Friday, May 25, 2007

Jayne volunteers with CPSP

Technical writing jobs are still coming through from UK for Jayne but, let's face it, writing on-farm guides for salmonella control on UK pig farms can only give a girl so much satisfaction! Our green cards are still in process so working for a US employer remains off the cards... so more volunteer work it is, for now.

Since the winter ski season with VASS is well and truly over (70-80F today!), and their summer sailing program not yet begun, Jayne's attentions have turned elsewhere, namely to the Cancer Patient Support Program of Vermont (see CPSP link on the right).


So, why and how am I getting involved with CPSP?

It turns out that Nancy, our realtor, is on the board for CPSP and is also chair of 'Evening Song' which is their biggest annual fundraiser. In only 8 years of being they've raised over $1million to provide supportive and rehabilitative services to cancer patients and their families in the Burlington, Vermont area.

Knowing about the work I already do with VASS she asked if I'd like to get involved with this years Evening Song event - a huge and swanky Masquerade Ball! Of course I jumped at the chance. I'm not one to turn down the opportunity to help organise a top notch glitzy do, with the added bonus of doing it for such a great cause :)

Sadly it's too true these days that it's a case of when rather than if we all get touched by cancer. Adam and I already know too many people who've had to cope with cancer themselves or with seeing a loved one battle cancer. It's hard and it's unpleasant and it seemingly is unavoidable one way or another. This is why I think groups like CPSP are so invaluable and why I’m so keen to help them reach their goals, and to have fun doing it.


The theme for last year's ball. This year it's a Venetian Masquerade Ball.


Anyway, my first meeting with the group was last night and, I must say, it was ever so slightly Desperate Housewives... you know the red-haired one who's immaculately dressed, stunningly styled and perfectly manicured at all times... Well, you can tell I fit right in! I wish I'd cleaned up my flip-flops... At least I'd 'touched up' my pink toenails before I dashed out of the house, late as usual!

All joking aside, they are a lovely bunch of ladies and with such great intentions and ideas. CPSP is a completely professional and very well organised group, and this year’s ball is certainly shaping up to be one heck of an event so I’m pleased to be involved and making new contacts and friends.

My first job is to solicit underwriting for the ball from businesses in downtown Burlington. I’ve never had any sales training so I hope I do a good job! Maybe the British accent will help...

The Lock Lab

Things sometimes move rather slowly at UVM but Adam's lab refurbishment is finally coming together. He hasn't taken any photos yet but Jayne is planning on getting in there soon to get some shots so you can see for yourselves.

So, what's been happening in the Lock lab? In between getting on with grant submissions, paper writing, committee work, faculty meetings and speaking at conferences etc Adam's been busy sourcing equipment and supplies for the lab. He's also had various workers in ripping out old stuff, fixing up the electrics and plumbing... the list goes on.

Jana, his new postdoc, arrived from Germany a couple of weeks ago and is settling in and working well with Beth, his grad student. They're both pretty smart, great fun and very nice people so it looks like the beginnings of a super team.

Yesterday Adam's new GC was installed so that's another big step forward he's very pleased about.

We'll post more progress reports soon, hopefully with pics.

Monday, May 21, 2007

The house build - May 18

Only a few days later and lots more has happened in the house....


Looks much the same from the outside BUT...
The hot and cold water is in...



The fire has been installed (gas must be in then)...



All the venting for the heating and central air is in...



Husband is being securely bricked into the fireplace [an upgrade option I thought worth paying for ;) -J]



Guest bath is being installed




Shower is being installed in master bath

Wonder what's next...

The house build - May 13

The day after the last exterior pics were taken we went inside the new house to see what other progress had been made... and Safi played in the building site (we're such responsible parents).



Through the keyhole...


Archway into living room and fireplace going in

The staircase is in now

Could Adam still be avoiding the kitchen?

Yup, that would be the staircase again

Masterbath starting to take shape

The masterbed... no really... gives a whole new meaning to 'tidy your room'...

Saf checking out the pipes...

... and the heavy machinery

Yes, it's all fine... now will someone please take me home!

The road that will run between Spear Street and Dorset Street (Songbird Road). You might just about make out the current phase of home construction in the background, and the mountains in the far distance.

The view up Spear Street from the end of what will be Songbird Road - the house we live in at the moment is about a mile further up on the right.

Now, these really are Jayne's teeth (nice!)

Yup - the deed was done and all Jayne's wisdom's finally gone for good... there's no hope now is there?



Jayne's three wisdom teeth, complete with some residual bloody gunk [Sorry! I realise you're not as into this as I am, but aren't they huge??! - J]. The two at the top were from the top and were very well behaved. The one at the bottom is from the bottom and was very naughty - it had to be sawn off and the roots got out separately. [The little shard in the middle is a bit of my jaw... - J]


Worst bit was the injections before they even began but everything was done and dusted last Monday.

It all took less than an hour with nothing remarkable to comment on except for the great sound effects... especially when they sawed off the one tooth that didn't want to come out, and then drilled out it's roots. Hmmm, I can think of more relaxing ways to spend a morning...

Anyway, a dose or two of Vicodin sorted out any discomfort that night and then, after a few hours feeling really sicky the day after, there was nothing for the next few days but soup and salt water rinsing.

All better now: Today's post-op check up went well and it seems the stitch has dissolved and it's all healing up well :))

The house build - May 12

Well, what can we say? The roof's pretty much done and the windows and doors are going in...












