Oh, I Am Cock-eyed Now.

 

So, OK, this is one glass from my spectacles (eye glasses).

I took it out, as I did not need it anymore. I am cock-eyed now. 

The truth of the matter is that my right-eye-vision had been heavily hampered through a cataract, and today Bea and I (and Dixie) had gone to the big port city of St.John to get this fixed once and for all. In order to meet the appointment at 9am, we sleep-walked down from the bedroom at 5am, got some coffee going and a buttered toast, and then we were off.

Cataract operations are nothing of what they used to be just 10-15yrs ago, not to speak of when my mom got hers fixed some 35yrs. ago. 10 minutes is all it takes from the time the doc is starting until he's finished.  Of course, there is the time they need to "get you ready" for the procedure. "Pls. take a seat in the "eye-chair", was the first order I received. Well, that chair was soon converted into a hospital bed when they wiggled the back into a horizontal position. They also "dressed me" with a hospital gown (how I hate these things) a plastic cover over my shoes and my bald head. My blood pressure was taken twice and they covered me up with a warming blanket. SOO NICE! I felt like a turkey being ready for the oven! No kidding here. Oh, and by the way, I had neighbours. They too were treated like a turkey at thanksgiving. 

Then I heard a ringing signal, and that meant the departure of my next-bed neighbour. Out the door he went. Would I see the fellow again? Meanwhile I was studying my surroundings. There was lots of people coming and going. And then I finally got it, this was not the operation room, but a waiting area. Thank God, my neighbour came back after only 20 minutes, and then, shortly after, the bell was calling for me. Oh geez... 

A male nurse was piloting my bed through any number of hallways around sharp bends with meeting traffic and then a sudden halt along a wall. There I was parked for another 10 minutes until a female nurse came, asking me the same questions I had been asked numerous times previously, before she shoved me off into the holy grail - the theater (operation room), where I was placed under some lamp fixture. Now it was time to get lots of more eyedrops (I had already watery eyes to begin with) and.....yes, then a heavy-duty blue plastic cover was placed on my face. It had only one hole - for my eye, and that was where I now could see a very sharp bright light. My eye went shut immediately, but that was not what the doctor, who had appeared by my side, wanted, so she placed a clamp over my eye keeping it open. I have no clue what and how they did it, but suddenly my eye drowned in a cascade of fluid and light, while some apparatus emitted some really strange sounds. At first my eye must have been somewhat unruly, cause I heard the doc mumbling something about having a "moving target". The next thing she said was that I now would receive the new lense. Now, that I can get a kick out of. Like here was a place a guy could get a spare part put in, making for new vision. How great is THAT?

And suddenly quiet resumed, and I was done. Heck, that was nothing to get afraid of, stupid me!

I then went on the reverse journey through the hallways and was allowed to get rid of the hospital gown. Some good thinking helper had already placed my clothing in the washroom. One more thing to go through, was to be lectured about what to do and what NOT to do over the next coming days. Then they placed me in a wheelchair(?) and rolled me into the elevator and out the door to the curb, where Bea had anxiously been waiting for me. 

So now you know why I am cock-eyed for the next week until we can enjoy the same procedure again for the other eye. I removed that eye glass as I cannot see through it anymore. But for a change I can now see a sparrow high up in a tree, dropping a poop 50yrds. away! 

It's all worth it.

Another Flu Restriction At The International Border

This morning I was coming through the International Border back onto the island. I had gassed up and stopped by the local IGA to get some milk and a yummy ice creme. When it was my turn to roll up to the little customs window, the friendly officer informed me (I think she was sorry about it) that due to the Avian Flu virus, it was now prohibited to take raw chicken or eggs across the border. 

DANG!

I almost got a laughing fit right there. Doesn't the Canadian government know that the Avian Flu is spread by birds - living flying birds - that is!?!?

