Stephen & I are both coping with terrible colds right now -- but we're gradually (read 'too slowly') getting over them.


Please ignore the dates on the photos. They are wrong -- Stephen forgot to delete his messed up dating on his small camera that he lent to me for the trip.

Stephen & I began our week of March 24th by contacting as many friends and family as possible about where we going to be from March 25th to April 1st. I gave them my parents' phone number should anyone wish to call Stephen as my parents are "computer deprived".

Stephen would stay mainly in Nanaimo and will be busy painting the interior of my parents' house. God bless that kind-hearted man's soul!

However Stephen had the strength to paint only one large room in my parents' house as a result of the blasted sickness and his back gave out from moving the heavy furniture that was in that room. Poor guy. However as usual, Stephen enjoyed my Mum's cooking. Stephen also took on the duty of gently putting my Dad in his place when he was getting too demanding of my Mum. ;-)

And the Gulf Islands Film & Television School? By ferry, I arrived at the intensive hands-on film course on Galiano Island to learn the ropes of pre-production, production & post-production for 6 days, 10 to 12 hours per day, rain, hail or shine!

There were 3 Documentary teams, 2 YouTube teams, 1 Drama Film team, etc. Throughout the 6 days, it RAINED, RAINED, and RAINED with a mere six hours of sunshine during the whole ordeal -- not enough to dry the 4 inch deep muddy roads! We also had a power outage during a fierce storm that lasted several hours and our little Drama Film team of 3 persevered through our preproduction work by candlelight. Even the school's cook, Tim, still did his best in the kitchen by candlelight! Also, our little Drama Film team thanked the powers-that-be for the 3 of those six hours of sunshine on the day of our shoot! What a miracle! O_O BTW, our Drama Film team was comprised of A.W. (18 yr old), K.B. (28 yr old) and yours truly (50 yr old).

Typical of the Film Industry, there are wacky names given to various trailers and rooms at G.I.F.T.S. that forced smiles on our faces: the Nerd Room, the Hobbit Hole, the Blue Trailer, the Geek Sound Room, the Black Hole, etc.

Needless to say, our Mentors were extremely impressed with our little team's efforts and our 6 minute film. G.H., the Director of the school, shook hands with me after seeing our film and said: "You had a very strong plot for such a short film. That is hard to do and is quite the accomplishment." Due to the fact I had a horrible bout of laryngitis that day, all I could do was smile in deepest appreciation and whisper: "Thank you."

I want to go back in the late summer/early fall -- this time possibly with my beloved hubby, Stephen, in tow. Whether we can do this or not is a matter of budget. Of course, we'll both be over our blasted colds by then.

Stephen had Acrylic Painting lessons every Monday at Camosun College at the beginning of this year -- a Christmas gift from me. At first, he was frustrated with Acrylics, however I kept telling him: "Be patient. It takes practice." He's done 2 acrylic paintings on irises, but was not satisfied with them. However, still getting inspiration from photos of flowers he finally completed a beautiful piece of tulips.

I resigned from my Shop Steward position in January. What a weight off my shoulders! Gossip and bullshit continued even through the Union Local elections. A few people wanted me to be nominated for certain positions, but I refused. Enough is enough.

For the whole month of February, Salvation Army Sunset Lodge was under quarantine due to a bad outbreak of Norwalk Flu/Norovirus. Tensions ran high after 4 weeks as a result. When the quarantine was lifted, a cheer rose up from our senior residents -- two went out for a walk outside with me and another fled down the elevator to visit her friend on 1st Floor.

Four seniors' homes in the Victoria area were hit with this menacing Norovirus: Beacon Hill Villa (Private), Malaspina Gardens, Sidney Care Home and Salvation Army Sunset Lodge.

The future looks bleak for BC's Healthcare -- has been for awhile as you already know. The Care Aides and LPNs at Malaspina Gardens were given their 6 month lay-off notices a few weeks ago. They are now rallying. This care home was undergoing renovations for a little over a year. Malaspina Gardens is being sold and privatized like Beacon Hill Villa. Stephen's and my personal concerns are that the writing is on the wall for Salvation Army Sunset Lodge. Our facility has been undergoing renovations for over the past two years. It is what VIHA considers well over a "saleable" age of 16 to 18 years -- and therefore necessary to renovate.

Not only that, almost all Union contracts are due on April 1st -- HEU, BCGEU, IUOE, BCNU, etc., etc. (Former Premier Campbell's work!) Is there the possibility of a province-wide strike? Gee, I hope not. O_o"

On the up side in my life, I'm going to G.I.F.T.S. for a TV & Film Intensive Program (6 day training in film crew work) in the last week of March. http://www.giftsfilms.com/
Yes, I'm roughing it in the bush -- literally! And I'm planning to go for my MFA in Screenwriting at UVic for next year. Not bad for wacky, creative me, eh? More on this one later. ;-)

Of course, Dad has NOT been driving the car since early January. So, Dad is trying to sell his little, practical car at the present. ;-)

Mum is as spry as ever. She uses the Handi-dart like there's no tomorrow. Last month, she went to her Dentist by Handi-dart and after her appointment was finished, she walked the long distance from his office to Safeway to do grocery shopping before the Handi-dart picked her up from the shopping center. She gushed over the phone: "Niki, it was freedom to finally go for such a long walk and stretch my legs! I LOVED it!" (Mum will be 88 in May this year! )

The public health nurse visited Dad and showed him his new commode while Mum was enjoying her chores that same day. Dad walks with a walker and can go for only 8 feet before he has to stop to catch his breath (huffing & puffing). He has the commode by the sofa where he sleeps every night, so he doesn't have to struggle down the long hallway to the bathroom in the wee hours of the morning (4am). He's still coughing up blood, and the doctor did an X-ray on Dad's lungs again -- the bronchial cancer is pressing on his heart.

Despite the two horrendous wind storms this past week, Snowdrops and Hellebores are blooming in my garden, plus I pruned our dwarf apple tree. Yes, spring has arrived.