OLA: Loving Three Men

Enzo, 7 years, and Kai, one month, playing

My Kai
photo courtesy of 3Klix Photography

The first is not quite obvious for he is just a three-week old infant. But he is the very reason I came here to Calgary for a 5-week visit. Kai was born on June 30, 2013 a day short of Canada Day. His birth gave such scary complications for his mom, my daughter Claudine, that the attention was not quite focused on him at the start. I witnessed (as I did Kenji in Seattle) his coming out in what the nurses called a precipitous birth. But now I try to get him from Claudine after a feeding with the pretext of burping him. Then I hold on to him till the next feeding! I so love him.

Kai already ready for action

This week he had the doctor’s session that turned him into a man. The circumcision went very well. The doctor deftly put topical anesthesia before injecting the intravenous one. He didn’t cry at all. When he came home he shrieked when that wore off but the Tylenol every four hours seemed to put him to sleep on and on. The following day, there was hardly a memory of the pain and he slept more than usual, too, even without the Tylenol. The wonders of technology had made this boy-to-man ritual as painless as possible without the hassle when it is done at puberty.

Enzo at the Stampede
photo courtesy of 3Klix Photography

The second belongs to the same strain. My first ever grandson Enzo and 7-year old brother of Kai was born on May 31, 2006. With four sisters, three daughters, and two granddaughters, there was no way in the world that anyone could prevent me from flying to Calgary in time to take care of him back then. As a matter of fact, I quit smoking before I arrived because I did not want such a young one to become a victim of second-hand smoke. He gave me a new leash on life.

Enzo, brave at the dentist's

Now Enzo is such a picky eater that I brought glutinous rice and cocoa powder to make him his favorite champorado (chocolate rice porridge) which always runs out of stock in Asian stores. For a whole week he kept on asking for more. Then I made him cinnamon rolls which he also finished in three days. He also asked for s’mores and guess what the doting grandma did? I am now preparing to make him cheese pizza, buko pandan, and purple yam haleya among others…if and when he asks for them.

Bill with Cristine in Alaska

Mitch and Cristine in Alaska

But the only grown man that I love will be coming back from Alaska tonight. He took the opportunity of my extended stay with the baby to visit his youngest child and daughter Cristine. He kept sending me pictures of beautiful scenes that I wished I had joined him. It turned out that Cristine’s son from her first husband, Kyle, Bill’s very first grandchild was also there to be with him. And Mitch, Cristine’s husband, and his brother Chris and his wife Sheryl were all there for the fishing, the hikes, and the dinners.  But my other two loves had a greater pull in the meantime, in a manner of speaking, so I stayed.

from left: Kyle, Cristine, Mitch, Bill, Sheryl, and Chris, in Alaska

But I missed Bill especially our night cap movie when we get together from separate activities in the day. So I had a harder time sleeping and took half a dose more of my pill. But the positive side is, like in Seattle when I was able to finish my first draft of my book manuscript when he was gone helping Jim for a month, I progressed with the minor overhauls after the first editing runs he and I made. I have finished three chapters with six more to go. My editor wants it in installment so the three chapters will be submitted to her as soon as Bill returns for his final proofreading.

Kyle with Alaska mountains basking in the afternoon sun

These are the three men I love in Calgary!

OLA: Eating, Playing, and Leaving!

Mother and Child, Claudine and Kai

After two weeks of Kai's eventful arrival and the exciting Calgary Stampede, this week was supposed to be normal, settling down to a routine of breastfeeding and sleeping for mom and baby. For the rest of us it was eternal eating and playing while Arnold worked. But it did not end that way. Some unexpected events capped the week and left me with some sad stories to tell y'all.

Sushi Platters

Eating In and Out

Chinese Lauriat at Ti Pot

Eating in is the responsibility of three ladies of the house. Jamie, Enzo’s former and now Kai’s nanny, is also a pretty good cook and made for us sushi, shrimp and scallops bacon carbonara, bacon, spinach and egg quiche, fried oreos, and many other good-eats. I got to contribute cinnamon rolls and champorado for Enzo, shepherd’s pie and beef with broccoli for everyone, and Bill grilled steaks for us all. On not so sleep-deprived days, Claudine made sinigang, chicken asado, kare-kare, white chicken adobo, and other Filipino meals.