I guess Canada Customs agents will now have to spread in close formation along a 5500km long (the longest in the world) international border to shoot down crossing migrating birds, after all, anyone of these could carry the Avian Flu virus and infect poor Canadian birds with it. And btw. the Avian Flu is already in Canada. In Nova Scotia lots of dead birds have been found. 

Mr. Trudeau, it is too late. We might as well eat American chickens and eggs. And when it comes to me, I prefer both cooked or fried, never eat them raw.

Likewise, it is outright stupid that Canada still requires travelers to fill out an app, called ARRIVECAN, where vaccination certificates need to be uploaded. What about showing the actual paper certificate at the border? Thousands of seniors are already having difficulties with downloads and uploads and the whole damn digital rigamarole. Customs agents have already voiced their concern that car line-ups this summer will be of epic proportions. I have already personally been waiting behind of foreign licensed cars at the border watching the minute hand go round and round and round. And quite a few of those hopeful travelers had been turned around. Just imagine, that happening hundreds of times every day. Oh what fun!

According to the government, ARRIVECAN will never go away. The reason being that the government has spent 100Mill tax dollars on an idiotic app which btw. came in way too late during the pandemic and is now utterly obsolete. But admitting to having spent that kind of money for some BS-app must be hard for the government as they fear backlash for wasteful spending from the opposition.

Meanwhile, we must hope that chicken and eggs will not be sold out in the local island store. If such fatal thing should happen you ought to know that both products found in grocery shelfs on the Canadian mainland cannot be brought through the US, as the US government has copycated (is that a word?) the Canadians, and prohibited even the transfer of such delicacies through the home land. The last open way to locate chicken and eggs would then be the Deer Island - Campobello ferry. Alas, come June, our wonderful ferry connection will cease to commute back and force for at least 2 weeks, mainly because the company operating the ferry prefers to do their yearly maintence in June while tourists are tripping back and forth waiting impatiently for the opportunity to visit Campobello island, instead of during May when traffic is low. That being said, you know what the implications are: No chicken nor eggs will reach the island during the down time of the ferry. 

I have seen some green herbs, like chives and parsil, coming up in our garden. They give me hope. I will try to make a soup of them. I still have some salt and pepper.

May Day It Is Again

True to the tradition of International May Day, our flag is out today. I have written about Mayday before, so won't repeat it here. You can read the old post if you like.

It also reminds me that it is almost a full month since my last posting. The reason for that might be that I have been so dismayed with the weather. 

I mean, come on, we should have seen some warmer days by now. But snow showers, rain and hail have been dominating the month of April. 

When ever the sun showed itself we rushed out to enjoy it.

 

 

One highlight of the month has been that Bea succeeded with producing sourdough breads.

 A neighbour gave her a sourdough starter and the results of Bea's baking were just delicious and extremely appealing to look at. 

Another highlight of the month was Bea's birthday. 

She has now joined the ranks of pensioners, receiving her Norwegian pension status. Canada allows people to retire at 65, in Norway it's 67. We had a nice party with neighbours, all enjoying a couple of sumptuous cakes.

 Recently, I have busied myself with some necessary maintenance on our trailer. And speaking of RVing, I will add that right now it is mighty unsure whether we will go south again this fall. Firstly, there are the current fuel prices, which I find not tempting for a long trip, and secondly, I am not happy with the towing performance of our van. Unless we avoid every mountain on the way, it is a pain in the behind to tow our trailer. So we will wait with making a decision until next fall.

The good news this spring is that the Canadian government finally dropped the testing requirement for border crossers. At least that signals a more normal tourist season this year. As a direct result of 2 years of pandemic and border restrictions, Americans have started selling their vacation homes here on the island. Some homes have already found buyers, this time Canadians, and for the first time in many years, the number of island residents have not declined further.

 Celebrating Easter is always an event we  are looking forward to, and this year I sent a special image of "stony eggs". If you think this was nasty, remember the "hard" times we are having.      

But like mostly this April, the weather was "in the pits".    

So, I guess that's all for now, friends, see ya around another time.