Here we go again…

Family Life, Jon

Laura Peter Well, here goes Jon’s third major surgery, almost eight months to the day of his second one. The operation starts this morning at 8 a.m. at Sick Kids, but of course that means we’ve been at the hospital since 6 a.m. (in part making sure the kid isn’t tempted to eat or drink anything right before the surgery.) Surgery is estimated to last five or six hours. For details on what’s being done, read about Jon’s first operation from six years ago (start at the bottom of the page), and pretend it reads “left leg/hip”.

There was a bit of tension when Jon got winged by whatever virus is going around just before the March Break. You have to be healthy to go into surgery. He shook all of the symptoms easily, save for some sinus congestion that just…kept…holding…on. But he’s mostly better, and the anaesthesiologists say that this is minor and not an impediment.

Huge thanks to Pam who is dogsitting at our place throughout the day and trying to ensure that poor Photon won’t go too mental.

The Operation

Jon

Jon (This journal entry was written Tuesday morning, so there’s no question that Jon has been thinking about his upcoming operation.—L)

I will get an operation on Wednesday March 21/07. they will get an operation on the left leg. I will get up erly. I will get on the elevator at the Hospitle. I like to watch tree house on TV. I like to watch the wether channel on TV.
I will bring my little DVD player It plays DVDs. I like to sleep in a Hospitle bed. Do you like to sleep in a Hospitle bed? Yes I do! I like to waik up. Tonight on my little DVD player I’m going to watch disk two of Loony Toons.

Jon

As the Universe Changes

Cool Stuff

The Day the Universe Changed titles

PeterI’m a huge fan of James Burke, the British TV science host. Though he is best known for the Connections series, for me his strongest work is the ten-episode The Day the Universe Changed.

It’s a globe-trotting, era-spanning series on the history of science, technology and the human condition, but Burke keeps it low-key and intimate. He pulls each program together without any apparent effort, and with more than an ounce of wit. It was a major influence on how I approached our books, especially Born Smart?.

And now it’s on the web. Mr. Burke himself has put the ten episodes up as 45-minute podcasts.

Okay, glasses fashions have changed, and corduroy jackets are harder to come by these days, but I think that this 20-year-old series holds up very well. Enjoy.

Lee’s Candies Aftermath

Family Life, Reads, Thoughts & Musings

Laura This article from the Vancouver Courier updates the story of the Lee’s Candies fire, with a photo of Valeria in front of the outpourings of love surrounding what was formerly her store. Obviously other people cared about Valeria and her shop—someone actually started a fundraising drive to help her until Valeria put a stop to it. Since much of the store’s charm and appeal for customers and owner was its vintage character (both in-store and behind the scenes where the chocolates were made), it likely wouldn’t be possible to re-create. As Valeria says in the article, “With the old building and all the old equipment gone, our only choice would be to open in a modern space with modern equipment which would frankly bore the hell out of me.” Brava, spoken like a true artist!