END OF A BIG DAY

Hi Everyone and on Tom's behalf, let me thank you for making it a special birthday for him today. He's pretty tired right now and gone to bed, but he'll be saying thanks to each and everyone tomorrow for all the gifts, the greeting cards, the phone calls, the delicious dinner, the balloons, the beautiful pie, not to forget the leftovers!!! I won't have to cook tomorrow!!! Yahooo!

The day started with many phone calls and people singing Happy Birthday, even all the way from Australia from his great friend Humo.

We had planned to go out for breakfast but the phone kept ringing so, we finally left here about 10:30am.

Then there were all the birthday wishes coming in over the internet. One from my sister Roxanne that was very unique and very special, which I'm going to attempt to put the url on here and hopefully you will be able to see it. It was very nice!! So, give it a try and see it works for you.

http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a4d354f4467314d4877314d4445774d4459780d0a&sb=1

I sure hope it will work. I can't go off this page, to check it out

Then we went out to Tom's son Martin's house for dinner. Joan prepared all Tom's favourite and more besides!! Curried Chicken and curried prawns and ribs, and vegetables and a delicious cake, with raspberries and whipped cream and raison pie, and more and more!! Toms grandchildren also came over as well as Meredith and Dave and Dave's daughter. So, it was a grand time! We'll get the pictures off the camera tomorrow and show you.

We drove home in the rain and it was sooo dark!! Tom is getting night blindness and I've had it for years, so those long night trips, especially in pouring rain is getting a little difficult to make. However, we made it home, Tom has gone to bed, the left-overs are put away, he has many scratch cards and lotto tickets to check tomorrow, and thank you's to write, so he'll be busy!

Sorry my last two posts didn't turn out very well. I worked from the afternoon, late into the evening on the birthday one. I started with one theme for his birthday, then came across more pictures to put on the blog and tried to incorporate them both and it just ended up one big headache. I should have just deleted the first one and started over. The Chinese one, looked great when I previewed it as did the writing on the birthday one, but when I clicked publish and then looked at it, it was all over the place. Then there's that big space between each blog!! I messed up!!! Back to the drawing board. I wish I knew html and may hunt around on the internet for a little course on it. I just hate to learn mind boggling things anymore! My brain won't take it!! I think I'm beyond learning!!

Anyway, I'm off to the bath tub. The cat is like an alarm clock and summons me when it's time for me to come and have my bath. He has forever sat beside the bath tub and waits for me to bath, as if he was a faithful old dog. However, it's very annoying, all that meowing when I'm not interested or ready for a bath yet!! He just keeps bugging and bugging until I do go. He's doing it now!! GRRRRR!!!

I finished my book "The other Bolyen Girl" and read it until 2:30 this morning. I couldn't put it down. Ohh boy, was she (Ann) something else!! What a world it was back then, however compared to todays world, we're still all nuts!! But, I feel like I've lost an old friend when I come to the last page of a book I've enjoyed, and almost feel in mourning! Tomorrow, I'll attempt another, afterall....as Tom say's, I take half the Library home with me!!

Goodnight folks, more tomorrow and thanks for reading it. I have two different friends in Australia that read it faithfully, Iowa and many places in Ontario and here as well. I enjoy doing it and it fill my desire to write. A couple of you suggested I take a writing course, but again, I'm too old and slow to learn anything new, but I could use some proper grammer and spelling. My spell checker on this won't work either. I should go read some more instructions I guess.

Again...night, night!!

Linda

HAPPY 80 BIRTHDAY THOMAS

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband on his 80th birthday!

Happy Birthday from his two wonderful children, Meredith and Martin

Happy Birthday from his two Grandchildren, Heather and Ed.

Happy Birthday from his Sister, Belle, and husband Ken and all their families


Happy Birthday from your Ontario family Happy 80th Birthday to you, Husband, Father, Grandfather and friend to many. We all love you for who you are....a wonderful, kindhearted, wise, young at heart, compassionate, and truly good person. We are so proud of you!!

Before seeing the world in his teenage years aboard many ships during WWII, he returned to Vancouver and took a career as a Fireman, working his way up to Assistant Fire Chief for Vancouver. He's been retired this past 20 odd years.

Tom built a cottage in the Interior of BC, near 100 Mile House, at Green Lake! He spent many wonderful times with his late wife Joan and with family and friends. However, he decided, the drive up, the chopping wood and shingling, painting and the other tedious work around the cottage just wasn't any more fun, nor did he have the energy for it, so sadly for all, up went the For Sale sign!!!


Tom began a new life, and I am lucky to be part of it. We will soon be starting into our 4th year of marriage and enjoying it every day, more then the day before. He's a wonderful husband, and there's hardly a day go by that we don't have a laugh hard enough to bring tears to our eyes and a sore belly from laughing so hard. He is just a joy!

Tom proposed in Tim Hortons to a very surprised and extremely happy woman! "Do you love me enough to marry me?" he said!

OHHHHH YEAHHH!!! I sure did!!


So from all of us that love you so much, for many, many reasons, we wish you the best birthday you can have and thank you for giving us the gift of you!! We look forward to many more years to enjoy and love you!

The following pictures are just more to enjoy and to remember the good times about you!

Tom contemplating, getting ready for the plunge in a cold lake!

Tom was born Feb 9,1928 to an Irish Father and a Scottish Mother who immigated to Canada and settled in British Columbia. Tom is the second child of three. His brother Ed (deceased), and his sister Isabelle (Belle).

Hey, St. Patty's day is a big day for both of us Even his beloved dog TJ, has green on him. Beside us is, Joan and Martin (Tom's son and daughter in law.)

Doesn't he look like an

angel? I always tell him

that and honestly mean

it!

Such a sweet face!!

Tom has such a great sense of humour and see's the funny side to everything! He's never in a bad mood, and know's how to tease me out of mine and gets me laughing at his antics.

Tom in his Yucatan size straw hat in Panama

He loves to read! So do I,

So what great companions!

Tom loves his computer and loves to "tweek" it and

get involved in different programs and tear them apart to see how they work. Him and three of his buddies from Cambridge, have been meeting on the internet now for many, many years, learning this and that program. He gets up faithfully at 6:30 in order to meet them at 7 am (10:am Ontario time) and as I lay in bed, I can hear them chuckling and laughing and speaking of techinical terms, that I have no idea, what they are talking about.

Tom is also an avid reader, and we both love to be at the Library (which is the best here in West Van). He amazes me though, because he can walk in, go to the shelf, pick one book and he reads it cover to cover. I go, takes me forever, and I come out with a pile I can hardly carry!! He doesn't understand why I do that, and is forever to telling me to leave some books for other people, but I like to read a few chapters of each book to see if I like it or not.

.

We got married in Ontario at my daughter Lisa's lovely home.

Signing the marriage papers!

Great cook too!!!

Tom has always been a great hiker and loved to walk great distances. He also loves to swim and oh boy, does he glide through the water like a pro! At Green Lake, no matter what the temperature, he'd would make a point of the 5pm swim. Rain or shine, and in very, very cold water, he'd still take the plunge

SO, ONCE MORE "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" TO YOU TOM WITH

MUCH LOVE!

CHINESE NEW YEAR Year of the RAT!

RAT YEARS
1900, 1912, 1924. 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2052, 2044, 2056, 2068, 2080, 2092

On the bright side, the Rat boasts:
Appeal
Sociability
Influence
Intellect Year of the RAT!
Thrift
Charisma

Hi and Happy Chinese New Years!! It's a big time out here and I'd love to go to Chinatown to see the festivities, but Surivor is on tonight and wild horses couldn't drag me away from the tv tonight!

It's a lovely sunshine, mild day here today and it began with a wonderful phone call from my friend Mike at the College. What a lovely surprise and it made my day! I really miss you and thanks for the call.Then, Tom and I went to the pool and I did 15 laps!! I think I over did it, and pulled a muscle doing the side stroke, which is my "taking a rest stroke". I could feel it hurting and I should have stopped but foolishly didn't! Then we went to the Senior Center for lunch. I had 1/2 a sandwich I and Tom had delicious looking chowder. The scales have dropped 7 pounds since our cruise. Two pounds since I really began the diet on Monday of this week, and I'm not starving, but boy would I love a mess of chocolate!\\

I'm really enjoying the book, The Other Boleyn Girl. Can't wait to get my nose back into it.

I've downloaded some more pictures from my discs, so just going to sent a few for you to see and call it a night.

Everyone who is in the Survivor pool better let either Bill or me know after tonight's show. Those in the last game has his email. I'll see Bill on Monday, so can give him your $5.00 to play. Don't forget to pay me!!! Also....Good Luck!!

Pictures of the day:

Tom (Isn't he cute!)

Some pictures of Chinatown, keeping with the theme of todays blog. Very colourful eh!

This is Jane who came out with my sister to visit and babysit our pets while we went cruising!

Something IS NOT broke!!

Hi Everyone! Whew, I thought I had lost all my previous posts and was going frantic trying to retrieve them again. Then found out that all the ones from January are listed under January and you have to click on them to see the old postings and pictures. Every month, it starts over again, and only the post for the current month are shown by scrolling down.
I thought I'd lost all that work and all those pictures. Thank goodness I didn't!
I actually look and feel like the lady in this previous post!! I've been clicking and working this computer frantically all night to get them back when the solution was right in front of me. I've added about 15 numbers to the counter!!
Make sure you scroll down right to the I'm Bored posting to get them all for today.
More tomorrow. I'm going to calm down now, head to the hot tub and relax with a glass of wine and my good book!!
See ya!!
Love Linda

Somethings Broke

I don't know what happened to

I don't know what happened to my previous posts!! Today, I downloaded the new version of Hotmail and something screwed this whole Google site up. I haven't lost the old posts, they are still in my archives, but I can't get them to post online. I'll keep trying to get them back but I'm so confused right now and don't understand the terminology of what they are telling me to do. I have a question in for help, so hopefully so other member will see my help posting and give me a clue how to bring them back. Sorry everyone, we've lost some good stuff and good pictures.

I'll keep trying!!!!!

BORED

Actually, I'm not bored, but this picture was to cute to not use! However the animation it in is causing me to have a hard time typing. When I download an animation, I get about 20 of the samething, and have to delete each one, until I get only one. I guess some html code should be written in, but I don't know html, so while the darn cat plays with his toy, I can only type and let it catch up!

My stupid cat is standing outside the open patio door and meowing to get in. He just loves for me to get up off the chair and do a proper invite in while I have the urge to do a little "woops" and send him over the balcony with my foot!

Today is also Ash Wednesday for all us Catholics out there. Are you all walking around with a smudge of ash on your forehead? It's the start of Lent, so Easter can't be far behind.

Today, I woke to the usual pitter patter of rain on the patio door, and right at this moment it's snowing. Half rain, half snow, so when it clears up, there will be a glorious site of the mountians, covered with another layer of snow. Avalanches have been in the news quite often lately. Apparently with all the snow, and this type of weather it makes a snowpack ripe for one to come off the mountains. Our doctor is in Horsehoe Bay, and just beyond that, heading toward Squamish is where the rocks come tumbling down, now and then. It's also the road to Whistler, where the Winter Olympics are being held in 2010. There is lots of construction going on in that area, making a new road, and I hold my breath going past where they have been blasting, and say a little prayer, the rocks stay up where they belong and not on our heads!

Another day, not gone to the gym!! A friend was suppose to come over, so I waited for her but she didn't come or phone to say she wasn't coming, so I started to put some things in the cupboard, and was running out of space, so before I knew it, I was kitchen cupboard cleaning. I threw out a whole garbage bag of stuff, and only did 3 cupboards of groceries. Stuff, all outdated and stuff that's been in there BL..before Linda! Tom had gone to get a haircut and I must say, he looks very handsome and if he could respond to this, he'd say "I know!"

Then I started in on the big hall closet, but didn't get very far. I just don't know what to do with half the stuff!! So, threw out some cookbooks and some magazines and just moved things around to look neater, but didn't come up with any more space. There sure is a lack of that around here!

I don't enjoy shopping anymore and yard sales are history, because we just don't have any room for anything more. I sure have lot's of earrings though!! They are small and fit easily and I have to buy something when the shopping urge hits. Then I wear the same old pair!

Then this afternoon, we drove to North Vancouver for Tom to renew his driving licence. He had to have a physical done to get his licence, because of his age, which he got the other day with no problem. So, we drive over and I'm saying I should go in and get mine renewed also, and save ourselves another trip in a week or so but Tom said to just wait and we'd make another trip. So in he goes and comes back out immediately with a big grin. He didn't need to get it renewed for another year!! I looked at mine while he was gone and mine is good until 2012!! So, a trip in the rain for nothing! But, we did stop at Tim Hortons for coffee and I have to admit, I had 1/2 of a chocolate danish. But all I had to eat all day was a small bowl of Cherrios, so didn't think I was being too bad. We also stopped at a place that sells all British baking and meats, everything from mushy peas to Irish ham and much more. Tom loves this place and went nuts buying blood pudding and kippers. Sure isn't going to be hard to stay on my diet with that stuff around. Yuk!
TJ, got a big, dried pig ear to munch on and he was in heaven! So tonight for supper we are having snitzel. I think that's how you spell it, and if you've noticed spelling mistakes on the blog, it's because the spell checker on here won't work for me, and with age, my spelling, along with other things in my mind and body have gone downhill!

