ANYONE FOR TEA?

Tea Time!

Tea time! Kettle's on, so, come on in! Ohhh, how I miss those days when I had lots of friends drop in for a quick cuppa and a fun chat. My friend and old co-worker called this morning and I guess, it's gotten me thinking of life at home and the fun we had....it's fun here too....but I do miss my family, neighbours, my girlfriends, and my male friends that dropped in for tea or coffee and good conversation.

However, I know if Norma dropped in, we'd be in the car and hitting the roads to go here and there!! Her husband always wondered how we could spend a day shopping for hours and not come home with a thing!! We looked, and he should have been very happy we didn't buy!!! However, it's a good thing he didn't often check out our trunk!

Woops, did we buy all that???

Today, I went to the big annual Seniors Center sale at the Arena. It's a HUGE sale and people wait in big line up's to get in. I waited an hour and was close to the front. It was cold, but the time passes quickly, chatting with this and that person. Everything donated is really good stuff, and ton's of it!! Everything you could possibly be looking for is there! However, getting close to the tables is a problem....in fact, nearly impossible! My big purchase was an electric knife for $4, and a spatula for .25 cents, and a angel food pan for .50 cents. I just don't have room for anything else and don't need anything, but it's in my female blood to be on the hunt for bargains!! Some things just stay with you forever!!

Then home to pick up Tom and show him my "treasures" and off for breakfast to a new place we've been in before and liked the atmosphere, so we went back to try breakfast, which was only a egg sandwich for their breakfast menu. But, it was good, filling and that was enough.

Today, we are in a vegetation state! Don't feel like doing anything. Tom is now reading the paper, and I have "old" country music on, which he hates and I'm waiting for him to ask me to change it, but then I have to listen to the "Memories" station and people way before my time....well almost!! Time if moving on and there isn't much on the music station BEFORE my time anymore.

I should be out potting plants, but it's cold out on the deck today. I need soil anyway! Good excuse! Well, this is getting pretty boring for readers, so I think I'll go lay on the bed, under my electric blanket and read. I hope you enjoy your Saturday too!!

Picture of the day: Wednesday of this past week, the cruise ships have started to arrive for the Summer. This is taken from our balcony

Thought for the day: Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things.

MORE CATS!

ADORABLE AND DANGEROUS

I think my favourite wild animal is a cat! Lions, with their majestic, proud, strong and gentle look. At least when they aren't showing their teeth! Tigers are wonderful too! After cats, I think it's polar bears or huge Grizzlies, with their powerful, huge and scary look! I wouldn't want to come across any of these animals in the wild, but I love to look at pictures of them .

The cabin that Tom built and just sold was near 100 Mile House in the Cariboo, the interior of British Columbia. The first night I spent there, I was a little nervous as we had brought our housecat, Batman with us as well as TJ. Batman had wandered off the porch during the day, but he stuck pretty close by, as I'm sure he could smell unfamiliar scents that may have ment 'danger' to him. That night, I went to get something I'd left in the car, and I opened the back door and there not far from me, was this animal. My first thought was it was a huge big, cat with big ears. I stepped off the back step and started to chase it away, and it turned and ran. Then I got thinking about what I had chased away and after describing it to Tom and looking on the internet for something that looked like that, I learned it was a Bobcat! Good Lord, thank you for it not attacking me! What a fool I was, but I was so use to chasing stray housecats out of my backyard when they came in search of Batman, that me trying to scare this fellow away was instinct.

Then one day, I'm looking through "OUR CANADA" magazine, and there was a picture, very much like the one above, taken near 100 Mile House!! Holy Mackeral Andy!!! These creatures were around where we lived!!! Now, not only did I have to look for bears, that were often around, but I had to keep my eyes in the trees branches for mountain lions or cougars and also the ground for snakes!!

Thankfully, I never did see the Bobcat again, and he probably didn't want to see this wild woman chasing him and bellowing in a loud voice either.

It's a rainy day in West Vancouver today and I had great intentions of getting the planters on the deck ready for some planting, but on a day like this, I just can't seem to sum up the energy to do anything. Good news though....those papers I was looking for yesterday....yahoooo, I found them!! Life is good again!! Now to wait for the outcome! Do I get money or do I pay the taxman?

Tomorrow is the HUGE big yard sale in the Arena. You have to get there early and wait in line for it to open and the line up waiting to get in, is long, but the treasures inside are fantastic!! Last year, I bought a wooden bench swing that is about 7 feet long. I had no idea how to get it home, but if I had to drag it all 7 or 8 blocks, I would have done it. However, I met up with one of our friends, John, and his son, who very kindly help me get it into the car, tie it down as best we could and I drove about 2 miles and hour to get home. Tom and I love it and we use it all the time in our ivory tower, glancing down as the world goes by, usually with a glass of wine and snuggled in each other's arms. I wonder what bargains await tomorrow!!! I have to make a trip to the bank first, before I join the line-up.....hint, hint Tom!

