Saturday, May 3/08

Don Quixote de la Mancha

For some reason, I've always been fascinated by this character and once had a large beautiful painting done in shades of brown, in my house. I wonder what happened to it? Can't remember!

Have always intended on reading the translated version of Don Quixote and have picked it up many times and set it back on the shelf in the Library again. One day, I'll read it!

Not much to tell you about today, but we haven't done anything so far, except to play on the computer. It's just such a time waster and I know it, but it's very entertaining as well. We are heading up for a new supply of reading material shortly, so I'll tell you what exciting thing happens to us after we return. It's raining....what else is new??

You have likely already seen the symbol for the 2010 Olympic Games held here in Vancouver. They are calling for volunteers for everything under the sun, but it's mostly being held at Whistler and it's quite a mountain drive and I don't think I want to be travelling up there or be anywhere near the games when they start. Right in front of the television is fine for me. There sure is lots of preparation going on for the games and what an expensive under taking for those cities that host it. The people are having their taxes boosted quite high to pay for it all. New roads, new sky train routes, new buildings...wow...$$$$$$$$

later...

Back again and supper is over. We went to the Library, got a pile of books, then home and sat out on the deck where it was lovely and warm and sunny! It restore's my soul to sit outside, but have to be drenched in sun screen anymore and not sit with the sun on my face.

Lordy, Lordy, we forgot to wish our good friend Doug B., a Happy Birthday which was April 14th.

Doug is a wonderful man and was in the Fire Department with Tom. I tease Doug all the time, and he's just such a great sport. I think he's A+, and very handsome too!! He's also a dedicated reader of this blog. He know's better then not to be!!! He knows I'll quiz him on it! Poor Doug, probably wishes he never met me!! Ahhhh, we both love ya Douggie! A very happy belated birthday to you and may this next year be wonderful for you!

Picture of the day: The cleanup after the tear and burn down of the camp. Nothing left except the out house!!!

Thought of the day!

LADY IN WHITE

Lady in White

Don't you sometimes wonder who makes these wonderful pictures?

Well, I know who made this one! My Aunt Irene is quite an artist on the computer and has some wonderful stuff out there. If you'd like to have a look, here is her site.
irenes-place.com/

Tom complained that the font I'm using is too small to read. (He just had cataracts removed, so can't understand the problem!) But wondering if anyone else finds it too small. This is the large print!

It's a dull day here in Vancouver and it seems everyone is complaining about the weather. It's cold and just not nice. Looking up at the mountains, you can see fresh snow. I hope warmer weather appears soon as this is darn depressing.

I walked over to the Mall this morning to meet Tom at his chiropractor appointment. It seemed strange not to be walking the dog, but without him, I could pop into Homesense and Michaels along the way. I bought a rabbit at Homesense for $4.00 that is really quite nice. It's the kind that should be on a cabinet top, but I just set it outside on the deck beside the planter, that I just planted with geraniums that we also bought when we were out.

Then we had a nice lunch from Whole Foods an we picked up a papaya to try. They have such different types of food that I've never even seen, let alone ever tried before, so Tom says, we should try something different every time we come. I got to the counter and when it was rung in, it came up $11.16!! For one little piece of fruit!! I declined it and decided we didn't need papaya after all! We knew the price of food was on the rise, but that's ridiculous!

I love that store though, and just browsing and looking at all the delicious looking things is fun.

So, that is about the extent of our day. The rest is just being homebody's and relaxing. I've got about 15 minutes of reading on my last book and will be starting another tonight. I hate when a good book ends.

So, have a great weekend everyone. Wish I was there at home to spend it with Norma and Clare and Betty and the rest of the gals. Would LOVE to spend it with my family!

Thought for the day!

HAPPY MAY DAY

HAPPY MAY DAY
May 1st, often called May Day, just might have more holidays than any other day of the year. It's a celebration of Spring. It's a day of political protests. It's a neopagan festival, a saint's feast day, and a day for organized labor. In many countries, it is a national holiday.

This article was in the local paper yesterday, and thought maybe it would be interesting to put on here. I don't think I'd like to be the photographer when the bear first stuck out his head from his hibernation cave and be the first thing it saw! Especially after not eating for months!!

I'll just pop out and check my shadow

The grizzlies on Grouse are pretty sure winter is over.
Resident grizzlies Grinder and Coola at Grouse Mountain's Refuge for Endangered Wildlife emerged on a chilly Friday last week and spent the afternoon frolicking and wrestling in the snow.
The male grizzlies have been holed up in their hibernation den for four sleepy months -- their longest hibernation period to date.

