WHY THE LONG WEEKEND?

Queen Victoria

Victoria Day is celebrated on the first Monday preceding May 25th. It is a statutory holiday throughout all of Canada except the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island).
Victoria Day falls on the second to last Monday in May, which is usually the third weekend, but can be the fourth in years like 1999 where the 31st falls on a Monday. It falls on the weekend preceding Memorial Day in the United States. Some cities celebrate this day with fireworks in the evening.
Victoria Day is officially the Sovereign's birthday. The Sovereign's birthday was first observed in Ontario (then called Canada West) in 1845 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria of England (1837-1901).
After the death of Queen Victoria, an Act was passed by the Parliament of Canada establishing a legal holiday on May 24 in each year (or May 25 if May 24 fell on a Sunday) under the name Victoria Day. An amendment to the Statutes of Canada in 1952 established the celebration of Victoria Day on the Monday preceding May 25, making it the first long weekend of the summer season.

So there you have it! Victoria Day! That's for you history buffs out there!

It's been a HOT day today, and most welcomed!

We went out for an enjoyable breakfast this morning with Joan and Martin, then visited for awhile. Then Patricia and I went for a little shopping area near here called Caulfield. Not much there, but we had a coffee at Starbucks.

We stopped at the Library and filled up on new books. I can't even keep up the list on here, I'm reading them so fast!

While in the Library, I suddenly felt sick and barely made it to the washroom. It was so hot in there, and my temperature seem to suddenly raise way up, until I thought I was going to pass out. Patricia came looking for me finally, and I just felt very weak.

I still don't feel very good, so this is going to be a short blog today.

I guess if Tom wants supper tonight, he's on his own!!

Anyway, hope everyone is having a great weekend and will be back tomorrow.

HELLOOOOOOOOOOO

HELLOOOO, ANYBODY THERE?

Well, here it is the weekend AGAIN! At the rate time is moving, I'll be dead before I hoped to be! Where does it go??

Guess what we had today? You would never guess!! We had it yesterday too and maybe even have it tomorrow as well!!

YEAHHHHHHHHH, THE SUN!!!!

And boy does it feel great! It's actually HOT

Today was beautiful and when it's nice out, that's when I seem to click in to the otherwise hidden feeling, ENERGY and with it comes HOUSECLEANING!!! However, whatever I got into, seem to make a worse mess everywhere else, and at the end of the day, the house is a mess! Oh well, there's always tomorrow! The mess isn't going to go away on it's own!

Roxanne, has TJ done this to you yet? Just don't leave the last piece at floor level, or it will be all shredded and off the roll!!

Another BIG birthday coming up tomorrow!! How come everything happens in May?

This one is for a very special person, my daughter in law!! Everyone is an in-law out here in Vancouver!! She really should be called an OUTLAW, because she's so BAD!! But, ohh boy, is she a fun person, and I just love her! I'm talking about Joan. She has such a wonderful sense of humor and as sharp as a tack! I always have fun when she's around and also she can make you feel so relaxed and comfortable at her home, where she can whip up a dinner, which seems to come out of no where! Nothing fazes her and I've never seen such a dedicated Mom and Grandmother!

Joan having fun on St Patrick's Day

With her new Grandchild, little Byron
TO A VERY SPECIAL PERSON, WE WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND WE LOVE YOU!! We appreciate ALL you do!

Just a little reminder....

So far there are over 4,000 people who have come to my site since I started it in January. Who the heck are you and could you do me a favour and leave a little note on the Guestbook, which can be found if you scroll until you can't scroll any further. It's down there somewhere! Just a little hello now and then would be nice!!



Picture of the day: These three, very pretty girls, just love Tom (so does the other one on the right) The three girls family, had the cottage beside Tom at Green Lake, and Tom knew them since they were barely walking. They are beautiful and talented girls. Michala, Brianna, and Moirie. I hope I spelled their names right, and arn't they pretty names! This is one picture of the little party held on one of our last nights there. Thought of the Day: Goodbyes are not forever.Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I'll miss you,
Until we meet again!
PS..you may have to scroll down to the yesterdays blog. Every picture I add, screws up the whole setting and I have to re-adjust every time, which sometimes leaves a huge gap between the dates. It did it this time, and I can't figure out why it does it!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER MIKE FROM ALL OF US

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE WITH LOVE

Just a little fellow!