Thursday, May 10, 2007

Wisdom's overrated

... Wisdom teeth that is.

After her third episode of yucky tooth/gum ache Jayne's booked in to have all three wisdom teeth whipped out on Monday. That's after a course of penicillin has taken care of any festering infection (nice). Don't ask where the fourth one is - totally AWOL - which actually is probably good news. At least it's better than having one that can't decide if it's coming or going (ouch).


Note: These are not Jayne's teeth! Just included here for visual effect ;)

Image is courtesy of Nucleus Communications, Inc www.nucleusinc.com



Apparently it's all going to be done with just local anaesthetic instead of knocking her out so perhaps there'll be some blood and gore to report next week. Bet you can't wait ;)

Adam's Auntie Mary will remember all about this kind of thing from when she had big tooth and abscess trouble during the Lock family visit last Autumn. A far from pleasant experience!



Jayne says:
Not sure I like the sound of all this... but mebbe they'll let me keep the teeth... I could make them into a new fashion accessory or summat... I guess that'll depend if they get them out in one piece or if they have to chip 'em into bits... Eeeeeuuuuw! Now I'm freakin' myself out.

And hotter still...

Right, now this is getting silly. April 21st Jayne was still skiing and now here we are, less than three weeks later, and it's just hit 88F outside! Unbelievably, snow is still visible in spots on top of the mountains.

Just 3 weeks ago: In her last lesson of the season with VASS Jayne helped Nini get to grips with 4-track skiing. These pics just came through on email today from Nini and her friend Kim.



Jayne says:

I discovered that skiing with outriggers is a real blast :)) and Nini did a fantastic job! She used to race and this was her first time skiing since she had a stroke 5 years ago. While coping with weakness and balance problems resulting from her stroke Nini not only mastered the outriggers but also learned how to handle parabolic skis - they're a far cry from the straight racing skis she'd been used to!

A splendid way to round off a great first season with Vermont Adaptive... and it only took a week for the skin to stop peeling off my nose - it was really hot that day too!

We're both looking forward to meeting up on the slopes again next winter, tho it seems so far away just now ;)

It's gettin' hot in here...


Phewee!

Things are definitely heating up here in Burlington VT. Temps currently hovering around 70F with highs of 84F, and kinda muggy with it too.

To top it all off we're on a severe thunderstorm alert today... at least it might clear the air.

In the meantime, this was our garden this afternoon.

Hope Blighty is enjoying similarly good weather. We've had reports of much sandal wearing and white legs on display in London...!

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

The house build - May 4

The weather's being so lovely here just now and things are still moving on quickly with our house.

Felt is being laid and the piles of shingles are ready to go down



Adam and Safi already hatching plans to raid the pantry...

Meanwhile Jayne is still chained to the kitchen sink!





Back of the house

Sunday, May 6, 2007

La belle Quebec

We got back from Canada after a good couple of days away and we've just downloaded the photos for you to see. Old Quebec was beautiful and well worth at least one visit. And yes, it is very possibly more French than France!

Anyway, it turns out Jayne's foray into town on her tod went pretty well, with no major incidents to report and no distress calls to save a lost damsel in distress. Phew! Check out her pics below, which show some of the sights as well as a few silly things that were notably 'different'...


Our rented Nissan Armada V8, which I don't think is out in the UK (it's one up from the Pathfinder)... grrrrr


KFC - or PFK (Poulet Frit Kentucky) as it's known in this part of the world. Didn't go in but had to take the snap, esp with the Curves fitness centre next door...

Still on the fast food theme, this was a Burger King like I've never seen before...


Stopped at yet more traffic lights on Grande Allee heading into old Quebec - funny that they're sideways compared to normal



On a go-slow in traffic heading down towards Old Quebec


A horse and carriage behind me in the wing mirror... note that Neddy is walking... slowly



The same horse and carriage streaks ahead... with Neddy still at a slow walk... clearly the way to get around town in all this traffic. Old city wall and Chateau de Frontenac in the distance.


Jayne heads off, not entirely intentionally, into the back streets of Quebec... very pretty... very French... errm, very narrow... oh and very one way too [one thing I was sure of was that I'd been up this way at least once already!]



Aaah yes, that would be the Chateau de Frontenac... again


Finally on the road back to Levis from old Quebec [I don't miss all this horrible traffic stuff one little bit - J]


The next day we both headed back into Quebec, via ferry this time, for breakfast and a little walk about before we left for Montreal.


View of old Quebec city from the ferry at Levis




... or in English, The Mad Pig. We almost stopped here for breakfast but didn't

Riding up the funicular railway



Where we ended up having breakfast - a great view of the Chateau de Frontenac just across the street from here...



A nice 'apres le petit-dejeuner' stroll through the streets back down to the ferry

... or rather more like Adam frog marching Jayne past all the lovely little shops full of wonderful wares to rummage through :( We came away with only a fridge magnet... boo!


On the next leg of the trip we didn't quite make it into the city of Montreal for a look about. Adam's schedule and Jayne's faith (or lack of it) in her ability to get in and out in one piece and without getting horribly lost on her own were to blame for that. It'll keep for another day tho, since on this trip we discovered we're only about 2 hours away.

On the recommendation of many we at least made a point of trying the local delicacy 'poutine' before we headed back to USA. For those not in the know this is basically proper chips (not American 'fries') with proper brown gravy poured over them and topped with fresh cheese curds (the worlds squeakiest cheese!). Not something you'd want to eat often but very yummy for the occasional 'before we get on the road home' snack!