My LAST DAY AS 63

Well, another year has gone by for me, and another year begins. When I sit, and think back, so many things have taken place in the span of 365 days. Let me see if I can recall some of them and if I leave any out, it's not because they weren't important to me, it's just my memory isn't as wonderful as it once was, which in fact, is one of those "down" things about the days and years passing, as all those brain cells wither and die.

Lets see...hmmm, Batman developed a lump on his side and had an operation, which had me in a tizzy, but he came through the operation with flying colours with a plastic collar he had to wear for two weeks, and me with an empy wallet.

I had an operation on my nose for cancer that scared the life out of me when I saw the 40 some stitches twisting around my nose. ( I should send everyone that picture!) However, it healed nicely and I figure I'm lucky, a scar on the nose is better then no nose, which may have become the case!

I lost some very wonderful people in my life, who passed away. But, I'll hold them dear to my heart always.

I met some wonderful new people though Red Hats, and we took in some great fun events through the year.

I went home to Ontario to visit and had a wonderful time visiting friends and family and it is always so wonderful to feel so welcomed and loved and missed. Lots of hugs and invitations everywhere!

Many of my friends from the College retired, and I wish them well and hope they enjoy it as much as I do.

We went on a wonderful cruise from Ft. Lauderdale up through the Panama Canal, stopping at wonderful place's that I never believed I'd ever get the chance in my life to see. We met some great people, had many laughs and hopefully, lifetime friends.

My sister Roxanne was out twice to visit, and what a treat it was to show her how my life is and where I now live and Vancouver and all the sites.

We sold the cottage at Green Lake, which was a bitter/sweet sale, but Tom was ready to part with it and says he has no regrets. He say's he won't miss it, but I'm sure he will, as also his family and me! Not to mention TJ and Batman.

We bought a new vacuum cleaner, and a big 52" television, and subscribed to more stations.

My oldest grandson passed his driving test! How scary is that!

My oldest grandaughter went into her teens....Even more scary!

We went on another cruise to Hawaii, which was heavenly! How can my life get better!!

Meredith and Dave became engaged, and Heather, became pregnant! Tom turned 80!

Many wonderful times spent with Toms family and his friends, that I'm so happy to say, are now my friends too. Many breakfast's, many lunches and dinner's together!!

So many good times spent with my wonderful husband, many laughs shared and great moments between us, that will leave lifetime memories.

Some pounds put on, some taken off, but that's nothing out of the ordinary, it's constant!

The only sad spot that has been the heart break of the year is the breakup of two people I love more then life itself. My daughter Lisa and husband Richard. But life goes on and hopefully, as the next 365 days go by, things will heal on that situation and there won't be so many people hurting as they are now. Time heals....right?

So, here's to another year as it begins tomorrow. Please Lord, let it be a good one!!

Note: I'm having problems getting pictures to load, as something is very wrong with this computer and hopefully Martin can fix it for me tomorrow. This is a poem, I found on a birthday card one time, and loved it so much, I kept it. Hope you will like it too.

We are all born to world of change,

Though we may never know why.

We grow and learn, despair, rejoice,

Wonder, and laugh and cry...

And the days fly by.

And some look back with little more

Then regret and a wistful sigh,

Or worry their way toward the future,

Or do their best to deny

That the days fly by.

Each momet in time is a gift that comes

And goes in the blink of an eye.

We question, as always, the meaning of life,

And "to live" is the only reply.

So I celebrate in the hear and now-

May we live as well as life will allow,

And may your spirits be ever high,

So they, too, fly....

As the days fly by.

Today, I went to the movies. Two of them in one afternoon. I went alone (Tom's a pooper) to see "No Country For Old Men" It was good but very weird ending!!! The kind of ending, you want to stand up and yell "Where's the rest of the movie!!"

Then Atonement was just about to start when I was leaving the theater, so I thought, "what the heck, I always wanted to see it, and I'm here, so why not!! It was very good as well, but again a different, but more satisfying ending. I don't think I'd be able to figure my way through the book with it's twists and turns though, but I'd say it's a good one to see.

Then I picked up some chicken on the way home and now, Batman is howling for me to come to have a bath and head off to bed. He's on some kind of schedule I suppose, but sure don't know what for!! Or else he loves to look at me nude!! I guess that's it!! Probably a horror show, not what I'm thinking that he loves to gaze on my nakedness with adorement!!

Sorry, no picture tonight, I'm just hoping this will publish okay.

