This morning began this blog with the title, sometimes that is the last addition, but not today. Trying to express the magnitude of blessings coming from so many sources, the only word I could come up with was Quantify which is to express or measure the quantity of.
But that does not do it, so I shall try another approach. Returning to live in Edmonton (after an absence of fifty-five years) is the best thing I have ever done, for many reasons. One good thing, one good person, one good situation has led to more and more and more. This is an example, albeit a bit unusual. (Albeit means although). The good thing, the good persons, the good situations began with the leasing of this apartment. I love it entirely, best place I have lived in decades for many reasons. It seems made for me, the size, the wall color, the view, the kitchen, the washer/dryer, the quiet, the safety of the building, most of the staff, the cleanliness, the location. This conversation initially with M.A.N. (Manager Awesome Nepalese)
Me: I need an Edmonton doctor. Do you know of one?
He: Yes. Here is her name and numbser.
Called, got an appointment for a prescription renewal but learned she was not taking new patients. I put on my charming, intelligent personality and at the conclusion of our first appointment.
She: I was not taking new patients. But I will make an exception. I would like to work with you.
Me: I am so grateful. You are such a good doctor. I felt thankful for my California doctor of 44 years but you are better, so thorough and so knowledgable.
She subsequently told me that she too was a Muslim – that makes everything perfect as I ask her about Ramadan and recently about Haj which is the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca that takes place in the last month of the year, and that all Muslims are expected to make at least once during their lifetime.
Me: Have you done Haj
She: Yes. When I was in Saudi Arabia in 2014. I recommend that you wait for awhile, at least a couple of years.
Me: You are brilliant!! I read that this year they are lifting the requirement of age. During the pandemic people over 65 were not allowed therefore there will be thousands and thousands of older people who have been denied. Those who never have been will have first priority. And with the covid situation in China, who knows, it might come thundering back?
She: Yes! I am so glad you were able to do your Umrah.
Me: Yes!! I was blessed because, after all, I am only two years old in the faith. To do an Umrah at 2 is very rare.
She: (laughingly) Very unusual.
I will not return to Riyadh for Ramadan instead preform it here in Edmonton under her excellent care. My appointment with her was for prescription renewal. She took my blood pressure.
She; It is 91/63 that is so low. How are you feeling?
Me: Okay, sometimes slightly dizzy.
She: That is why. Be careful and keep track and if it gets worse we will change your meds.
Me: I am weird. Most people are concerned about their high blood pressure – with me it is the opposite.
She was gone from the office briefly. On the wall there was a poster offering a shingles vaccination.
Me: I saw the poster for a shingles vaccination. I need one.
She: I assumed you had one as you have had such good care.
Me: No. One was prescribed but California had run out.
She gave me a prescription and the next day I was at the Allin Clinic getting my meds and a shingles vaccination. The woman pharmacist was so incredibly helpful and informative.
She: I can administer the vaccination but it is expensive. You could wait.
Me: Why should I wait?
She: Well it can be a matter of finances as there are two vaccinations and each cost $180.00
Me: No problem. I worked my whole life, paid for my own education, did not have kids. Just so I could pay for a shingles vaccination when I was almost 80.
So I got the jab but there were lottos side effects – fever, a very sore arm, and brain fogging. I went to Cake Art, in the building for coffee and great food and while there met a young mother with the cutest, most alert little boy. We had a long conversation about everything, I told her about my shingles vaccination and the side effects.
She: My mother had shingles three times and my 22 year old brother got it as well.It is horrible!
Me: So I understand, I will not complain about a little inconvenience.
Bought some of my favorite goods – puff wheat squares (unobtainable in California and Abu Dhabi and London) and two delicious scones. Called Yellow Cab and my chariot arrived. Spoke with the driver about how much we hated the USA. Got home and continued a text conversation with LOL, the son of M.A.N. who now posts the blog. He is so handy, it is working out perfectly to have someone here -not in faraway UK on a different time zone. I texted LOL, he was at an Oiler game. He LOVES hockey.
Me: There is a problem with the blog. The statistics did not show up. They were embedded. So when you have a chance post them at the end, like you would a photo. It has happened before with Chris. No idea what goes wrong. Do you want me to mail you another email with the statistics? It is a problem, but not a tragedy.
He: I will do it once I get home tonight.