GRINDER, one of two orphaned male grizzlies living at Grouse Mountain's Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, digs his way out of the hibernation den he has shared with Coola for more than four months - the longest period of dormancy for the bears since they came to Grouse in 2001.
Extreme snow conditions and unseasonably cool temperatures have had a big impact on the length of the Grinder and Coola's hibernation, according to a press release from the refuge.
Andrea Scott, communications manager for Grouse Mountain Resorts, said that the bears lost about 20 per cent of their body fat over the winter months.
The North Shore is generally black bear country, but the two grizzlies came to the refuge as orphans in 2001.
"They look to be in excellent shape after a long hibernation and seem to be enjoying the snow," said refuge director Ken Macquisten.
Macquisten's team has watched the bears emerge for seven consecutive winters now. Over the years, the refuge team has learned a thing or two about grizzly habits, including the previously unknown fact that grizzlies are not "true hibernators." Unlike other hibernating animals, who are as hard to rouse from deep sleep as your average teenager, hibernating bears have a period of extended sleep called "dormancy." Grizzlies fatten up in the fall and then spend three to five hibernating months in snow caves -- not eating, but occasionally waking and moving around.
When stirring becomes pacing and that pacing goes on for a few weeks, the refuge team knows that the bears are about to emerge.
Anyone is welcome to stop by the refuge to see the bears, said Scott, but to catch them at their friskiest, she recommends coming around 10 a.m.

There are many bear sightings around here where we live, however, more up and around the house's on the upper levels, built on the side of the mountains. But it's not uncommon to have one close to us either!
So with that little story, I'm still wondering when my two aunties, Irene and Colleen are coming out to visit??

The day got off to a rough start, with me not feeling quite well. So at 11, I went back to bed and slept for an hour and felt much better. Then an hour or so in the "Loo", and I felt more myself. It must be all the spinach salad or something that I was eating. Tom said it felt like that "other woman" has been visiting the last few days, and now that I'm smiling again, he said "I hope she never comes back...I hate her!" Meaning, my "other" mood!

Then we thought we'd try out a mystery tour on our GPS, so not knowing where "Jill" was going to take us, we set out, following her directions. It took us to a park where we used to walk the dog, near our favourite Tim Horton's! Not real exciting!! We were hoping for some big surprise we had never seen before. But we stopped for our daily cup of java and that was good!

Then we went to the Londsdale Quay, which is a two story market full of little shops. They have a soup Meister there, that makes terrific homemade soups, and our favourite is, Thai Shrimp Curry. It's absolutely delicious! This is also the place where we catch the sea bus over to Vancouver, which is a fun little ride.

Not very good pictures but the best I could find.

So, that's been our day. The rest of the day is pretty routine, We watch Oprah, make dinner, have a bath, and head to bed to read. OHHHH yeah....it's Thursday, my favourite night on TV.

Roxanne, is pretty close to winning the pool, if she can just hang on a bit longer with her pick of winners. Only three nights left! WhooooHooooo, wouldn't that be great!!

Picture of the Day: More of burning the camp. This was Tom's workshop, also the shower room. Looks like the new owners, let loose with paint spray and had fun writing all over it, before the fire department came in for the big burn.

Thought for the day:

ISN'T THIS GUY CUTE!

THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

I found this picture yesterday and just thought he was so cute! I had to put him on here today. I wish I had a cute caption for what he's thinking. Can any of you come up with a good one?

Nothing much to tell you about today, but it's only about 11 am.

Tom has gone to the eye doctor for a check-up, I'm doing this and watching "The View".

I have laundry going and plan shortly on going out to do windows.

later in the day

Well, it's supper time and it's cooking away as I do this. Still, there is nothing much to tell you about! Tom's eye is healing well and all is good there. Just the usual thing of folding clothes, and doing a bit of this and that, and before you know it, the day is almost over. The window's never got done though. It was too cold out on the deck and so I poo pooed that idea for another day.

I went for a walk to the store and was puffing coming up the inclines. There is a bit of a hill coming up to the our building, and when I'm carrying groceries, I puff!! Goes to show what losing weight would do for me, and not carry these extra pounds. Easy to say, hard to do!

My daughter Lisa called today and soon my youngest grandson will be taking a driving test and is learning on a stick shift, mini car. Makes driving a automatic a breeze! Way to go Brad!!

Well, supper is almost ready and I'm not a very interesting person today, so will make this one blog short! Do I still have readers out there?

Picture of the day: The end of an era and the loss of the cottage! The new owners had it burned down to be replaced by their new home. Sad, but life goes on!

Thought of the day:

FELINE ENTERTAINMENT

Tom had an appointment at 8:45 this morning, to have his second cataract taken off. I slept in, and he never called me, and luckily, I woke at 8! Talk about moving fast. He thought his appointment was at hour later. He didn't know I could move so quickly! We made it right on the dot, and then he had to wait for almost 2 hours before they began the procedure. It's that "hurry up and wait," that always happens with appointments!

All went well and he's snoozing now. He's really looking forward to not having to wear eyeglasses at all. I swear he looks younger every day, and boy, does he love hearing that!

Poor Roxanne! She brought TJ to the vets yesterday for a checkup and to see if there was anything to give him to avoid ticks. She found one on him before it had burrowed into his skin. So, after a checkup, TJ, had a rabies shot, and all other needed shots, plus he has some rotten teeth that have to come out and that's not cheap!! I felt so bad for giving her a "defective dog".

So, we contributed to the vet bill, as we should, before she sent him back to us! From what she tells us, he sure is a different dog then when he lived here. She has been using the DOG WHISPER'S tricks and training to have good habits and drop the bad one's he picked up with us! Way to go Sam! TJ sounds so happy and content.