Night all. Keep reading!! Tomorrow I'll tell you what happened on my big day as I begin living life as 64 years old!! Yikes!!

Love Linda

IT'S BEEN A ROUGH DAY

WEll, I woke this morning with a terrific head ache, along the whole top of my head!! I went back to bed and slept until 10. Got up, had a bowl of cereal with Tom and when he left for the chiropractors, I went back to bed. Woke around 2 oclock, and headache was gone, but I wasn't in a terrific mood...probably too much sleep, but I must have needed it. I've been under a load of stress lately.

I don't think it's any secret anymore that my daughter Lisa and her husband Richard have decided to end their marriage. I've been absolutely devistated over the news, along with many other friends and family and have without doubt, no blame to lay on either side. I love them both, more then, words can say. The are handling it very amicably without too much friction and upheveal. The boy's are coping more then I thought and are more adult then I thought they would be at 16 and 18. They too, seem to understand the situation. It's Richards parents and me, that seem to be having a difficult time with it all, not to mention Richard who I look on as a son. He's the one hurting the most as it was Lisa's decision to move on.

It seems to be a sign of the times anymore, but I never thought it would happen to my kids and it hurts like heck that it has! Life ever be the same for so many people.

On top of all this, Lisa had applied for a job today that would have helped her so much financially. She was so optimistic, she was getting it. Apparently the employer searched her out for the job, and she went into the interview full of confidence and hope. Then today, she had another interview with another boss from Kingston. She was tired, worn out, no sleep and she just couldn't come up with some of those nutty answers they asked now days, that don't seem to have any rhyme or reason with the position. It was a bad interview for her, and how she longs to do it over. The one other applicant got the job, so Lisa's had some bad days for her and us lately.

I have my bad and good days where all this just lays so close and just under the surface, and will pop up without me even thinking of it and tears fall down and I just don't want to be or get interested in any other thing. Poor Tom, tries so hard to pull me out of this funk, but all I care to do is sleep it all away, and it's such exhausting stuff to deal with!

I know I went though it, survived, and came out smiling and the happiest woman on earth, and I just hope Lisa will too. And Richard!!

My computer is also acting up which is not giving me my email, and when they do, they come in 3 and 4 of the very same thing. I've phoned Telus, but they tell me it's a Microsoft problem, so I'm hoping Martin will come over on my birthday and give it a once over. He's smarter then all those help lines put together!!! So, my stress level is reaching the HIGH mark at the moment!

Well, I'm off..to the bathtub and then to bed....again!! Hopefully, my blog will be much more upbeat tomorrow.

Picture of the day: Ambleside By The Sea.......is where we live in West Vancouver

SURVIVOR NIGHT

Hi everyone! I'm writing this earlier tonight, because my favourite show (Survivor) is on and I have $5.00 on my favourites, and the pot for the game is one I'd like to win.

Another beautiful day here on the West Coast, with the sun shining brightly and it's lovely and warm out. Not warm enough for me to want to clean up the patio though! We need to steam clean out there but first mow it!! Yeah, can you imagine mowing indoor/outdoor carpet? There must have been some plants in the pots that reseeded themselves, and they have started to grow, right in the outdoor carpet. I've been going out and spraying household cleaner on the little sprigs that are popping up and spreading as healthy as can be. Actually what I did last year was take a stiff brush and scrub them off. But it sure hasn't killed them all off. They've wilted just a little, so, I guess, I need to get some plant killer instead of sink cleaner! Could kill the dog and cat by mistake too!! Would that be a bad thing?? Don't ask!!!

My friend Patricia was suppose to call me today and we were to go out for lunch, but I waited and no call. She's been feeling pretty darn sick since last November, and sleeps late, so I just left her alone. Get well soon Patricia, so we can hit the roads together again.

So, Tom and I went over to the Mall. I was shopping for a bathing suit, but we ended up going to eat lunch first and I felt so full, that trying bathing suits was just out of the question after lunch!!

