Sunday, December 31, 2006

Family Ramblings

Hockey loyalty
Grace is watching the world junior hockey championships game between Canada and Slovakia wearing a Team Canada jersey and a Slovakia scarf Will gave her.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Christmas/New Year's

I worked today, after enjoying the time off. We went skating, bowling, cross country skiing, and shopping in Penticton. Plus some shopping here. And celebrated Mom's birthday last night before Allison left. I made supper: beef stroganoff, spaetzle, squash, broccoli, with a cake for dessert courtesy of IGA.

Jim left on the 27th and Allison left this morning. We were sad to see them go. I thought I had to work at 730 and Al had to be at the airport at 640 am. (!)I dropped off Mom, went to work, to find out I didn't have to be there until 830. Hurrah! Went home read the paper and closed my eyes until I had to leave.

I walked and used my NEW IPOD. Richard gave it to me in my stocking. We were only supposed to get stocking stuffers this year, he said it fit in my stocking!

I'm spoiled. And the bag Anne made me has a convenient spot to put it in. As well as the new purse which also has a spot for the IPOD.

I am working New Year's Eve until 930, the again at 730 New Year's Day. Not that we ever do all that much exciting, but I'd prefer to be off earlier. Mom invited us for supper New Year's Day. Hurrah Mom!

Richard is making chili cheese dip tonight as he didn't get any as we weren't at the Ferrey's for Christmas Day. He sure does love that stuff.

Family Ramblings

Puding
Anne made sticky toffee pudding the other night using Lisa's recipe posted on this blog. It was good. I thought I had never had it before, but it's steamed pudding with toffee sauce. I used to make it at Christmas time.
We had a big snowfall the day Judith left (good thing you went in the morning, Jude) and now the sun is shining and everything is all white and clean. Geoff and I are thinking we should go out to the cross-country ski trail this afternoon. January is supposed to be warmer so this might be the only chance this year. Didn't get out at all last year. It's hard skiing on dirt.

Friday, December 29, 2006

Family Ramblings

Christmas holidays
It's hard to believe Christmas is over. But the holidays are not over! I was the only one who had to go to work this week, but it wasn't very busy. Got off at noon again today.

Anne left this morning with all her loot and still left a pile of stuff behind. Will has been going through all his boxes and stuff downstairs and got rid of a lot of things. He has a bit of a pile for us to send once he gets settled back in Victoria. Tim has been finishing up his basement. The drywallers didn't get there this week, but when they do, the place is ready for them.

I lied. Sam worked all week too.

We had a lot of sick people here over Christmas with the flu (the throwing up kind). I thought yesterday that maybe I was getting it, but no such luck. Can't take to my bed with a pile of books, have to keep soldiering on.

Christmases are getting quieter every year, especially the ones without Allison and Lisa. We did have a good time in spite of the flu attack.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

"The List" has been drawn

We just drew names for Christmas 2007:

Beth has Will
Theresa has Anne
Geoff has Jim
Judith has Lisa
Laura has Theresa
Jim has Beth
Lisa has Geoff
Richard has Laura
Al has Tim
Anne has Judith
Will has Richard
Tim has Allison

Christmas Draw 2007

Was wondering if we should draw names for Christmas 2007 now or if the Rocky crew has already done that. Is Sam wishing to be in the draw now that he is out of highschool?! Keep us posted. Who knows, if I start now I just might have a "homemade" gift made for 2007! Sorry Tim, hate to break it to you this way but the only homemade part of the gift I gave you was the wrapping it was in. The rest was handmade... just by someone else's hands other than my own!

Anyways... having a great time here and Seasons Greetings to all!

Richard

Monday, December 25, 2006

I'll Cut You

We had a wonderful xmas in Kelowna! All of us were very happy with our gifts, and felt extremely spoiled. I was so happy with the gifts, I actually had *no* favourites! All the favourite!

We just played a game of Pit, which Jim gave to Lisa & Richard. The older kids used to play it when they were little. We played an older version (that Jim got at a garage sale) at Laura's in Slave Lake. Tonight, we had the DELUXE version. It was tons of fun - and Mom is SO competitive, it was unbelievable! She sulked a bit when she was losing, and then got happy when she won again. Beware, all: Mother is manipulative in order to be the winner! We tried to manipulate one another by saying, "I'll cut you" to try and cow other players into not winning. It never worked.

