Happy New Year 2011

I just got back from Toronto after spending some time with a celebrating New Years with the folks.

It was a good time tempered by the fact that my Dad spent the entire week pretty much confined to bed, doubled over in pain due to intense and continuous back pain that had flared up without any warning or immediate cause. He had spent the prior two weeks also in bed due to the pain and we went on Thursday night (via medical transport with some very nice paramedics as he couldn't sit or get into a car) for his MRI scheduled at 12:15 am at the hospital (yes, not the afternoon, we're talking 0 dark fifteen, as there's one heck of a lineup in Toronto for the few available MRI machines. The scan procedure was done by 1 am and we then went home.

We found out Friday the results - he has a bulged disc that is pressing on a nerve and causing the pain. We'll have to wait on the 'speedy' Canadian health-care system to see when he can see a specialist and get an opening for what will most likely be an operation. On the upside, he's in great spirits, and this being the time of Festivus, I could finally take him at feats of strength.

We spent a fair bit of time together, chatting and watching The Pacific
that I had brought him as a gift.



The Pacific is a fantastic mini-series and does for the Marines in the Pacific Theater of World War 2 what Band of Brothers
did for the 101st Airborne in the European Theater of Operations. Highly, Highly recommended.

We also spent the time watching some of NHL and World Junior Hockey games, including Canada's loss yesterday to Sweden 6-5 by a shootout which was an exciting game but one Canada should have won.

We also had a chance to visit Great Aunt Bayla (my Great Aunt and my kids Great-Great Aunt, 95 years old and still sharp as a tack), Leon Panzer's widow, and I will be posting some great stuff as a result of that visit shortly.

I then spent New Year's with Tash's family with the traditional Russian feast, and on waking and sobering up we headed home. Traffic was light, the border crossing pleasant and uncrowded and we made good time, hopefully a good omen for a pleasant 2011 to come.

So a Happy and Healthy 2011 to all.