Betty Boop, where are you when I need you and your red truck? Betty is my yard sale friend from home and boy, did we find some bargains on Saturdays, bright and early eh! She's the only person that I know of that bought a truck, just for yard sales!! Her husband also would give her at Christmas a big jar of loonies to enjoy the hunt of bargains!!


Today we went to the Library for more books. I enjoyed "Confessions of a Shopaholic" It was really funny and light reading, so I picked up three more books of hers and more of her "confessions. I laughed out loud, reading it and it was nice to enjoy light reading after attempting and failing to enjoy "World Without End" It had just too many names to remember for this poor pea brain of mine.



Picture of the Day: We loved seeing the many deer sightings at Green Lake.

Thought of the day:

Few people know so clearly what they want. Most people can't even think what to hope for when they throw a penny in a fountain

Taxes....woe is us!

I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR!!!

For some reason, around February when the T 4 and T this and that form starts arriving in the mail, my sweat glands go into action and the sweat increases, until I have all the paperwork into the hands of the accountant and I can finally relax! It's not paying the taxes, or what or if, I'll get any money back, or horror's of horror's, what will I have to pay, it's that elusive little paper or two, that is desperately needed by the accountant, that no matter how efficient, I strive to be all year long, there is no place I can put my hands on it! It's disappeared, vanished!! Then I try to retrace and attempt to delve into the deep recesses of my brain, to try to figure out what ,when, or why, something may have happened that will remind myself if I had a reason to put it somewhere, or if I even did get some sort of paperwork to file away at all!! I dig through drawers, go through files, check here, there and everywhere!

So then I decide to call the Gov. of Canada to try to connect to the office I need, and after going through the automatic service they provide, and I'm dripping in sweat, I throw my hands up and say SCREW IT!!

What did Scarlett O'Hara say "Oh well, I'll think about it tomorrow"

Today, as you may have already guessed, that's what we did today. See the accountant! Let's forget about that subject. I'm too worn out to think about it!

After we did, that we met Bill and Dianne at a Japanese Restaurant and they had a beautiful menu, however I'm not a fan of that type of food, but I finally found something on the menu, I would eat. Everyone else, ordered with gusto and it looked fantastic when it was brought to the table, but I was quite content with what I had. Beside, when with Dianne, there's no time to eat, we are too busy chatting a mile a minute! They are such wonderful people and I just love them. So Dianne, when you read this before bed tonight, I'm sending you a big hug!!! Love you both!

Then we walked back to the sea bus and back to the North Shore of Vancouver to The Quay, which is filled with little booths, selling this and that. We bought some soup from the Soup Meister to take home for supper. Then we stopped at Tim Hortons for my fix! How I love that coffee...and doughnut!

Then home to see if I can sort out this mess with the taxes....ohhhh, let's not talk about that!

So, I'm thinking on the bright side of life and looking forward to Survivor on tv tonight. I'm already in my PJ's and we likely won't have much for dinner, so the world is right...for the moment!! I hope everyone else had a great day!

Picture of the day: My last day at work!! How can they do without me, I thought!! Well, strange enough, they did very well!!!

Thought of the day:
It's income tax time again, Canadians: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta.

OR
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss.

BUGGING YOU AGAIN

Bugging You Again!

It's Wednesday and over the hump day for those at work! The weekend is on it's way!

I woke up this morning with my back to the window, and I could feel the heat from the sunshine, coming in the window, but I could feel my forehead burning, and waking me up, so I opened my eyes and the sun was shining onto the mirror and refecting right back between my eyes! Gee, I could have been set on fire!!

So, out of bed to start the day, but I was still terribly tired from watching too much tv last night, so went back to bed to snooze, but that was a waste of time too.

Tonight, I'm going to the meeting, I got ready for last night, which was about the building reno's, and got downstairs and realized I was a whole day early!! So, I'll give it another go tonight.

Bugging you again!!

Today, more walking, and I brought along the camera, but where I went was all under construction along the route to the Mall. So, not many nice pictures.
Here's one of a snowball bush (I think that's what it's called) Beautiful!

Everyday, something new is in bloom

Remember, I mentioned how Batman and usually TJ also, always come into the bathroom when I have a bath. But Batman, since he was a kitten would always love to take over my book and crawl in under the cover of the book. I'll reach over and touch him, and he gives me a great GRUNT, as if to say "I'm reading it now, wait your turn!"




This the gals, I met for coffee today and get THE jacket, we all three plus 2 more own! It doesn't look like much here, but it is pretty. I just tried it on to see if it would fit. So, we had our picture taken. That is Pat on the left, Patricia and me. Nice ladies, nice friends. Horrible picture of me!!