In other news, we've gone bowling, and I've been reading Angela's Ashes and been very happy that I am not poor Irish. Jim leaves day after tomorrow. We will spend the next few days ice skating, going to matinees, maybe visiting my friend Kirsten's family in Vernon & x-country skiing. And napping and reading!

Christmas Pictures


Merry Christmas everyone! We had a great morning here, up nice and early, with lots of presents (could hardly see the tree). Here is a picture of the shirt I got Dad in Slovakia- I thought everyone would appriciate it! (This is Will, by the way.)

Friday, December 22, 2006

Family Ramblings

Family Ramblings
It's starting to feel like Christmas. I'm done work until next week and I seem to have most of the shopping and baking done (and Grace is going to do the rest of the baking). Just doing housework today.
Things are a bit different every year. When we went to get the tree last weekend, Grace found it, Sam and Will cut it down, Tim and Will put it up and Tim and Grace hung the lights. No stress at all.
It's good to have Will home. Geoff is on holidays this week so he and Will have been over at Tim's a lot working on the basement. The insurance people replaced the floor and will be coming next week to drywall so they have been busy insulating and wiring. I kind of like having grownup kids.
It's a beautiful sunny day, but Geoff and I are feeling a bit sad since it was two years ago today that Daphne died.
Anyway, hope all your Christmas preparations are going well.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Yay for mail!!

I would just like to thank Auntie Lisa and Uncle Richard and Grandma for sending me Christmas cards. I love getting mail, and this is the first year I ever got a Christmas card in the mail. Being 16 pretty much rocks!

In answer to your question, Grandma, my hockey team has won two games, tied one, and lost the rest. I got a goal in each of the wins, so that was cool. The first one was just lucky that it went in, but the second one was on a beautiful shot top corner. My basketball team has lost all of our games, but we are getting better and it is a lot of fun.

Oh, and last night I watched Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Corner Gas and the Simpsons. That was pretty much amazing. One of my friends said that now that I have TV, I will go from an A student to a D student. But whatever.

Tonight I went out caroling with one of my friend's church, and that was a lot of fun. Afterwards the youth group got together and we played Find the Onion. Then we watched movie clips. It was pretty fun.

I am off school now until January, so that is really exciting. Everyone was in a really good mood today because it was the last day, so I didn't really do anything at all, except for a chem test, which wasn't really that hard.

That is about it from me. Thank you again for the mail, I really appreciate it!

T.V. in Rocky?!

Just taking a break from studying as I prepare for the dreaded Musculoskeletal exam tomorrow.Thought I'd catch up on some of the blogs and when I was reading Wil's diary it talked about Theresa and Geoff getting satellite t.v.!? Sounds a little suspicious Will that they got rid of the t.v. antenna (which only got the CBC signal)when you were six. Oh sure they say it came down to do the renovations but perhaps they noticed you kids were becoming too (dare I say it)...Liberal. Maybe they thought Lisa and Allison would corrupt you with their N.D.P. or Green Party ideas as they sat and watched the CBC with you on one of their visits. Perhaps they feel with satellite t.v. you can get the shows that all good Albertan's watch like...Fox News, The O'Reiley Factor, Anne Coulter, Conservatives R Us etc etc. All joking aside you guys were probably much better off without the t.v. growing up anyways. Like you said it lead to a lot of "creativity".

Anyways...must get back to studying. Merry Christmas everyone!

Richard

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Family Ramblings

Hello All:
Somehow I managed to goof up not once but twice posting - the one with no message and then one that didn't appear at all. Just when I think I've got the hang of this thing it bites back at me with some big snafu and it's back to square one!
There wasn't much in my posting as not much has been happening here. We got our trees on the weekend from private land and want you to know we paid for them so the man kept his shotgun put away. Got the treet up and decorated on Sun so it would be there to welcome Jim on Mon. He arrived safely so we've been catching up on chit chat and him on sleep. Al arrives tomorrow so am eagerly awaiting that.
Jude - a feather boa, black yet - are you going to hang it up as decor or wear it? Very 30ish! Are your new pictures realism or abstracts?
Everyone in Rocky will be happy to have Will back in the fold after such a long absence and it does sound like he's keeping busy.
Tim, your grandpa would have been proud of you using your reno-ing skills and diy stuff, also trading talents to get the basement done. Did Geoff really leave that treasure trove on the roof or was there a hoarding squirrel hanging around?
Laura your pictures are really neat - how did it happen that Lisa was sending them? I sent those you posted Al to Ramona and all - thought they would enjoy them.
Do hope that this message gets through. If not I'll tear my hair out

Love to allFamily Ramblings

Laura's pictures




I am posting this pictures of Laura, Wilf and Henry's trip because she is a technophobe and they look great!