I would have liked to wander down to Walmart and look around but they used to have these big comfy leather chairs for the husbands to sit and wait for wives, while they shopped, and Tom was content to sit and people watch, while I did my thing browsing around. But they have replaced them with hard old benches!!! Tom did sit and wait, while I went for a new bra, but that took forever, and halfway through trying them on, I had to quickly drop everything and find a washroom!! It's located upstairs in Sears, and of course the escalator is at the other end of the store and it was moving so SLOW, with people ahead of me, so I just had to squeeze everything tight and pray I made it. There was one woman walking down the narrow hallway to the bathroom, but I gained on her and passed her with a quick whish of movement as fast as the speed of sound, that she looked and must of wondered "what was that"!! I made it!!! Then I'm thinking of poor Tom, still on that hard bench, so I was hurrying so fast, I forgot to pull up my panties! Never noticed it until I'm on the down elevator and something just didn't feel right. They were the stretchy kind so it wasn't long as the crept down my legs, that taking a step was a little difficult. So, I had to return to the washroom.....guess where the up escalator was!!!! Usually they are right opposite the down escalator, but not this one!!! Way across the store again , up and into the washroom. What a horrible feeling that was!!! So, I pulled them up an down I go, get the bra's I had left on the sales desk where I said I'd be right back. Paid for them and went to look for Tom. I'm in a sweat by this time!!!

So, we had to go back into Sears to get to where the car was parked. We spotted a sweater and pants that Tom wanted, but keeping him interested while I search for his size is difficult as well, as he's hurting standing on his sore leg, so I'm frantic by this point!! One think I've learned in life...."Ya just can't shop with a man!!" I love being with him, but shopping is a trial us poor woman don't need!! WE like to wander, looking at this and that, and if you are lucky to have a man that loves to shop, I sure envy you!!

So, that has been our day. The rest is to try to program this phone but we can't find the instruction book and we are so awful at figuring these things out. So, I'll go see if I can make myself crazier then I already am, and maybe work up an appetite for supper, which is a corned beef sandwich or a ham and cheese omelette. It's Toms choice!! But one thing for sure.....we aren't having that stuff that Doug cooks with his sardines, that I mentioned on an earlier post!!!

EEEEYUUK!!

Over the weekend, I'm going to read these computer books and figure out how to add hopefully some more interesting things on here. I have some idea's, just need to figure out how to do it!! So, it may or may not happen, it just depends if I can figure it out and not completely delete the blog altogether!!

Picture of the day: This is a statue of a little old lady sitting on bench, near Stanley Park, and near a bus stop. Someone always puts a bouquet of fresh flowers in her hands, and here she sits with a posy.

LUNAR ECLIPSE NIGHT

HELLO ON LUNAR ECLIPSE NIGHT !

I hope everyone gets to see the eclipse tonight. Ours in BC is suppose to start at 7:01 p.m. but I doubt if we here will be lucky enough to see it. It's cloudy out with only a few cloud breaks. It's now 5:59 pm and there is still a bit of light in the sky, but I do believe the days are starting to get a tiny bit longer. Right at this moment, the sky over Victoria is beautiful with an orange coloured sky between thin lines of clouds.

Our gas is $1.10 a Litre at the moment, but if differs where you buy it by a point or two. Luckily, we don't go drive too far, now that we don't go to the cottage, so that's good. However, our little trips just here and there, do add up! However, everyone here in BC,, man, woman and child, gets a hundred dollar rebate from carbon tax according to the BC budget last night. I really don't know what all this means, except feel it's a waste of time, as it goes in one hand and back to the government in the other hand. In fact, I don't even know what the heck a carbon tax is! I'm so non-political, it's disgraceful.

Happy Birthday to Marilyn Wright!! I'm not sure of the day in Feb. Marilyn,

but know it's very near. So, hope it's a good one!! Marilyn is a friend of mine from Belleville and we both worked at the College. Marilyn worked on Switchboard for many years, then was the hub of information for staff and students when she took the job on the Kiosk. Here's to you girl!!

There must of been much hanky panky 9 months prior to Feb., because we had a birthday club at the College for all us girls, which were many, who had a birthday in February and I know so many other people who celebrate this month. Marilyn, hi to Sheila if you see her and all the other gals and Happy Birthday to you!

Today, I walked the dog over to the Mall, and was to meet up with Tom, who drove over for another chiropractor appointment for his very sore ankle. It's busy over there, so we picked a spot at the beginning of a trail where we walk the dog, where there is usually lots of parking, and I was to meet him there. He was to call me from the chiro's office to tell me when he was done. However, it ended up a comedy of errors!! He had the wrong date, so no appointment. I walked over with my ipod blaring away in my ears, so couldn't hear when he called and I walk fast, so was there quicker then Tom thought I'd be, and I took the longer route. He decided, he'd try and walk to meet me, but took the shorter way and ended up walking quite a distance before he turned around to go to the car. But then couldn't find the car, and thought it had been stolen, because he didn't think I could possibly be there that quickly. Meanwhile, I'm already there, and to save him having to walk at all, I drove the car over to the Chiropractor's office to wait for him. Well, along he came, huffing and puffing and dying to get off his foot! He's so good natured, in spite of being in pain, we just had a good laugh over it.