Picture of the day is elimated today, because I've got this page screwed up really bad and I'm too tired! See you tomorrow!!!

CAT'S, CAT'S, CAT'S!!

CAT'S CAT'S CAT'S!

I LOVE this picture! It reminds me of someone in our family who will one day be an old lady and she won't be wearing a red hat, but she will have cats! Any guesses?? She may have a dog too!

Another nice day here on the West Coast, however, it's still kind of cold with a chill in the wind. I did a lot of walking today and my knees are screaming out in pain! It's the hill's here that get me. I'm great on the flat and can go on forever, but get to inclines or declines and pain, pain, pain. However, I keep telling myself, as my heart is pumping hard, and I can hardly get my breath, that this is all very good for me! Meanwhile, I'm wondering how hard my heart must pump before it decides, it's had enough, and I'm left laying on the side walk!

I also went for a bone scan today, just as part of my yearly physical. About 15 years ago, I had one done and my doctor was all amazed that my bones were like the bones of a 17 year old and he told me I'd never have to have another one for the rest of my life. So, I was telling the technician this today and she said, she wouldn't want the bones of a 17 year old when I was in my 50's, because a 17 year old bones are fully grown, or hardened or whatever she meant. It wasn't good! So, it will be interesting to see what the report says.

I walked over to the lab and I was mad at myself again for not bringing along the camera. The tulips are in bloom and what beautiful displays I came across. I'll have to go tomorrow and retrace my steps and snap some photo's.

Last year, I went down to LaConner, Washington, where the tulip and daffodil fields are. Acres and acres of them. http://www.geocities.com/harald_nancy/tulips_in_la_conner.htm

What a beautiful sight, to see field after field of all beautiful colours of these beautiful flowers

Tonight, I have three...well four, things I can do. 1. Go to the Newcomer's Meeting, 2. Go to our building meeting to see what the plan is for upgrading the look of the flooring in the building, or 3. Watch Barbara Walters on how to live to over 100, or 4. go to bed and read my book.

I think I'll do 2, 3 and 4. I'll multitask!!

I gave up reading the sequel to Pillars of the Earth, called World Without End. I read to a page 100 and decide, I had enough. Too boring!!

Now I'm reading a really funny book, that I can relate to. Joan, gave it to me for Christmas and it's pretty darn good!!! By Sophie Kinsella

So, seeing as it's almost dinner time in the land of sea to sky, I should close this off and get cooking. Actually, we are just having a croissant with delicious ham head cheese on it.

Picture of the day:
Roxanne and her friend Kass, in Montreal. I think this is such a cute picture. I should have lightened it up a little first. They were on a horse and carriage ride. Romantic!

Thought of the day: Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust

IT'S BEEN A FUN DAY

Outta bed and out the door by 8:15! Was I heading to the gym, (remember that New Years forgotten resolution) well, it's still forgotten, I went to do what they used to call "bloodletting", I got rid of some blood! Not donated to the blood bank, (I'm much to chicken for that!) but to the medical lab to check out if I'm going live or die. Actually, it's just the usual yearly physical. Then I had to hang about until the grocery store opened to pick up some bread for breakfast, and then I trudged on home. It was chilly when I left and I even had my gloves on, but by the time I was walking home, it was fantastic out, and the sun was bright and warm

We had breakfast, then Tom went off to the chiropractor (he says it's helping) and then I took the dog and walked over to meet him so that both the dog and I got some exercise. I ended up walking with this nice lady, who lives across the road and we chatted and walked together and she's invited me over for tea this week and gave me her phone number. So, I'll take her up on it and go for tea before the week is over.

After we picked up Tom, we decided to give this GPS a try out and see if I could follow it. Well, if anyone else had been in the car with us, they would have wondered who was going to be up first for murder. It was either Tom or me, or Jill, who talks on the GPS, who's life was in danger at times! Jill (GPS) would tell me to go in a round about direction to our destination, then Tom , who knows Vancouver like the back of his hand would override Jill's direction. So, after much confusion as to if I should listen to Jill or to Tom and a few choice curse words coming from my mouth and much frustration as well, we finally arrived at our destination. We just had to sit there a moment and laugh at the whole trip! Tom said, "well you wanted the GPS", and I complained this friggin city doesn't have enough signs to tell me where I am.

What we were looking for was an Italian Food Outlet. I had seen it on Saturday when I was out with the girls, so "thought" I knew where it was. Anyway, we found it, and had a look around at everything there, all written in Italian, but quite a impressive place and it looked like a castle and it sure was busy! Jane, you would have loved it there, and we need you to interpret!

Then we set Jill to take us to the closest Tim Hortons, and after a few more directions from my other co-pilot, we ended up for a much needed coffee break! MY FAVOURITE PLACE!