Mick and Ligaya with us at Joey's Barlow

Pizza and Pasta at East Side 

Eating out is the responsibility of the gentlemen. One time Arnold treated the whole family to a great Chinese restaurant with a mini lauriat of nameless wonderful eats.Bill also treated everyone to a pizza and pasta dinner one night. Arnold also had the habit of bringing home fave-eats from Tim Horton’s, Canada’s equivalent of Starbucks and Denny’s combined.  Another time Bill and I met another traveling couple at Joey’s Barlow. Ligaya (Happy) friended me on FB and our travel schedules finally coincided in Calgary. Our Caucasian spouses treated each of us to pub food and drinks. 

setting up the trampoline, Enzo hiding under!

Arnold teaches the kids how to use the new popsicle maker!

Playing In and Out

Arnold, Jamie, and Bill managed to assemble the new trampoline that the kids had been asking for. Enzo, 7, and Ashton and Andre, 10, then spent many days, and nights, in the new gathering place, with the two girls from next door.  One lazy hot afternoon, Arnold taught the kids how to make healthy popsicles from the mini blast freezing gadget he bought from the Stampede Market. Another afternoon, Bill and I got to take the boys to their taekwondo class. One night Bill even got to watch Arnold play hockey. And I found a lot of great use for their treadmill!

Enzo and cousin Jaden glued to the iPad!

Claudine and Arnold watched Pacific Rim night while I baby-sat little Kai. Amid raving reviews, Bill and I followed their example the following night and enjoyed the newest resurrection of the Godzillas from the movies of our youth. Not content, Arnold and Bill followed that with a boys’ night out seeing The Lone Ranger. Both men are avid fans of Johnny Depp. I am not. And every night before going to bed, Bill and I thumbed through each episode of the House of Cards, the BBC mini-series, and now we are midway into Sherlock, another BBC series.

taekwondo class for Enzo, Ashton, and Andre

2 Cases of Leaving

our new car!!!

Case Number 1. Our dear dear old (literally) red Saturn that we bought when we purchased our Newmar Mountain Aire Class A motorhome in February of 2010 sputtered and finally conked out. We thought about just flying back to Seattle to buy a new dinghy there but we had packed for a road trip and thus will not be able to fit everything in two suitcases. So we thought, searched, and researched the market for used cars in Calgary. After deliberating on options for a dolly-towed car, we went back to our original flat-tow Saturn. This time, however, it is gold, a 2002 SL2 with just 100,000 miles for $3,000. The old red one was a 1999 SL1 with 150,000 miles when we bought it for $2,000. The new one appears to be in much better shape than the old one when we first purchased it!  I most definitely welcome the upgrade!

seeing Bill off at the airport

Case Number 2. After making all the arrangements and completing the paper work for the new car, Bill took the opportunity to leave for Alaska to visit his youngest child and daughter Cristine. The last time we were there was in September of 2010 for her wedding to Mytch Byrd. He will be gone for 10 days, the fourth and second longest separation (3, 5, 30, 10 days) we have had since we got married five years ago. I will be a very busy grandma and he, a very busy Dad…all over again!

And so it is that another not so normal week passed by in my five-week stay in Calgary, Alberta! I wonder what is in store for me next week while Bill is away. Will the cat play?

OLA: Bringing Out 'Come Hell or High Water'

humorous contortionist

wave rider

acrobatic bicyclist

the ravages caused by the flooding...but the Indian Village
of the  Calgary Stampede still stands!

-shirts with these words sold out every day in the Calgary Stampede from July 5 to 14. The phrase was coined in the late 1800s, describing droves of cattle being brought to the railroads when cowboys had to cross even flooding rivers and scorching open prairie. What an appropriate saying for Calgary Stampede 2013! The 'Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth' that brought in 1.4 M international visitors at its best was threatened with cancellation when heavy rainfall caused devastating flood waters to inundate the southwest section of the city and outlying towns.  A massive clean-up with thousands of volunteers got the act together in time for the July 5 opening of the 10-day event.

Carol at The Wild Horses of the Calgary Stampede

Fascinated Enzo

Family Day

After the two free breakfasts and Parade during the first two days, Bill and I scoured the huge fairground in two full days, Family Day and Senior’s Day. July 7 was Family Day and we went with Claudine’s husband Arnold, their seven-year old son Enzo, and Jamie, his nanny and Arnold’s cousin. Everybody had free admission as long as they reached the Stampede before 9 am.  Fortunately, I was able to get up on time!

   

Arnold and Enzo winning $$$

Immediately, we went to the Stampede Market for the newest gadgets and gizmos.  But it was not Bill or Arnold who got stuck there. Enzo was so fascinated and couldn’t leave the Zoku stand which was selling a colorful popsicle-maker through blast-freezing, producing better taste and healthier options.  But Arnold and Bill did get grill mats and miracle cleaners/sprayers for their cars.

Arnold helping Enzo hit the target

Fancy Burgers at the Cowshack!

Two hours was not enough to cover the entire area but we were all hungry and proceeded to Cowshack which had good burgers and drinks in a shaded and fenced area where we could rest. After lunch Arnold went to the games. In the first he won all of $16 which quickly got swallowed by the next games. There were so many Enzo didn’t know where to run to next. We then had great funnel cakes for snacks.

Calgary Show Band at The Steps

We had time for the Agriculture Shows and found so many interesting and beautiful animals like the miniature horses and the smallest rams and the different breeds of horses. But my left heel started to hurt so Bill and I went to The Steps where every half hour there is a new show.  

Right before the Calgary Show Band performed, Arnold and the gang joined us. Then during the break, Arnold and Jamie went to get a Colossal Onion for all of us to share. Even then, it was difficult to finish.  Soon we witnessed Bendy Em squeeze herself into a foot and a half cube!  Enzo was right in front getting as amazed as Bill and I! And he had his photo op with the contortionist after.

I found my yellow teepee!!!

Senior’s Day

July 9 was Senior's day. The whole day, all seniors, 65 and older have free admission, free breakfast, and free rodeo seats.  This was one time I wanted to be 65 (I have four months to go!).  At 9 am we were right in time for the breakfast and got our tickets for the Rodeo.  I got everything free because when they asked if I was a senior, I said I was (albeit in the US and the Philippines). Then we went to peek at the Indian Village where different tribes of the First Nation were represented in colorful teepees.

Before the Rodeo we were able to catch the noontime show of Bell Ranch's H20 Extreme Show (Some ride horses, we ride waves!). Although the jetski daredevil rides were awesone, Bill and I were especially thrilled with the Russian's water spout show. Luckily, we were one of the last to be led in so our seats were high up in the bleachers, depriving us of the wetness of the occasion.

Pool B steer wrestling in action

But the Rodeo is something else.  The quality of any rodeo is based on the caliber of the competitors, both the men and the animals (horses, steer, and bulls). The Calgary Stampede Rodeo has the world’s richest prize money, over $2 million in prize money. Thus, it attracts the best, mostly from the US (Texas, Oklahoma, etc.), Brazil, Australia, and, of course, Canada.

the Motorcycle Daredevil Intro

Contestants are divided into two pools, the first competing from July 5 to 8, the other from July 9 to 12. The top four winners advance to Showdown Sunday, July 14. The remaining six competitors in each pool compete on Wild Card Saturday, July 13. The top two in each event advance to Showdown Sunday, – Rodeo’s Richest Afternoon with over $1 million to be given away.  The winner in each event gets the Calgary Stampede Championship and $100,000.