Then we went for a bowl of soup at Whole Foods. I love going there but not when on a diet! Ahhh, yeah, should mention the diet to you. I had lost 10 pounds, but then gained two back, so I'm down 8 pounds. Not great, but I'm not doing the walking as I was so pumped to do, and I'm certainly not starving, but have given up my gorging on sweets. I'm not a stickler to the diet and do slip often, but it could have been UP 8 pounds very quickly if I wasn't paying any attention to it. As some of you know, I had some news that rocked my world recently, and I just seem to have lost interest in everything for the moment, and my mind has been quite occupied with the problem, but life goes and so will I, and the rest of those involved with some time to work it out. All my life has been a diet, so there's no worry, that issue won't go away. I'll keep chugging at it!!

Goodnight everyone! Go check out that moon!!

Photo of the day: Our Red Hat Group, called "The Regal Ramblers" If you give up looking where I am, in my red hat, I'm 4th row up, second person in. A great bunch of ladies!!

Metrotown Visit

A bagel with a mouse in it...well, I hope life gets better then this!! Cute picture though eh?

I'm doing this blog, in halves. Half now and half when I get back from walking the dog. I keep putting it off, but it's one of those, have to do chores!! So, when I go, I'll try and be very observant and tell you all and everything I see. Because I'm taking him to the sea!! Maybe I'll see a seal or something to tell you about.

Tom had a meeting at the Firemans Club this morning, which is right beside Metrotown, a huge mall. So, I went with him and bought some stuff. A depressed woman, should never be allowed to shop!! Tom hasn't learned that yet!! I bought two very light nightgowns and no, they arn't sexy ones, in fact, they could be called "Grandma nightgowns"! Sorry for Tom eh? Well, I need something light, and you women out there know why!! I don't know why the temperature goes up at night, but it sure gets hot in our bedroom and not because their is any action other then snoring going on!! I have the covers on and off me many times before morning!

Then I found a nice cardigan sweater for Tom, which was on sale and it looks wonderful on him. Last one, I bought him had no pockets and he complained many times, so I made sure this one did. And I bought a pair of shoe....summer shoes. Grasshoppers! Then I tried on this really nice bathing suit, and I thought...if I stare at this in the mirror any longer, I may go run out in front of a big truck, so quickly took it off and got out of that section of the store!! Not a healthy place to be, in my mood!!

Tom called me on the cell when the meeting was over, so I met him and Doug (Toms friend) up in the Food Garden for a Timmy's coffee and doughnut! I needed the doughnut, like a hole in the head after trying on the bathing suit. Funny, how it doesn't deter you from eating after trying on bathing suits, you just want go drown your sorrow in .....food!! I'll never figure me out!!! However, I think we woman are all the same!!

Doug is the greatest guy, and I love to tease him, as he's always saying the wrong thing, like guessing my age 10 years older then I am!!! He nearly lost his life for that one, but I don't carry grudges. Today, he looked at my new shoes the Grasshoppers, and said "They used to be in style one time, didn't they?'' Boy, oh boy, this man does not realize the temper of a redhead!!! He's playing with fire!!!

So, we got taking about food and he says he's discovered this creation he made up, that is so delicious, he could eat it every night, so that got my interest up, after listening to them talk pensions and stuff. So, he tells me about the recipe. He didn't have a name for it, but if it was up to me, I think I'd call it "Throw up!". This is it: Fry up some onions and some peppers and mushrooms and celery and all that kind of stuff, throw in a can or two of sardines...at this point, I couldn't resist a "gasp" and held my throat, as he continued. Mush, up all the sardines and throw it in with a couple of eggs. Stir it all up together and fry it. Then serve it with ketchup on it.

Now, if that appeals to any of you out there, give it a try and let me know if you survive...or you may love it...who knows!! Doug said it just taste fantastic!!! I can tell you, I won't be serving it in this kitchen!!! Doug did stress that it's very healthy stuff to eat!! All that Omega 3 and veggies and eggs!! I actually feel ill just typing this!!! He'll have the last laugh, if a cooking show is offered to him!!!

Okay..out for my walk and will finish this later.