Nine years old and I was six, and ohh the things he was teaching me!

Looks like a little devil here eh? Taught me how to pick worms, hit a ball, and steal a bike, and to smoke!!

Starting to look VERY handsome and I was so proud of my BIG brother!

This was during his repenting years, I suppose!!!

The girls were beginning to notice him!!
Watch out world, here comes MIKE!!! He always was my HERO!!


Mike and John, proud brothers!!

Mike and Dad! Proud Father!

It was Mike's lucky day when he met and married Wanda. She's a wonderful person, always calm and down to earth.

We all love her dearly and makes us all feel so special when around her.

She makes some delicious meals too, and really goes all out. I wonder how she puts up with Mike sometimes! (Joking) Mike and Wanda have been married for (I think) 47 years now.

They have two sons, Michael Jr. and Chris. Also 5 wonderful Grandchildren. Mike can always see the funny side to everything, loves to joke and have a good time. He's just a fun person to be around.
He has a special way with animals and they just take to him instantly. So, there must be a goodness there inside of him, that they just know about when he's near.

Now, that I've said all those nice things, let me tell you about the time he made me eat worms, and how when Dad caught him smoking under the bed, he told on me too. I was further against the wall, under the bed and would have gotten away with it, if Mike hadn't said, "Dad, Linda's smoking under there too!" He's played way too many tricks on all of us, at one time or another, that I couldn't possibly mention them all on here.

He was the second boy, and I was the first girl after him. So, I when I got mad at him, I'd tell him, that "Mom and Dad, didn't want him when he was born, they wanted a girl! They just had to keep him anyway!!" I'm so glad that I had a big brother!! He's been very special and even though we don't see each other often, we both know, that we love each other and would be there in a second, if needed.

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you.......

Happy Birthday, dear Micky..

Happy Birthday to YOU!!!

From your loving Sisters

(Roxanne was partying the

night before and couldn't

get her eyes open)

A better picture of Mike and Roxanne

Have a GREAT BIRTHDAY MIKE!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM THE WHOLE GANG!

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday and here I sit! I haven't done a darn thing all day, however it's only 9:45am! We have our breakfast and then watch Regis and Kelly and The View. Then we sort of plan our day.
later

Now, it's 4:13pm and we are watching Oprah!! Since this morning, we have gone to the chiropractors, then for lunch, then to the Mall. Tom sat and read his book and I looked around Sears and Walmart and some other stores. Bought a few things and then we stopped at Tim Horton's for a much needed coffee....at least I needed one! Then home....at last!!

The blossoms have just about all fallen off the trees, and some of the Spring flowers are fading away, but a whole new batch of flowers are coming into bloom and it just seems like constant colour here. We had rain overnight, but it's nice out now and it's finally suppose to get wonderfully HOT in the next few days!! My kind of weather!

If, I was back in my normal life, before BC (British Columbia), I would be ending up my job at the College and although still employed until Feb, would be heading off toward retirement, joining John H and Mike N, and probably many more of the staff that became employed at the College when it was still fairly new. Where did the time go? It seems just like yesterday that retirement was just someplace, way down the road. So many changes in my life since those long ago days! Some bad, some good, but it ended up fabulous!

To all those retiring this year....GOOD LUCK and CONGRATULATIONS!!

Picture of the Day:Jane and TJ (Jane came out to visit and fell in love with TJ)

Thought of the day: I enjoy waking up and not having to go to work. So I do it three or four times a day.

LIFE ON TUESDAY MAY 13

Hello on Tuesday

As you can see, I changed the format a little and now the past blogs, and address book and book titles are wayyyy down on the bottom of the page. Just keep scrolling! I have more room like this, so will try it for awhile to see if it's better.

This is our weather in Vancouver today! Need I say more?

