car to the end of the ramp. I have a long way to go before I am of much help on the snow removal front. 

Speaking of sun...I heard it's going to be 24 in Florida next week. Good thing, because that is where we will be :) That was the big surprize for the kids at Christmas, we are going on a five night Caribbean cruise. It is not at all something we would have done before - we were more the hiking/camping/canoeing type of family - but things have changed, and so we must change our way of thinking, being and spending.

My friends-who-use-chairs say that cruising is the most accessible holiday that there is. The ships are governed under US laws, therefore the Americans with Disabilities Act comes into play - laws that put our similar (but not equal) Ontario laws to shame. And from what I hear the staff on these ships go above and beyond to help those who need it.

I look forward to the food, and not in the eat-all-the- ice cream-possible way you might think. I look forward to piling my plate with salads, protein and fruit; things that are harder to come by this time of year. I have been not doing so well with "clean eating" - pretty hard when the house is full of sweets. I have bought a book that is a guide to diet and SCI - reading it has caused me to be hard on myself, but I have learned some too, I'm maybe not as bad as I might think.

So we are off for some sun. Today was a day to pack. Tomorrow I get my botox done again - here's hoping we can get to Owen Sound. The house/cat sitter/snow remover is arranged. The airline and hotels know I'm coming - I have very high expectations for an accessible Air Canada, let's hope they live up to them.

We're off!


4 comments:

  1. Bon voyage! I hope you and your family have a wonderful time! Enjoy the sun :o)

    Maggie Jacula

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  2. Hoping you have a wonderful trip! Well deserved. God bless!

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  3. Enjoy your trip! I'll be curious to hear how you feel about cruising when you get back.

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  4. Atta girl, Julie! A change is as good as a rest and it's coming at the perfect time. I, too, am not a cruiser, but i will agree that the ships take very good care of those in wheelchairs. Have an afternoon sleep so you can stay up for the nightly entertainment. That was my absolute favourite part of the cruise! Gee, a live show with singing, dancing and comedy! I wonder why i would enjoy that so much??!! Oh, and the food was good too!

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