I'm ready for the game. GO CANADA GO!!

Cathy from California

One of five in her family impacted by ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease; Cathy was diagnosed only months after losing her brother to ALS. Having lost her mother to ALS at the age of 13, Cathy is well educated about the disease and has spent a lifetime coping with its devastating impact. While caretaking for her brother she began to recognize symptoms that he was experiencing in herself. Knowing that her family could not cope with losing her too, she kept her suspicions to herself.

Once diagnosed, Cathy became the biggest advocate ALS has ever seen! From teaching junior high school students to educating her co-workers at the Davis Food Co-op, Cathy shares her story with all who will listen. Honestly, it's not hard to listen either. Her spirit is kind. Her voice is soft. And her words eloquently deliver the powerful story of the disease that is so devastatingly killing her motor neurons and will ultimately lead to her passing.

Reading is a good hobby

Care Workers

My Care Workers are wonderful--and proud to be Canadian!

Some more Olympic pictures

First, the Tall Ship from Russia docked in North Van at Burrard Dry Dock.

Wow! Look at those pants on the Norway Curling team.

The column is outside the new Olympic Curling Rink.

Down at Granville Island the fellow is carving a totem pole.

The asparagus truck belongs to the cement company on Granville Island.

They have a strawberry truck as well.

The "cool" bear is in front of the Four Season's Hotel.

Thanks to Barb and Grace for sending me some photos.

Olympic scenes around the city

Go Canada Go!

This is 2 seconds of the fireworks at the Waterfront(Canada Place) last night. When Wayne Gretzky lit the final flame, the fireworks rose high over the city skyscrapers. I managed to get a few shots.

Both my hands are unsteady now, so I use a tripod whenever I can. If I want a special photo and I can't use the tripod, my Care Worker or a friend is my photographer. Some days I'm steady and can do my own, but I fatigue easily and find it difficult to hold the camera in a raised position.

I hope to have a platform for my camera on my new chair. However, the chair has gone back again for another fitting. Woe is me.

Morning

Basic tasks

Some of the basic tasks have become difficult for me. Brushing teeth is one of them. My left hand won't stay steady and hits my nose--because I have black humor it sends me into fits of laughter. My right arm is getting weak as well. I hold my rinse cup with 2 hands and carefully raise it hoping that I don't spill it. So far so good.

It's now impossible for me to get my socks on and off. My left hand won't grip and my right arm won't reach. When I'm home alone I keep my socks on at all times. I had learned to pull them up with a "reacher grip bar." Unfortunately I have lost the strength to do this.

No longer can I make myself a cup of coffee, pour a glass of water or file my nails. Thank heavens for my care workers! I try not to think too far ahead for fear I might go crazy. I can still enjoy every day and I'm thankful for the time I have. However, I'm human and grieve my losses.

Pinch Me--Congratulations Beth!!

Pinch Me: A Long Walk from the Prairies is a heart-warming memoir that reveals how this simple philosophy guided her on a journey on the road less traveled from her native Saskatchewan to a new home in British Columbia. After obtaining an education degree from the University of British Columbia, she blazed a trail for British Columbia women by becoming the first female principal of a secondary school in that province. After retiring from a successful career as a teacher and educational administrator, she meets and marries the love of her life. Together they in 1993 co-founded ACCES (African Canadian Continuing Education Society) a model non-profit organization that is dedicated to defeating poverty in Western Kenya through education (in 1999, she received the prestigious Lewis Perinbaum award for Excellence in International Development). Today ACCES is managed by Kenyans, has four key programs that benefit more than 1800 young Kenyans annually and has opened ten schools in Kenya.

YUM

Instant espresso powder offers the most practical way to impart a good, rich coffee flavor to cookies, candies and cakes. Sold in well-stocked food markets and specialty coffee stores, the fine powder dissolves quickly in hot liquid, producing a bolder, more concentrated taste than regular instant coffee. This intense flavor comes with a solid dose of caffeine, however, so if you are sensitive to the effects of caffeine, look for a brand of instant espresso powder labeled decaffeinated.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process
  cocoa powder
• 3 Tbs. instant espresso powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
  

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• Pinch of salt
  
• 16 chocolate-covered espresso beans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Generously grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder and salt into a bowl; set aside.

In a small, heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and chocolate and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until blended. Gradually stir in the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the vanilla, then add the flour mixture and stir until blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and the center is springy to the touch, about 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream and espresso powder and heat, stirring, just until the powder is dissolved and bubbles start to appear around the pan edges. Add the chocolate and salt, remove from the heat and stir just until the chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature.

Using a small offset spatula, spread the cooled glaze over the cookie in a thin layer. Refrigerate until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes. Cut into 1 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch bars or 2-inch squares. Top each bar with a chocolate-covered espresso bean. Makes 16 bars.

Friendship

So many of you help me get through fun days and difficult days. You hold my hand in times of tears, you laugh with me in times of joy. You dress me, look after me, open doors, phone, email, send cards, tell me stories, bring me flowers, food and wine. I cannot tell you how special I feel--you just know by the smile on my face.

A good friend introduced me to the song "For Good" from the musical "Wicked" and I posted it on my Songs/Videos list. It is for all my family, friends and acquaintances, who help me meander down this challenging road. You are my life line.

Speed Skating

I got a special tour of the Richmond Olympic Oval. It is an amazing facility.

We took this photo just as we were leaving. I had already taken my skates off!!

In Memory--Lisa Olsson

See Lisa's video above.

Lisa was instrumental in helping me form my "Share the Care" group. It is with tears that I report her passing on January 30th.

She lived in Lake Oswego, Oregon. She was 45 and had a wonderful partner, Mike, and a young son, Andrew. Lisa was an inspiration on the PLM web site and had a marvellous sense of humour. We shared falls, good times, and struggles by email. One of her favorite quotes was:

"Sometimes you need to be handed a challenge bigger than anything you could have imagined in order to appreciate the goodness in every day, in the small things, and in order to discover the huge endless reservoir of courage in yourself".