We are watching Oprah right now and the topic again is the power of positive thinking. I'm a big believer in that and find it really, really works!! I also see one of her guests wearing BLUE makeup!! Actually two of them are! I'm going back to what I feel comfortable with, instead of this "I love Lucy" look! The hell with it! Also, sure looks like Oprah is gaining weight! I feel soooooo goood!!!! I love Oprah, but it's nice to see someone so positive and with her own cooks and trainers and all the help she can get, to make her look thin and beautiful, still have the same problem as I do....FAT!!!

Well that's all the news for now. It's time to go mess up my cupboards again and get dinner started. I've been looking for new pictures that would interest everyone, but, have so little here with me. I'm grabbing a fresh bunch when I go home this summer, if I do go home.

Picture of the day:

L-R from Top

Peter (son in law, married to my daughter Erin), Erin, my daughter, Lisa, my daughter, Matthew, (my grandson and Lisa and Richards son), NEXT ROW: Richard (my son in law, married to my daughter, Lisa, ME, Bradley, (my grandson and son of Lisa and Richard.

NEXT ROW: (my grandaughter Sarah, daughter of Erin and Peter), Roxanne, my favourite and only sister! BOTTOM ROW: Erica, (my grandaughter and Peter and Erins daughter)

BUZZIN IN

Hi there everyone! Woke to a extremely very windy morning and pouring rain. Those big starlings are back too and even in the rain they were all gathering in the tree beside our bedroom patio door hollering and cawing to each other. I wish I had a BB gun!! I'd shoot 'em down like Annie Oakley! (You younger ones will be scratching your head and saying "Who?"

I'm afraid my good intentions to get to the gym was shortlived, because it was still dark out at 8am, so I just rolled over and went back to sleep. Still raining when I got up, so had my shower and washed my hair and then lo and behold, out came the sun!!! There was no way, I was going to go over after washing my hair once today, then have to do it again after the pool, so I didn't go anywhere, but I did stick to the diet!! That's two days down and no movement on the scales! I didn't expect there to be at this early stage. I've been through this before and know the ropes! But, I'm sure kinda bitchy!! Maybe I need sugar!!!

I'm watching Coronation St. as I write this and it's amazing how they come up with these stories. Lots of yelling tonight!!

I'm reading The Other Boleyn Girl and it's really, really good. Earlier, I went to look at King Henry's wives and it's really quite fasinating, and then up comes an advertisment for the movie on tv, just a few moments ago. I'll have to go see that one.

Well, this is another short blog. I'm just so darn tired lately!! Maybe from reading so late in the night which may account for my sore eyes too.

I hear you are having another storm to hit Ontario tomorrow or so. Be safe out there. Out here, they are planting spring flowers in all the store front flower boxes. Very pretty and gives me a lift, which is even better when there is sunshine as well!!

Bye for now.

Love Linda

Picture of the day: This is an oldie of my brother John, Wanda, who is my brother Mikes wife who is on the left and Suzie, my late brother's wife.

HELLO ON MONDAY

Hello!

Isn't she pretty, sitting on the branch?

Well, this was the beginning of DIET day, and I started off great, and ended the day, great as well! Watched everything I ate, and walked to the Fitness Centre to get signed up for a trainer and get myself prepared to follow it though.Boy, was I set back...like about 4 feet, and when they picked me up off the floor, I was able to really take in what the price of a personal trainer was going to cost me! Three sessions, would be a whopping $159.00. Holy Mackeral Andy!! I can't afford that!!

However, there is ray of sunshine, because, they told me that they would give me an orientation of the gym for FREE! The even better news is, that it's an orientation of equipment and facilties that will take 1/2 hour and they will do a chart for me as well and set it up as how long I should work out on each machine, keep track of my progress and help to keep it going and add more as I find it getting easier. After that, I'm on my own and can come use it whenever I feel like it. So, actually this suits me better and I'm not committed to be there at a certain time, which really would be the ticket to my success, but I'll try and stay true to my self commitment and be there anyway!

I walked up there today, which is about a mile and half but will take the car tomorrow because I'll have stuff like work out clothes, bathing suit (doing laps too) and all the other junk I need which I feel will give me a heart attack doing it all at once!! (See...excuses already!)

Brrrr, just came back in from the deck. I could hear all these sirens going on and lights flashing. So old nosy had to go look. There was four fire trucks out there and soon as I went out, two shut off the sirens and disappeared down a different street. The other two are up at the building up the street. The respond as parametics now, so it's rarely a fire anymore.

Geez, I wish I had some great things to write about, but can't think of anything exciting to fill up this blog with tonight. Ohhhh, did I tell you about Charlton Heston being my uncle?? Well, I have to admit that's a big lie, but one time, I'll write a big long story about how this rumour went a few places in the College where I worked. It was a tale that seem to spin itself, and grow and grow and was believed by one very gullible but very wonderful friend. It was a "Devil made me do it" situation! I didn't work alone though, I had a very skilled accomplished side kick! But that's a story for another time!! However, I'm going to tell you a little about our "Victim" His name is Mike and he's been a very good friend of mine for many, many years as we both worked at the College. We've shared some personal stories, some of them good, some bad, but always there to listen and offer advice.