My latest reading has been an EXCELLENT Book, with a terrific author, that I'll be checking the library for more of his novels. This one, I would never have picked up, except I read an article praising how good it was and thought, I'd give it a go. I'm glad I did. Now, when I tell you about what it's about, you may think....ahh, not for me! But, it's a real surprise at what great mix of true story/ fiction and history, that is really is. It's about Joe Smallwood, the Premier of Newfoundland and how he started the labour unions. (or is that labor??) What a story it is!! I couldn't put it down. So, I started the next one "Colony of Unrequited Dreams", which different but kind of the same only written from Smallwood's outlook.

Fantastic reading and quite humorous with great characters. I'm almost finished the second book and I hate when a good book ends.

So, just a tip for some great reads, if interested!

Meredith gave us a really cute fountain, that I got all fixed up and working this afternoon. It's right outside the dining room patio door and it's really quite nice. A big round ball on a stand with water spewing out of the top of the ball and running down the sides. Nice sound too, however, I keep thinking....ohhh noo, it's raining again!! We love it! Thanks Mer!

Picture of the day:

Not looking too happy at the moment!

Comment of the day: Lord! when you sell a man a book you don't sell just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue - you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night - there's all heaven and earth in a book, a real book.

ANYBODY KNOW THESE CHARACTERS?

IN DISGUISE

Ahhhh, remember Burt and Ernie, aka Blues Brothers? Those we're the days of good television for children. Although I don't even know if Sesame Street is still on TV anymore, but I used to sit and enjoy watching it with my children. My favourite character was "Cooking Monster", but then, I can really relate to him, being a bit of one myself. I was a great fan of the Muppet Show as well. I wish it was still on!

Here's the next generation of children's television shows. Little Byron, Tom's great-grandson.

3 Days Old

Great Grandpa, Grandpa, Mom (4 Generations)

Meredith and her Dad

Joan (Grandma)
Heather making sure I don't drop him!

Kevin and Heather (parents of Byron)

Grandpa Martin

Proud Grandpa

Today, I got up an hour earlier then my normal time of 8am and got busy baking Tom his cookies, muffins, and tonight even made him rice pudding for dessert! He wonder's what he did to deserve all these good treats.

Tom told me, he is living with two different women. One who is really nice and in a good mood during the day, but turns into someone else during the night. I guess, I'm not my daytime self through the night if I get woke up, or have no room. Tom says he sleeps gripping onto the edge of the mattress, so he doesn't fall off, because I hog the bed!!! Imagine that!!! I never knew!!! I believe I mentioned before we got married, that I'm not good at being woke up! He should have listened!! hahahahah

Today, we went to get cat food and was heading to Walmart where it's the cheapest, but on the way there, I decided, that I could pick up the few things I needed as well as a couple of cans of cat food to last a few days at the grocery store instead. Well, that was a wrong move!! I came out with many bags, a long cash register receipt, and two cans of cat food! They only had two cans!!

So, if the cat doesn't eat, we certainly will!! Food is certainly getting much more noticably expensive!! Maybe I should clean out the freezer and not shop until it's empty!

We had an earthquake here at 4.8 yesterday, and nobody felt it. There has been a lot of news lately of eathquakes and the fault running right through here! This morning, Tom had gotten up and Batman was up on the bed by my feet, and he had an itch and was scratching. In my sleep haze, I could feel the bed moving and thought it was an earthquake. I now know how I'll react if one happens during the night, if I act the same way as I did this morning, which was, a sleepy and uncaring "ohhhh, an earthquake..yawn, snore, snore!"

Well, it's that hour to make dinner. It's a huge spinach salad with strawberries, pecans, onions, cheese, and lots of shrimp, a toasted croissant, and of course...rice pudding!

Picture of the Day: This is a Pieris tree or bush, and it's beautiful. It has little white bells, likelily of the valley on it. I've never seen one in Belleville. By the way....it's raining again!

Quote of the day: Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration.

Hello on Sunday

Well, what wild and wonderful thing can I tell you about today....like I lead a wild life eh!

Out of bed in a rush, as arrangements had been to be in Ladner for breakfast with Tom's family and to see the new arrival, Byron, 3 days old!
He's a beautiful baby and even though we all fussed over him, he was not at all interested in us and slept right through being passed around and cuddled.
I don't have the pictures off the camera yet, but will tomorrow.


Then over to see the baby's nursery and how cute it is. Lucky little boy!


Then off to see Meredith and Dave's new home and what a beauty it is too! They are still getting moved in and I'm sure when they get it all together it will be a showpiece.


Then over to Martin and Joan's for tea and cookies and some chitter chatter.

Then Home!

Gas here is 132.5 a Liter!

I'd say, that's Highway Robbery!!
Maybe, we will soon have to get a bike like my picture on the heading, but ohhhh my, the hills here!! Not to mention the traffic! I'd get killed one way or another for sure! Heart attack, or car attack!

Since this last sentence this site has been acting funny and eliminating text on me, and other things, so I'm just going to say goodnight and hopefully it will sort itself out tomorrow. The site I'm using, must be doing something at the moment. It's very unstable. Goodbye, before I lose everything!!