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Odd and creepy

I was walking along the street on my way to going jogging and was going at about the same pace as the letter carrier. As he delivered mail to each house he'd yell out "Idiots". I was across the street and heard him quite clearly. After 2 houses I thought, 'Is he having a psychotic break? He doesn't seem to be talking to anyone except himself, angrily' After the 3rd house, I looked at him and yelled across the street, "What's up?" He said huffed and said "people who don't clear their walks of ice". "oh, yes" I said.

Then continued on my way to end of street, slightly terrified of the mail carrier, mentally reviewing whether our sidewalk was clear. Luckily it is.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Family Ramblings

Friday, December 15, 2006

Art

Last Saturday was Schmoozy at Latitude. I went with intention that I might buy one piece of art, certainly no more than two. When I got there I found that I liked a LOT of stuff. But in previous years, I have liked stuff and put in bids on it, but in the end have always been out bid. Not this year, I ended up with 4 different pieces. Now I just have to figure out where to put it all. Three of the pieces are pictures, and the fourth is a black feather boa, made into a wreath, kind of Victorian looking and very cool. I also got to meet a lot of Allison’s librarian friends, who seemed very nice and happy to meet me. Todd is now my new bff, he told some people I was only two years older than Allison. The thing I like about Schmoozy is the mix of people who go there, there are regular middle aged women like me, people who remind me of my nieces and nephews, people wearing jeans, some dressed up to 9’s wearing black velvet and rhinestones, looking like they just came from their office party. It was a really fun evening.

Theresa and Geoff were in town last Sunday, shopping, and stayed over night. As always good to see them. Anne came over for supper and returned my accessories. She cam over on Saturday afternoon, and tried on her new dress, for her Christmas party, and I found some shoes, and a couple of other things to lend her for the party. I was happy that my shoes got an outing, sometimes I think they don’t get out enough.
I had big plans of putting up the tree and decorating for Christmas last week, but by the time I finished the cleaning it was Sunday night, so that will be this weekend’s project. I love doing the decorating, every year I kind of forget exactly what I have, and it feels almost like opening presents, I get surprised at what I have.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

This is kind of creepy

To put in a family blog but, I'm puting in my results from the seduction style quiz Anne had posted on her weblog, 'cause it's a fun quiz to do. Plus, aren't I nice?








Monday, December 11, 2006

Family Ramblings

Family Ramblings
We just got back from a successful shopping trip in Edmonton. Geoff and I went yesterday after church with a sort of list in our minds and came back today with a trunkful of stuff. It was fun. We got lots done yesterday, then Jude had a delicious supper for us and invited Anne over so we had a good visit. Then we went for breakfast with Allison this morning, shopped lots more and drove home on nice dry roads. So that is a lot off my mind. It's a lot harder to fit shopping in when you work full time (I know that's not news to anybody but me.)
Anne said she chatted on the computer with Will the other day from her friend Michael's house in London. I agree with Will, it's amazing that he opened his place up to two complete strangers. Anne says that's the way travellers are, they know how it feels to be in a strange country and are glad to lend a hand when they can.
Grace had a hockey game in Sylvan Lake on Saturday so I stayed home and baked while she and Geoff went. They zipped into Red Deer after the game and got some shopping done.
Two more days until Tim's birthday and Will gets home. Can't wait.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

basement

Things are finally starting to come along in my basement. The insurance guy came by last week to see what needed to be done, and what it would cost them. I have decided to only get them to rebuild the floor that they ripped out, and do nothing with the walls. The reasoning behind this is twofold. First of all that will leave the walls open so that I can do a bit of rewiring down there, and second, if they were to do it, they would be putting all the ugly old wallboard back up that they took down. So instead, I made a deal with one of my friends, who is a drywaller, to wire the addition in his shop, in exchange for the drywalling of my basement. This is good, because it means that we can kind of do it in our own sweet time, and make sure that i don't end up regretting anything. So I spent most of the weekend tearing out the wallboard that had been left up. It went well, and I discovered some old gun shells, and 1967 Canada centennial coins in the wall. Dad figures that they probably fell down from the roof, where he used to hide stuff. Pretty cool. Anyway, the builders are supposedly coming back this week to build the floor, so hopefully everything goes well.
I'll try to keep everyone posted.