Back from our walk. It's become very cold out since we were out this morning. My face was freezing walking down to the pier. It's getting very foggy out there, and yet there is a little sun, trying very hard to peep though the accumulating clouds. Walking towards the water, everything looks in different shades of grey, even the water looks grey and gloomy. We stood watching a huge, seal, with his head out of water, waiting for a couple of Chinese people throwing over a cage with some bait in it, fishing for crabs I suppose, and the seal was swimming around thinking maybe he'd have his supper as well. It was a big fellow!!! There was a big sign tacked up that said "No crab fishing at night", so I guess they are doing what they can before the sun goes down completely. Lots of pigeons and seagulls hanging out on the railings and didn't move or fly away when TJ and I strolled right though the bunch of them. Then, I turned around to walk back home and the sight was breathtaking!! The last of the sun, was shining on the snow capped mountain, and the snow looked so white with all this fog. It was one of those "wonderful to be alive" sort of sight. The only thing spoiling it was TJ, yanking at me and nearly pulling my arm out of the socket to stop and smell the pee of other dogs that left their marks and of course he had to leave his behind as well!! So, we trudged up the hill to home, and that was pretty well the end of the day. We brought home our lunch/supper from T&T, the Chinese grocery store, some fruit mostly, and a bit of sushi, so no supper to make tonight. Wonderful...I'm free to watch Coronation Street, read, have my bath and get into bed early to watch American Idol. Great life eh?

Did anyone see Oprah today (she's on now) and some woman just complained about to Dr. Oz, about having 18 orgasms in a row!! Oprah was a real hoot, imitating having 18 orgasms!! Nooo, this woman does NOT have a problem!!! Not to my way of thinking anyway, other then it certainly would wear me out to get laundry, meals and OTHER household chores done!!

Well, that's my blog for today. If anyone is interested in my Hamburger Soup Recipe let me know on the comment section below this post. It's really good Doug, and it's healthy too!!

Picture of the day: This is my older brother Mike and my younger sister Roxanne.

Love them Dearly!!

PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS

Do you ever have days with your computer when you feel you could pull out your hair!!! Well, that's been my problem this past few days! See that picture above, well that's me!! Pulling my hair out, not to mention everything sagging!!

I've had a problem getting into the blog, to where I could get into my account. I don't know what the problem is, and maybe it's a variety of things! I've got Google Website on my desktop as well as Telus, for homepages. I was logged into Google Homepage, the kind you can make to suit what you want to see on your own page, and so after much fiddling around and checking Toms computer to see if I could get and I could, then I just happened to click it off and finally I could get into the site!

I've been downloading little Gifs and clip-art for this page, and wonder if I've loaded my computer too much with this stuff, but I did a defrag and I have lots of space on here. So, I don't know whats happened, but I'm here now!! Toms son is my "computer saviour", so I'll have to see if he will look it over for me AGAIN!! What would I do without him! So, hugs to Martin!!

I was just about to delete all my cookies, and so glad I didn't! I can get myself into such a mess!! I'm still having a hard time getting everything to work right!!

This is what our day in Vancouver was like today.Beautiful sunshine and warm. Tom walked the dog up to the Library and I drove the car, so I could pick up some prescriptions and stuff at the store on the way and then I met him there, put the dog in the car and swore, I wasn't going to get any new books, as I finished "TheBoelyn Inheritance" which was good, and now have three more of a series of books by the same author Phillippa Gregory.

However....I ended up checking 4 books out on Blogging and how to add different things to the site to make it more interesting. Lots of good tips and help, so I have much reading to do!!

Yesterday was Lisa's birthday and I couldn't get in here yesterday, so to Lisa my love....

I hope the sun shines on you, like the one posted on this page!! I wish you all the happiness in the world and most of all. I love you!!

Well our house is quiet now, the dog is sleeping on the couch, Batman is laying beside me, Tom is in his computer room, I have the music station on the television, and so, I'm going to close this off and go do some reading on how to make this an interesting place. Soon the cat will be calling me to come have a bath. I think he sets his internal clock and I know soon he will be sitting in front of the bathroom door, calling me. Then he lays and guards the door for intruders. TJ, comes in and gets a swat when he leaves. Yup....Batman just walked over to the bathroom and is meowing as we speak. I can't believe how these animals rule our lives!!

Picture of the day: This is a picture sent to me by Gwen, a friend in Capreol, Ontario, where I once lived, and there's the steeple of the church where I prayed "Oh Lord, let me pass the Math test!!"....and other things. We lived on this Street, which is Kelly St, just past the church.

Look at that snow, and that car parked in the snowbank. How'd you like to shovel that!!!