Well I finally got the pics of our canoe trip in July along the US/Canadian border posted in an old album I created longer use. So the album title makes no sense but here they are. We are already planning at least two similar trips next year. Well Lesley is still in NZ, mum's birthday party is next week, so she is a flurry of activity. I have been out in the garden picking beans and snow peas, blanching them per Lesley's instructions and putting them in the freezer. That is about the extent of my gardening skills.

To those that replied to my last entry, a heartfelt thanks. I will continue to post from time to time. To the oldtimers here now that you have seen the pictures of where I go and what I do in a canoe, you can see why it was so important for me to push myself to get back into it. To the newbies here, it took five years, but it was worth every bit of effort it took. I now have noticed that since my body has gotten stronger, exercises I couldn't do before I can now do. After a bit of time, keep trying the old exercises and motions you had given up on. It is so easy to fall into left (or right) side neglect. I am now forcing my left side to do what it should, and it is responding! I just paddled a canoe 30 miles and nearly every paddle stroke was on the left side! Just in the past year I have noticed much improvement. I noticed a similar jump in ability at about the two year point. It seems like trying to steer a car that is stopped. It is difficult. Get the car moving and steering gets easier. I think our bodies are the same. Get the little things going, and the rest will improve also. I remember the joy of seeing my first finger movement after my stroke. One night I fell asleep wiggling my big toe against the top sheet, because that bit of motion was just beginning to return!

Anyway thanks to all again, I will continue to try and help anyway I can. To Jangelini, if you can get here to Minnesota I will get you into a canoe and all you have to do is sit there and enjoy! If that is not possible, Lesley and I are planning a trip to Washington DC (it looks like you are in MD), in the future. If you can line up a canoe, I'll make it go, you just sit there and look pretty!

Eureka!! I just got the name of the album changed to what it should be. Ain't life good!