Betty crocker

I am feeling like betty crocker, small case deliberate. I have been baking and making chocolates. the chocolates because it does not feel like Christmas unless I do it. Wilf and I went tree poaching today, and now we have a tree it is very nice. Not charlie brown at all, not sure how it will fit in the living room they look smaller in the bush. Henry is going to a Christmas party tonight his friend Mandy's at Boston Pizza the one at Tim HOrton's is on Tuesday so he will be partying like it is 1970. lol. Wilf is busy working at jobs all over, he has enough so he will be ok until the new year. We are going to GP for new years, he is setting off firworks with his buddy there. I hope everyone is doing fine and staying warm, it is finally warming up here, I was starting to wonder if it would, I am turning into a wimp. take care all.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Online Again

It has been awhile since I posted (or even read the blog) I was in an anti computer mood, after spending all day fighting with it at the client site, and then at back at work in Edmonton. I think I have recovered now, so I will catch up on everyone's doing's, and then let you know about my last trip Woonsocket

Monday, December 04, 2006

Family Ramblings

Family Ramblings
I had the best afternoon yesterday. I sat down in the living room with my knitting and put some Christmas CDs on (five, Allison!) and knitted and watched the snow come down all afternoon. Geoff got up from his nap and made nuts and bolts (from his mom's recipe), he and Grace went skating and I just sat there and knitted. It was so nice. Then they got home and Geoff made supper. After supper Geoff and I went for a long walk in the new snow and after we got home, I had a hot bath for an hour or so. I haven't had a relaxing day like that for years. It was so nice.

Cookies

I am trying a new font. it does not seem to be much different than the old one.

Made cookies today, chocolate gingerbread and vanilla kipferls. Really should be studying for nutrition final. Still there is a pleasant symmetry to be baking when nutrition final is approaching.

we went to see Borat. It manages to make fun of both politically correct and politically non-correct people in the same movie. Some moments when i laughed out loud, others where i cringed. I'm still not sure. It may be like Napolean Dynamite, but I'll have to see it again to be sure.

Did very little of anything else this weekend. well, went to Mom's for supper, had steak. Delicious. We went to set up her printer, which did not come with a cord to connect computer to printer. ?! But we did show Mom how to create a Word document for Christmas letter. Hopefully she does not find it too frustrating. I spent a long time getting angry at the machine when I couldn't get it to do something simple and stupid.

Handed in last essay on Friday. Only my final left on Thursday. Whew.

I think I'll be doing my next practicum in Vernon community mental health, which is supposed to offer a great program. Richard and i can carpool together!

After, I'll do 1 in psych ICU. Which i think is like policework, sounds full of adrenaline, but is long periods where not much happens interspersed with periods of crisis. I'll let you know. I am doing it as i think it would be good experience and give me more opportunities, but I'm pretty sure I'd prefer the regular unit.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

more

More Photos

Chocolates

Well, choloates are made for another year. Every year it seems to go faster, I don't if it's because we're always getting better or if we are making less. Anyway, it was fun as usual. We were short a couple of people: Grace was at an Oilers game with a friend and Geoff was teaching another stained glass course. But Tim and Sam were there to help along with Jude, Allison and Anne. Afterwards some of us went to the Parade of Lights which was really good this year. I wonder if my opinion of each year has to do with the weather. It doesn't seem as good if you're freezing in the snow. It was pretty good weather this year and there were some good floats. After Tim showed us his Europe pictures and we heard all about his trip. So a good weekend. Geoff made a bang-up breakfast after church and the Edmonton travellers are now on the road. This is from Theresa but the picture is from Geoff.

Chocolates