We got back in the car, turned on the GPS, and hit HOME, and headed out of the parking lot. Poor Jill, we never go where she wants us to go and she's become like a real person to us and we are almost apologizing to this voice, especially when she says in a "these dummies, type of voice", RECONFIGURING! She sounds so tired of these these two people she's in the car with.

Anyway, we got home, we are both alive, still talking, and the car is without dents and in one piece, and although it was a little hairy, we had a few chuckles at each other, so that was worth it all. Tom has sooo much patience!! I just love this guy to pieces!

Tonight, I'm suppose to go to Newcomer's book club, which because it's being held at Marlene's who lives directly above us, I may go up. I've never been to a book club, so it will be interesting to see what it's all about. We are discussing the book, Eat, Pray, Love. I read it awhile back, so hope I can remember what it was about. The book I'm reading, World Without End, the sequel to Pillars of the Earth is just tooooo boring to read past the 100 pages I kept reading and hoping that it was going to get better, but it hasn't, so I think I'll chuck it and go find myself something more interesting. Anyone got any good suggestions?

This sunshine is suppose to last all week, so I may rent the rug scrubber this week and get at the deck outside and get everything put back in place to enjoy for summer. The garden places are starting to bring in plants and getting the planters done will be next. Then all these big windows have to be washed, so I think I'm going to be busy for awhile!

That's Tom out there!, I'm on the inside pointing out spots he missed! Ha!!!

Picture of the day: It's SPRING and even the birds know it!!!

Thought of the day: I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn. ~Henry David Thoreau

SUNDAY IN VANCOUVER

Sunday in Vancouver

Hello on Sunday and I hope your day was wonderful. Ours was quiet and we both had little snooze. Afterall, isn't this suppose to be a day of rest?
Nothing much interesting to tell you about today, as nothing happened!

About a month ago, I met Pat in at the Alia store at the mall and she had just bought this beautiful faded sort of looking flowered jack of soft rose and purple. She bought it and it was the only one her size in the store. Yesterday on our Outlet shopping, Patricia, had the same jacket on when I came out of a stall from trying on something. She looked stunning in it with her colouring and just brightened up her whole face. So, with that, she had to buy it. Then Reta found the same jacket in her size and tried it on and just loved it!! They, then decided, I HAD to have the same dressy jacket so we can wear them all at once to the Red Hat event next month when we go to the Horse Races.

We ended up going to a few more outlet malls that carried the jacket and no luck. Well that tenacious Pat, went off all over Vancouver this morning looking everywhere she could for the jacket and called me a little while ago with the voice of victory!! He had one!!! What a girl!

So, I guess we are all wearing the same outfit for a laugh and plan to reserve a table just for us. What we don't do for a giggle. It is a nice jacket and I'm sure I will get loads of wear in it, but I sure didn't need a new dress jacket. But it was half price, so it's all good!

Today was sunny and bright, but a cold wind. We just stayed up in our ivory tower and let the world go by. I hoped to read more of the Sequel to Pillars of the Earth, but I'm on page 100/10000 and I'm still waiting for the story to get moving. There are so many names to remember, as they keep talking about who is ancestors of the first book and I can't keep up with all these Knights and Priors and Kings! So, it's all I can do to pick it up. However, I'll plug away at it.

We had an early dinner tonight, so I'll get all comfy in bed and read some more, only it's such a thick heavy book, I can hardly hold it up!

Lisa's life seems to be coming together the way she wishes it to be. She's happy and I suppose that's the main thing. She's leaving behind so much, but other then her family, the other things are only material things and can be replaced.

Richard seem's to be coping well and I hope to keep him as my son in law. I think the world of him and just wish I had the means to just make his world all right again.

Divorce is a nasty thing!!

The boys are managing with the changes in their lives but I do worry about them.

Happy Belated Birthday Bette Boop (alias Betty B)

I was talking to my old and I don't mean old as in age, but old in for as long as we've been friends. I think I was 10 or 12 years old when we began enjoying each other's company. ( I guess the age 'old' applies as well eh? We lost touch for awhile and then found ourselves living in the same city and our friendship renewed itself and to this day, she's still one of my favourite pals. I don't know how, I thought this next month was her birthday but I goofed and BIG TIME!!

So, my wonderful friend Betty, I wish you a wonderful year!! I'm sorry I forgot...shame on me for forgetting!

She's always been Bette Boop to me!!!

Picture of Day: Tom and I were at the very back of the ship " The Volendam" on our Panama Canal Trip. It was a hot day, and beautiful day as took a side trip cruising through Gulfo Dulce. The Rain Forest It was so beautiful, so lush and so wild. Unihabited by only a very few little camps we could see nestled into the trees. I couldn't imagine living there!!! We also seen a few alligators, and monkeys, that was fun to see.

Thought for the Day: Sit in reverie and watch the changing color of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow