Why is it...

[Alix]

That the minute I get a vacation - I get sick! I fought and fought these stupid freaking germs, but they finally got me. I suspect the whitewater rafting in 4C water might have contributed a bit to the speed of the germs winning. Ah well! I ate lots, drank lots and laughed lots so I guess that cancels out the worst of the coughing and hacking.

I've missed you guys! There was very spotty internet on the mountain, and when it DID kick in one of the girls would get to the computer faster than you could say boo! I'm back now and ready to be all sorts of silly.

Wanna hear the highlights of the trip? OK, here goes:

Did Banff - ate a bison burger for breakfast MMMM! Then shopped at the Cow store. Very cute. Saw bighorned sheep on the road.

Headed to Radium - saw a couple of moose and more deer on the road.

Arrived at Panorama - saw many many many gophers (and watched the girls feed them)

Went tubing in Invermere. A few injuries, but only minor scrapes. Bandaids and polysporin first aid. Whew!

Went White water rafting - holy mother of god...glacier water is COLD.

Made Ken and Bugs take Bear spray on all their runs. Kate ran poor Ken right into the ground. Much tennis was played, many games of pummel and apples to apples as well.

Everyone went horseback riding up the mountain except me. I didn't think I'd have the energy dang it. I stayed home and drank tea and read my book.

Drove to Jasper via Lake Louise (many photos) and then the Columbia Icefields. I know the glaciers are supposed to be receding but it looks suspiciously like they are getting bigger up top. Then the GIANT grizzly on the highway. It was so big I thought it was a moose and let everyone get out of the car to take pictures. Oopsies! Nope, only the biggest freaking bear ever! Back in the car fast people! Then, rodeo time in Jasper - yeehaw y'all.

Then finally home to the laundry pile and half finished deck/patio.

I'm still off until Tuesday PM. I think I need a few more days to recover. I'm bushed.

 

[snickerdoodle]

Sounds wonderful! Except for the giant grizzly, scary! But it would have been neat seeing it in real life I bet. Thanks for sharing

Hope you feel better soon!!

 

[Timothy]

What a fun vacation! Sorry the bug gotcha.

It sounds like an adventure!

 

[Alix]

It was a bit cool, but I'm something of a bear magnet so its not my first grizzly. We have a french exchange student with us so it was especially good for her to see it. I just hope her parents will forgive me all the risky things we've done with her!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Glad you are back and not too much the worse for wear.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Alix your vacation sounds wonderful!

Lots of action and adventure for the young folks.

I have always wanted to see that part of Canada.

For me it would have to be chugging along on the train or in a great hotel looking at the wildlife through giant plate glass windows. Do plate glass windows still exist?

How is it in the winter? I imagine it is beautiful.

Hope you feel better.

 

[pacanis]

Wow! You packed a lot of adventure into your vacation.
It all sounds very nice.

 

[DaveSoMD]

Sounds like a great time and one of those where you do so much fun stuff you need a vacation to recover from your vacation.

 

[buckytom]

oh man, that sounded like a great trip!!! i was wondering where you were hiding.

bear magnet?
well, i guess it got you ken, so it's not all bad...

btw, what pummel and apples to apples?

 

[purple.alien.giraffe]

Welcome back. Sounds like a great trip! Hope you get over being sick quickly.

 

[Kayelle]

Good to see you back, Alix! You were missed. Love the sound of your trip and especially the white water rafting. We did that in Alaska a few weeks ago, and you're not kidding about cold glacier water! I was in the front and kept getting a full force facial. Sure wakes you up ! At one point I wasn't sure I was still in the boat. Loved every second of it though. Ahhh..the great outdoors. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[Andy M.]

Wondered why you were AWOL. Your vacation sounds exciting and fun. Sorry to hear you were/are under the weather.

 

[Alix]

oh man, that sounded like a great trip!!! i was wondering where you were hiding.

bear magnet?
well, i guess it got you ken, so it's not all bad...

btw, what pummel and apples to apples?

Pummel is a card game. Its easy to play and very fun. You need lots of people and a couple decks of cards. Deal them all out. Take off all rings and watches on the hand you are going to use and then sit on the other one (just keep it off the table, one hand only). Place your stack of cards in front of you face down and you will flip cards from the front of the stack into a central pile. You call out "ace", the next person "two", then "three" etc. If the card you toss matches the number you call out then everyone slams their hand onto the central pile. Person on top takes the pile. The object is to have one person end up with ALL the cards, they are the big loser. The person on the bottom generally gets "pummelled" by the rest of the folks, thus the name. We played in french for our exchange student, thats a bit more challenging than you would think! Apples to Apples is a commercial game...a bit tougher to explain, but also very fun!

Good to see you back, Alix! You were missed. Love the sound of your trip and especially the white water rafting. We did that in Alaska a few weeks ago, and you're not kidding about cold glacier water! I was in the front and kept getting a full force facial. Sure wakes you up ! At one point I wasn't sure I was still in the boat. Loved every second of it though. Ahhh..the great outdoors. Hope you feel better soon!

I made my husband sit in front of me. I've done this before and I know how BRACING the water can be. I hid behind him when we hit a big wave. Heh heh heh!!!

Wondered why you were AWOL. Your vacation sounds exciting and fun. Sorry to hear you were/are under the weather.

Thanks Andy, and thanks everyone else who missed me! I missed you all too. Dave, you're so right! I need a vacation to recover from my vacation!

Aunt Bea, the train is nice (and yes there are still plate glass windows) but driving is better. You can stop when you see interesting stuff and you just can't on the train. You have to do the train at least once, but after that, to really see the country you need to drive it.

 

[Alix]

Whining again. I'm still sick. I at least got 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep last night. I took Advil Cold and Sinus and it kept me from coughing for the full 5 hours! Whoohoo!

Seriously though, anyone else have this stupid virus that will NOT DIE? 3 freaking weeks now! I'm about beside myself trying to shake it. I've had so much chicken soup and tea and water and honey and garlic and mint...ARGH. I just want to be able to take a deep breath without triggering a coughing spasm. OK, I'm lying, I want to be able to do more than that, but that would be a good start.

Thanks guys, I needed to whine a little bit. Someone else chime in and whine with me.

 

[buckytom]

you've got a week to go with it if it's the same thing my ryan had. you just have to get rest and ride it out.

make sure to up your vit. c intake, as well as lots of leafy greens and darker coloured veggies, only lightly cooked.


i find spicy thai soup like tom yum gai is a good change of pace to the ol' jewish penicillin, and the hot peppers help to open your sinuses.

feel better chica.

 

[Alix]

I am going to have some pho tonight. Thanks for the timeline BT, I kinda feel better knowing how long it might last. Soup soup and more soup going in.

 

[JGDean]

Yes, spicy soup and lots of water. I keep teas called "Breath Easy", "Throat Coat" and "Smooth Move" on hand in case I need them. The last doesn't apply to you now but you can figure that one out.

 

[vitauta]

isn't it time for your doc to have another look-see? respiratory infections don't remain stagnant, and your diagnosis and treatment might be subject to change as well. your doc may even want to try a round of antibiotics at this stage. heavily congested lungs should be monitored, especially when they're entrenched over a prolonged period, like yours, alix. just a suggestion from one with life-long respiratory bouts and issues herself--they can be insidious and unsuspectingly devastating. don't be mad, just saying....

 

[Alix]

Never mad about someone caring! Thanks vitauta. I've been seen twice already and received the same message both times. I have bronchitis, and at the moment its just "rest and fluids" still. I'm viral not bacterial so no antibiotics. They want to see me again if I'm not significantly better by Monday. Things appear to be progressing (got 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep last night!) but not quickly enough to please me. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!

I am pretty careful about my lungs as that is my "weak spot". I've had H1N1, pneumonia (more than once) and a few rounds of bronchitis. To compound the issue, I'm severely allergic to both penicillin and sulfa drugs so the only antibiotic family that is safe for me is erythromycin. Pricy!

Thanks for being concerned and for listening to me whine, you guys are very patient with me!

 

[Andy M.]

...Thanks for being concerned and for listening to me whine, you guys are very patient with me!

We don't mind your whining one bit. Probably because we can tune you out so easily anytime we want to.

Alix, have you been using a vaporizer? Keeping moisture in your lungs will keep stuff loose and expectorable. (my spell checker tells me there is no such word but you know what I mean.)