Indian Hoop Dance

The four events are 1) bareback horse riding, 2) steer wrestling 3) saddle bronc horse riding, and 4) bull riding, and 5) tie down calf roping. Unbelievable strength, stamina, and determination are required from both the cowboy and the animal. In addition, the rider must get in rhythm with the horse in events one and two in order to properly use spurs and to just stay on! But 2, 3, and 5 are definitely contests of strength and skill! There was also a token ladies’ barrel racing event and, of course, a queen and two princesses were ‘crowned’.  The intro act was a sensational demo of motorcycle daredevil riders while the intermission was an Indian hoop dance.

World Stock Dog Championship

Right after the Rodeo, we went to the World Stock Dog Championship. It was a first-time for Bill and me to witness such a competition. A stock dog and his trainer compete with other tandems for the shortest time for the duo to shepherd a trio of sheep to do the figure 8 at the center of three barrels, to slide through a fenced side bar, and, lastly, to  enter a four-sided fenced-in yard. The fastest time was a lady and her dog who did all that in 117 seconds. Quite a show!

delicious elephant ears!

The last show we watched was at The Steps, an acrobatic bicyclist who spoke English with a heavy French accent but managed to elicit laughter from the crowd. His mastery of bicycling from any position mesmerized the crowd. He surprised us most when he rode a small bike that was, oh, probably less than two feet long. But at his grand finale, he rode a tiny bike that was about a foot long and went through a ring of not very blazing fire.

colossal onion

That was at 6:30 pm so we got some ‘elephant ears’ for dinner and walked through Stampede Market to check out the sections we missed out on, especially the Western Oasis and its Wine and Beer Garden, when we were there on Family Day. This time, we brought home two laundry balls, one for us and one for Claudine’s family, perfect for baby’s cloth diapers which Claudine wants to use after Kai’s first month. We also passed by Family Feud Live on the Corral.

fast-selling t-shirt!

Then off we went home by 8 pm, our feet sore and our backs waiting for the bed to soothe them! The High Water was surely gone although the Saddle Dome was still out of use (shows there like Bruno Mars, Tim McGraw, etc. were cancelled), water still being pumped out of its bottom floor. But it surely did not stop  Stampede!

OLA: Bringing Everyone Home to the Calgary Stampede!

Calgary Stampede and Alberta Flags are hung all over the city!

It may not have been as scary as when Bill had a heart attack and I was all alone, but pretty darn close.  We all got scared:  Ante and Tess, Arnold’s parents, Bill and I, and, of course, Arnold and Enzo, Kai’s 7-year old big brother. We had just brought Claudine from the Birthing Center to her private room  but just before we were about to leave for home, she started to bleed heavily. We were all asked to leave  the room and soon 2 doctors and 5 nurses were frantically scurrying in and out of the room.

Red lights were blinking outside the room in unison with buzzing sounds. It took an hour before they were able to control the bleeding. And we all felt sorry for Claudine who had another harrowing experience. Actually, this sounded more painful as we heard her loud, though infrequent, screams. But at 11 PM, we were all allowed back to bid her goodnight and let her rest.  Arnold stayed with her, trying to sleep on the one hard metal chair. It was clear that Claudine would not be able to go home the next day, Canada Day.

Arnold brought Claudine home with Kai to brother Enzo and stepbrothers Ashton and Andre

flowers, fruits, and bears from well-wishers

But my courageous daughter did the day after! Bringing a healthy Mom and a healthy Baby back home is such a joyous occasion, with flowers, fruits, and bears from well-wishers waiting for them. That night their first group of visitors came and a Chinese Feast was bought by Arnold for all! Sooner rather than later, everything will surely get back to normal, with the new addition, Kai Jor-El.  I confess I could not get enough of him. Bill and Claudine were always pleading ‘Put him down!’

a Chinese Feast!

Kai in the car going to the doctor

What an astonishing healthcare system for moms and babies! A public nurse visited and checked Mom and Baby the next day. The second check-up was a visit to an Alberta Health Services Community Health Center where the nurse confirmed that Kai was almost out of the jaundice curve and has gained some more grams! Claudine, however, also had to be checked by her family physician the next day who ordered an ultrasound just to make sure that no more blood clots remain in her uterus which, by physical examination, still seemed quite distended. The first available slot is August 1. Sigh.

