A Farewell to 2008

I must admit that the events of the past 10 days weren't the happiest, they were simply the passage of time. And tonight we turn over a new leaf and begin anew. Personally I like the end the year with all bills paid, a clean home, fresh bed linens and great friends and families in my corner. I shall have all before the New Year.

We took time out over the Christmas holidays to simply laugh and be kids again. The best prescription...tobogganing with the kids/grandkids!

JT,Joe, Lesley trooping back up the hill.

Joe, Alex & JT ready for the push off.

JT...he figured out that riding on his knees enabled him to steer.

Alex sliding down backwards, he was facing the front by the time he got to the bottom.

Heather & I on top the hill. I chickened out and took photos instead of sliding.

Jonathan trying out JT & Alex's air hockey table. Jonathan will be a formidable opponent as soon as he can see over the top!

Wishing you and yours all the best in the New Year!

More Birthdays!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Birthday!

Meaghan, Dec 30
Cheryl Jan 2
Noella Jan 3
Heather Jan 5
Candice Jan 5
Lynn Jan 10
Angie Jan 26
and me Jan 4

Despite our sorrow, I must say that 2008 has been an awesome year and I can't wait for 2009 and all it's surprises!

Good to be home again

The holidays didn't turn out the way we had planned, but what do you do but put one foot in front of the other and carry on. Dad's service will be scheduled as soon as everyone checks their schedules and the back log of travelers gets cleared up. Who knew that the Vancouver snowfall would impact us in AB?

Thanks for all the notes and little memories of Dad...so many that I had forgotten some. He had a very full and colourful 82 years.

Monday will be busy. Joe is back in the office and there's a road trip in his future and I have a date with Motor Vehicles...yup...that time again to go in renew my license and try not to lie about my weight!!!! I knew I should have done it before the holidays! Too much food...as usual!

June 3, 1926 - December 21, 2008

Phillip...you shouldn't have

One of the new fellows at work is very Scottish and he had been talking about a holiday surprise. Well all was revealed yesterday! What do you think of Joe as a red head?

Joe's been busy today!

Joe has been up north visiting his camps before the holiday madness sets in. This is what he woke up too. Brr!

Roads in the area are terrible as this shot illustrates. I did get a bit nervous and called Joe to see if he was taking photos and emailing them all while driving his own truck. He said no, he stopped because they were trying to pull the tanker out and so had time to take the photo and email...all via his handy dandy company cell phone! Hmmm....wonder how that those 'Ansel Adams' cost?!

Happy Birthday Jonathan Robert Angus!

I must be tougher today...doesn't seem quite so cold!

Finally got Kevin's travel arrangements set. Had to go back yesterday because the clerk had him traveling south twice without a return trip. She apologized.

We put the tree up in the living room after Joe switched the lights...we have all white LED now. It shows up the ornaments more. Still no holiday baking done.

Seems the faster I go, the behinder I get! But bare with me and I'm sure we will have a lovely Christmas with the family!

OK, had enough winter!

I know I said I love the changing seasons but this is a bit much. We didn't gradually get cold, we bottomed out this morning @ -35'C. Where as the kids south of us got way too much snow, we have not much snow but the bitter cold wind chills. I have a heavy layer of frost on the inside of my windows. Today when I dress, I'll be wearing all my warm layers. And I may not go outside at all!

Great minds from far & wide

I knew that Alli loved Nora Roberts...we chatted a bit via FB a while back. And because sisters are a like is so many ways, I'm not surprised by Krista's recommendation. Then when Krista added she didn't care for JD Robb...Lucie pops in with this as a her choice for light reading. Small world indeed.

I do enjoy mysteries more than romance...not enough substance for a good mind distraction. At the end of my day, I need something to shut my brain off of everything things and just escape into a good book. I have a tendency to find an author I like and then scout out every book they wrote through the library. If I really love the book, I'll buy it.

I don't know much about Twilight...but I'm sure both my girls will fill me in over the holidays. I'm so glad that so many are still reading. Seems the men in our household are stuck on the newspaper, audio books and Archie comics! You figure out who reads what!

Thanks for your input!

New concepts to me

When I retired from work, one of the things I wanted do, was to get back into reading for pleasure. As far back as I can remember, books have been a large part of life life and escape.

A great Christmas gift for me was the latest Nancy Drew adventure. I can remember being in heaven one year when I got 3 different titles. Mom knew where I was - on my bed, reading!

Then this past fall, my darling Joe gifted me with an ebook and that has opened a whole new avenue. I can take it with me for those times when I have to wait. I can instantly pick up where I left off and just as easily bookmark it for the next reading session, whether it be a mini or maxi one! I still like paper books, visiting the library and wandering the stacks for something new & exciting.

I recently read the Frost/Nixon interview and was surprised to hear that Ron Howard had directed the movie version. Not sure how he's going to bring Nixon to life, but it may be a good movie to catch for all you history buffs.

I just finished Iris Johansen's Pandora's Daughter and that brought me into a foreign world of Listeners, Hearers and such. I was never one for fantasy but I seem to be slowly enveloping the new concept.

Lesley so kindly lend me Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveller's Wife which is set to be released as a movie in 2009. I'm slowly going through the whole time travel concept and could easily put the book down unread except for the opening passage which keeps drawing me back. To paraphrase...Clare says "It's hard being left behind...It's hard to be the one who stays." The author has captured my feelings all those times that Joe went away...29 years of international travel for military/work. I think I'll have this for a while before I get through it...my mind races off into personal directions and it's hard to get back on track.

A book I will be re reading shortly is Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers. Heather gave me this last year and its message is quite relevant today as life unfolds before us.

I hope you enjoy reading as much as I do and please, share some of your favorites with me...I'm open to new ideas!

Tis the season

For goodwill toward men and...
wool socks
long johns
toques & mitts
chap stick!
A girl can never have too many of these!

I don't believe it, even now!

What is IT?

IT was a day long shopping trip in the midst of holiday chaos in the WEM & Londonderry with Joe not complaining at all! We headed out early, while the boys...Joe, Aaron, JT, Alex, Brian & Kevin played mini golf, Lesley & I hit the stores...HARD! When we all met up for lunch we were hauling lots of bags! It actually went well for everyone with 1 exception.

Brian & Kevin went over to another mall where Gene Simmons was attending a grand opening and would sign autographs for 2 hours. However, by the time they arrived, the crowds were such that they didn't even see a peep of Gene.

Sunday was the children's Christmas party. Here's a few highlights...but Papa had to disappear into a quiet area to take some phone calls and missed Santa's visit. Maybe next year he'll see him!

Thanks for the great visit!

Birthday wishes galore!

Happy Birthday!Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!

Henry
Madison
Bradley
Tamara
Shawn G
Jonathan
Will
Jennifer G
Allison
Betty E
Meagan
and a Happy Anniversary to Richard & Mary!

Busy head

It wouldn't be bad if my head was full of holiday related stuff...but no...I have to have a lot more stuff running around in there! Here are some examples

1. Iris Johansen's Pandora's Daughter...is it possible?
2. Farm Sanctuary - Gene Baur...will I become vegan?
3. GOYA concept...Get of your *ss...why are some days harder to be productive vs busy?
4. Students & part time jobs - the impact on the family unit
5. More creative ideas than time...how could I best divide my time
6. TV - could I go without it? I love to hate it but I do have a couple favorite shows!
7. 80/20 concept...how Richard Koch's thoughts are colouring my world!

Any thoughts?

Party On!