This is my friend Mike and his Grandson.

He's such a kind hearted, very genuine guy, who I'm very proud to be able to call my friend and feel so lucky to have such a special person like Mike in my life. He's going to kill me, (thank goodness for distance, because I can feel his hands reaching for my neck now!) But, this blog address is called "about you and me" so you never know who will be on here.

Mike has a beautiful wife, named Holly and two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. I remember his children made me really cute cards, when I went to Ireland in 1985, that I still have today.

Meet Holly! I love her name and she fits the name. Very lovely lady, with a beautiful smile. Proud Grandma too eh?

So Mike, this little tribute is to you!! Haven't talked to you much lately, but will get a phone call or letter off to you soon. Hope all is well in your life, and you are still as much fun as ever! I think of you often and the jokes and fun times we laughed about. Really......I'm sorry about all the jokes we played on you too......well, maybe a little bit sorry!

Big hug to you and your family!!

That's it folks, I'm off to have my bath, and continue with my book. The Uncle Chuck story will have to wait until I have more time and my back isn't aching from sitting here so long.

More tomorrow!! Keep that counter clicking!!!

Sunday Afternoon and Football!

YAWN!!!!!!!

Well, I love the pre -game highlights and the half times, but as for the game inself....I'm pretty bored!! Ten minutes before the game started, I asked Tom if he wanted a cup of tea and a muffin from the batch I just cooked. He looked at me like I was nuts and said..."nooo, I'm going to the game!" I wondered what he was talking about, so he said, he was heading for his chair with a beer and a bowl of cheezies, which by the way have to be "Hawkins" cheezies from Belleville. Anyway, he laughed at me, saying if he took tea and a muffin to watch football, anyone would laugh at him. This was a beer and cheezie event!!! Excuse me! It's a good thing I have a good hearty supper of spaghetti sauce cooking in the slow cooker for the MAN!

We took Batman out for a walk with us. He hasn't been out on the leash since we went to the cottage last year. Waiting for him to take a step is like watching paint dry! Finally I picked him up and carried him to the end of the driveway and the front of the building. Then he walked and at a pretty good clip, back home again! He sure knew his way. I think he likes it when he's out and feels a little more comfortable with TJ, who is not afraid of anything, so Batman tries to act a tiny bit braver. He's such a scardy cat!!

I'm writing this early and it's short, because, my eyes are a little sore (make-up) and I'm going to have a little snooze. Maybe later do some reading (The Other Boyln Girl), which is really good so far. Ohhh, that King Henry sure did what he wanted and had an effect on the women!! It's good reading.

Tonight there is a story on at 8 pm about how the Royal Family lives. I forget what channel, but on one of the stations we all get. It looked interestinSo, I'm off, because my eyes are closing on me. Hopefully, I'll get something interesting to tell you about next week. Toms 80th birthday is on the 9th, so if any of you would like to surprise him with a card, it would be fun for him. Not every day you turn 80!! Since he had his cateract off, he doesn't wear those old big outdated glasses anymore and I keep finding him more handsomer every day!! He better get his running shoes on soon!!! Heee Heee Heee.

I can't put our address on here as this goes out on the web, but if anyone wants our address, send me an email and I'll send it to you.

Picture of the Day:

This was our Mexico trip and they had a pool right beside the dock where I went for a swim. It was sooo hot after shopping. We had bought some Mexican coffee to bring home, from little vender that was inside one of the buildings in the next picture. When we got it home and used it, half of the bag was filled with pebbles instead of coffee beans!! We were taken!!!!

It was a beautiful place though. I'd have to get off this chair and look at my book to remember the name, but it was started with Z. That will help if you want to travel there eh. We were the 2nd ship to visit the port and the when we arrived, all the people who live there, came out in Mexican costume to greet and dance and sing for us. It was really beautiful. The far building was full of venders, the closer building was a bar, and the pool right in front of it. See the guy in white on the left. It was the Mexican navy and every port we were at, they stood around either protecting us, or watching for drug runners. Apparently they weren't suppose to talk to us, or us to them, but in this next picture, guess who broke the rule????

After my swim, I went over and had a little chat with him. It was pretty one sided, as he didn't speak English, but he didn't point his gun at us when we pointed the camera at him. He knew a friendly face when he saw one!! I should have made it lighter, but I need to go have a snooze!!