It was really very considerate of Claudine to time Kai’s arrival just before the world famous Calgary Stampede on July 5 to 14! For the first time we will be able to attend ‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’. The event's roots are traced back to 1886 when the Calgary and District Agricultural Society held its first fair and in 1919 when the American promoter Guy Weadick, who had put together the first Stampede in 1912, returned to Calgary to organize the Victory Stampede in honor of soldiers returning from WWI. In 1923 the two events were merged to create the Calgary Stampede.

Organized by volunteers from many civic associations, it has grown into one of the world's richest rodeos, one of Canada's largest festivals, and one of Calgary’s tourist attractions bringing in more than a million tourists every year. Known as the "Stampede City", Calgary takes on a different look: offices and stores present cowboy themes, residents dress western, and hundreds of free pancake breakfasts, barbecue lunches, and evening cocktails are hosted.

flooded parade street in downtown Calgary

Less than two weeks before the start of this year's show, heavy rainfall triggered the worst flooding in Alberta's history, causing the areas along the Bow, Elbow, Highwood, Red Deer, Sheep, Little Bow, and South Saskatchew rivers and tributaries to be overflowed. Four people were confirmed dead and 100,000 displaced. A massive clean-up by the government sparked an equally massive volunteer campaign. The Stampede rolled on! 

Enform Corral, our first Stampede breakfast!

On July 4, as a pre-Stampede event, Claudine’s office Enform hosted the first-ever Stampede breakfast Bill and I participated in. It was held at the office parking lot with a mini-golf, car racing, and buckaroo for the kids and pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and fruits and a cowboy DJ music for everyone. Of course, the 4-day old Kai was one of the main attractions!  On July 5, we participated in another Stampede breakfast at Arnold’s former office LaurenConsie where his uncle Ernie Dino is a partner. It was more of the same stuff plus devilled eggs and blueberry muffins and screwdrivers with western music playing in the background. 5-day old Kai was again a main attraction.

the long line to the partners, cooking breakfast for staff of Lauren Consie

the Filipino Contingent was first in line!

It was great that the office is situated in the city center, right on the street where the Stampede Parade passed. We had a great vantage point from the fourth floor! The parade must have been a mile-long with more than 50 organizations participating. The Filipino contingent was the first to roll! There were lots of horses, floats, clowns, cars, and ethnic groups, including the First Nation. 

most applauded

But the best applauded were Calgary’s emergency service organizations and the representatives of the towns affected by the floods that swept the lower sections of the city and threatened the cancellation of Stampede. It is but right. Seeing courage and cooperation amid any danger or calamity is most inspiring!

 More about Calgary the Stampede and mom and baby in the next two posts!

OLA: Choosing Precious Family Time!

the newest addition to the family, Kai Jor El, right after delivery by proud parents, Claudine, with Arnold assisting!

My second daughter Claudine’s second son was due on July 1. Technically, we had a week to kill when we left Boise on January 25. Jim and family were going off to visit his sister Suzanne’s family the following day and Claudine had company until the 30^th. We had 3 options to get to her and husband Arnold’s home in Calgary: the shortest, the longer, and the longest, in driving distance.

The shortest was to drive straight through and have several days of rest somewhere between Boise and Calgary. The longer, adding 7 hours, is driving through Seattle to get another chance to visit my daughter Trish, son-in-law Deejay, and grandkids Krishna, Yeye, and Kenji. The longest, a trip through Saskatchewan and Manitoba, 2 middle Canadian provinces east of British Columbia and west of Ontario which we had not been to, would have added 20 hours. Of course, we chose family time!

The Seattle Great Wheel, newest addition to the Waterfront

Deejay had chili and cornbread waiting for us for dinner!  After a bottle of wine amid a brief frenzied catching up, we retired to rest after a long travel day. The next night I made what my grandkids’ always ask me to make, baked lasagna! Deejay rented The Call for a movie night and guess what Bill rented? The Call! They are really very much alike, especially about how to take care of their brood.