Later, got a text.
He: I did it! It is updated.
Me: That is great!
He: The Oilers won. I am happy!
Me: How wonderful. I am happy for you and for me. Hahaha! I will tell you my Oilers story when I see you. Forgot about it until just now. Let me know when you are going to wake up and I will send my blog.
He: (at 11:21 am) I just woke up
Me: You are a sleepy head. I have started the blog and not finished it and I have a busy day. How about if I send it to you about eight and you post it when you get around to it.
He: I won’t be able to get it done until very late, I think.
Me: That is totally fine! I will send it about ten and post it whenever you get a chance.
He: It will not be until about 2 am if you are fine with that.
Me: That is perfectly fine!
He: Haha thank you
Me: Obviously nothing tomorrow morning. Maybe text when you wake up and we can do a plan of the day. Thinking of taking a day off but we shall see.
He: I should be up around 12 tomorrow.
Me: I will be up at five. We are not exactly on the same time clock. Hahaha 😅🤣😃
He: For sure 😀
But later that evening problems arose.
Me: I got a shingles vaccination today and I might get brain fog as a side effect. I am setting my alarm for midnight. I will wake up and see if I can write. Maybe not. Brain fog?!?! Honest. And a sore arm etc etc etc. mew shall see. Oh well. Shingles is awful so this is good by comparison. I am going to sleep with alarm set for midnight. Me good night but not you.
Then at 12:42
Me: I woke up with brain fog. Will send you something around noon tomorrow. Please do not say or even think. How can she tell? Is her brain not always fogged???
Then I sent two GIFs – do not know how to put GIFs on blog. One of the fat guy on the Office.
Me: Could this be my next husband? I hope not.
Then one with Snoopy snoring on the top of his dog house.
Me: Going back to sleep.
He: Talk to you at noon tomorrow.
So all of that got worked out perfectly. Well, if you are seeing this blog it did. It is so appreciated, I have peace of mind. Some of the time, near the end (and before) did not communicate very well with Computer Guru. So that makes me appreciate this totally – even more than usual. That is sometimes the situation and is recognized in the Islamic faith. One has hardships, also given by Allah so that we can learn from them and then appreciate our blessings. Many Muslims have difficulty with this concept and are constantly moaning that their prayers are not being answered. Fortunately, I do not have that problem.
In the first instance, with my Canadian doctor, I am so thankful that I could get the shingles vaccination because I could not in the USA nor in Abu Dhabi. Without an Emirati ID I could not get a fourth booster shot (although millions were stock piled) – so no way I could have gotten a Shingles vaccine. If it was possible to ration oxygen one could not even breathe without an Emirati ID which serves to relieve you of all of your money and any control over it. Those Royals, who own the banks, are most greedy. That forbidden by Allah.
So I am so happy to be living in Canada – the banks are not owned by the Windsors not Trudeau nor by Premier Smith.
I am so grateful for my Muslim woman Primary Care Physician. I will never forget this conversation with my Marin County PCP. Told him that I had become a Muslim
Me: So when you first saw me 44 years ago, did you ever think that I would become a Muslim
He: That was the furthest thing from my mind.
We spoke more of the faith including the prohibition against sex outside of marriage. He was most conservative but he wandered around the office saying:
He: No sex? No sex? No sex?
The dear office staff, who had been with him for years just laughed and laughed and laughed.
I do miss him. He did retire, so would not be seeing him anymore anyway. I am blessed with my new Edmonton doctor. One has to close old doors before opening new ones.Looked it up and this is what I found: Alexander Graham Bell, another vital inventor, said that “When one door closes, another one opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” Often, there is a path that our lives lead us down “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.”
Yesterday, another example of this. I went for lunch instead of breakfast at the Legislative cafeteria as they feature fish and chips for Friday lunch. I love fish and chips and it is, of course, not harem. I get there to find that it was not available as the deep fat fryer was not working. Of course I complained vociferously. But instead ordered the veggie burger. Found it was delicious. It shall be pictured, showing a bit of the ancient carpeting that was probably there when my Great Uncle William was plastering the building in 1910.
I do miss fancy food, found in restaurants throughout my travels. But I do so love puffed wheat squares, only found in Edmonton. They shall also be pictured.
More about my happiness and the necessary preceding sorrows in the next blog