However, we made the most of it and met Dianne and Bill for lunch in North Vancouver at a place called "Memphis Blues", a rib and pulled pork, BBQ type restaurant, that was very good. As always, a great time with them, with great conversation and many, many laughs. I always hate to leave and look forward to our next lunch.

I have no books to read at the moment. I finished "Navigator of New York", and it was a struggle, as it was slow reading. Just sort of draggy, but better near the end. Maybe, I'll go out after Oprah and head up to the Library.

We are watching Oprah now, and it's about life regression and I find the topic so interesting and would love to be hypnotised and brought back to a former life. Wouldn't you? I remember one time, I went with a girlfriend who was being hypnotised to help her with her dieting. She was afraid to go alone, and be "under", so I was allowed to sit in the same room as her, but down at the other end, which was a long room. I could hear him talking to her and I was listening intently and was aware of his voice only. All of a sudden he was snapping his fingers in front of my face, and telling me to wake up. It didn't work for her, but sure did for me. However, because I wasn't paying him for the session, he didn't help me with my dieting!! But I knew that I had certainly been hypnotized!

Well, that's it folk's. Not too interesting today. Don't forget if you would like to leave a message, scroll to the very bottom, as far as you can go and go to where it say's something about guestbook. It's easy and I love to hear from you! Give me some input if you like the blog in big print and this format or the old way. PLEASE!

Picture of the day: Roxanne at Granville Island. All the pigeons were on the ground then suddenly took flight

Couldn't resist throwing this one in!!

THE DAY AFTER MOTHERS DAY

Well, here it is the day after us Mom's we're honoured for being MOMS! I hope everyone had a wonderful day. I know I did!

For those Mom's who had the kids come home to celebrate, my thoughts are with you today!!

For Meredith and Dave who had a gang over for Mother's Day, and went to a ton of trouble, I thank you!!

This picture below, describes what's happening at many Mother's home's today when the children celebrated there!

Yesterday, Meredith & Dave and Martin and Joan my step-children and spouse's,(my, I never thought I'd have step-children!), really made me so thankful, that they are the wonderful people they are and that they really made me feel very special on Mother's Day, with a terrific breakfast, and beautiful bouquets of flowers from them both. It was truly touching and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Moments like that really go straight to the heart and are never forgotten. It's so wonderful to know and for the kids to realize, I'm not the EVIL STEP-MOTHER as portrayed in jokes and stories.

Then my kid's called and it was so good to hear from them, and to talk to my grandchildren as well. My, are they all growing up and I'm missing it all!! Matthew is going to Cornwall to school in the Fall and Brad is going for his driver's licence this week. Erica, was away for the day, and Sarah was having a bad day and getting scolded, so never got to speak to her. But Sarah called me the other day and we had a nice conversation. I love you ALL!!

I'm going to leave this blog for a few hours and get some work done, so will be back. The whole building is sorting through junk and setting it outside for a big pick-up tomorrow. Our chance to get rid of STUFF!! We put out these cute nesting tables last night and they were gone tomorrow, and I found a wicker chair, I grabbed, so it's like a big free "take it, if you want it!". I'll let you know later, if I got any treasures and someone elses JUNK!

later

No treasures at all, it's all junk!! We added some things and found a few things in our own junk pile, we could use. There was much more I could have thrown out,but Tom say's we may need it...Right!!!!

It's a sort of dull, not very warm day here today. Where is the darn heat??

I keep talking about getting window's done, but I never get them even started!

Guess what...I'm going for a snooze now. Forget the window's!! I couldn't sleep last night, after watching the exciting finale of Survivor, and then read to almost the last 2 chapters of my book. When I finally put it down, I thought I was ready for sleep, but my mind kept returning to the TV show, the wonderful day we had, and the exciting closing of my book. The last time, I glanced at the clock was 2:30 am. I'm tired!!

I'm leaving you with this cartoon, that I got a chuckle out of. Hope you do too! The dog once ate Tom's hearing aids, and the cat sleep on the bottom of the bed, so anything can happen!!!