Grilled beef on skewers @ Seattle's Ipanema

The third night the boys had their night out. First they revisited the famed Seattle Waterfront and Pike Place Market. Then they had a sampling of increasingly popular Brazilian food, at the Ipanema, very heavy on grilled or roasted beef, served on large skewers from which you take slices as they go around tables. Meanwhile my day was spent cooking another favorite dish of my grandkids, Halaan (Manila Clams) Soup and steamed crabs

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luxurious iPic Theater experience in Redmond, Washington

The last day the couple gave us a very nice date experience at iPic Theater in the upscale Redmond Town Center (Microsoft country). We watched ‘Now You See Me’ in the luxury of extraordinary recliners with a shared table. We each had all you can eat popcorn, ‘on the house’ before and after lunch. I had ROOT beer and Bill had REAL beer, a Stella Artois. Lunch was pepperoni and sausage flatbread con jalapenos for Bill and I had the fresh Asian chicken rice rolls. And it was a mighty fine movie to boot! Since we were already in Redmond, we also passed by to look at Bill's first ever home in Washington. It still looks great! 

Bill's first ever home in Redmond, Washington!

@ Red House, Renton, Washington

The second to the last night was supposed to be the girls’ night out but Claudine texted that she was actually due on June 30 instead of July 1 and I wanted the chance to be at the delivery room just as when welcomed Kenji to the world.  Enzo, Claudine’s first son, arrived 2 weeks early so I missed it. Trisha, Bill, and I went to the Red House, a very popular tapas and wine and beer bar and restaurant in Renton. By about 7:30 PM Trisha and I had already let off enough steam to poor Bill. We called the rest of the family to come over. Besides, Trisha would no longer be able to drive after the bottle of Rioja.

@ Red House in Renton, Washington!

So we were still able to have the family night out. Kenji sang his ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ masterpiece (he had sung it to me every day I was there) so I could record it. After 2 flavorful paellas, the awesome Family Size Mediterranean plate, the most succulent Steak Pomfrites, and the trio of desserts, tiramisu, apple crisp, chocolate molten cake, and another bottle of Italian wine, the whole Bunch headed home extremely happy.

The following day Deejay had breakfast ready on the table:  scrambled eggs, sausages, biscuits, and gravy!!!

beautiful yellow fields of rape seed!

world's biggest truck in Sparwood, BC

We were on the road at 8:30 am, 30 minutes earlier than our goal. The road we took to Calgary took us there in 12 hours and 45 minutes of driving. There were many great shots of the Canadian Rockies and beautiful yellow rape seed fields. We stopped for the night at Cranbrook, BC, leaving only 4 hours of driving the next day. We also saw the world’s largest truck at Sparwood, BC! At the border between Eastport, Idaho and Yahk, BC we stopped at the little Duty Free Shop and bought Grey Goose for Arnold, gummi bears for Enzo and the twins, Red Label for Bill, and chocolate for me and Claudine.

the smallest Duty Free Shop at the border of Idaho and Canada

the Canadian Rockies at summertime

We reached the Kootenay Country Inn at 7 PM Mountain Time. It was a cute white motel with pink and white flowers hanging in front of every room. The room was small but aptly painted white and baby pink (too bad for Bill). Wifi in the room was strong and excellent. The breakfast buffet at the nearby Husky Travel Center was bountiful but I got a text that Claudine was already bleeding and in the hospital waiting for her doctor. So we hurried on to Calgary, 4 hours away from Cranbrook.

I couldn't get enough of Kai!

Fortunately for us, Claudine was sent home and asked to come back at 4:30 PM. We arrived at their home at 2 PM.  So after some quick updates, we all trooped to the Peter Lougheed Centre. The doctor decided to induce her at 5 PM. Arnold and I were the only two allowed inside the labor room so Bill and Enzo went home. The delivery was all natural, and I won the contest of guess the time! Kai Jor El was born at 8:04 PM on June 30, 2013, weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces.

More on all this precious family time, with jewels of finds in between, in the next posts!