Friday, August 31, 2012

Orlando

I get to go to Orlando for a work conference in December!
There was a draw, and Jana put my name in. I thought she was joking when she told me I won. I didn't even know they were having one!
It is on quality patient care, and I think I will bring Richard and we can go to Disney World after!
the conference is really big-I think about 6,000-and a great number of sessions to choose from. It runs Dec 9-12.
I'm excited, the farthest I have traveled for work is Vancouver-and that was traveling down in an ambulance accompanying a patient, then turning around and traveling right back.
I guess when I worked for lifestyle equity I got to also go to Vancouver with one of the people for a concert-but when you are doing that sort of thing vs a conference it is quite different.
I had just been saying to Richard that we should go somewhere warm for vacation this winter-he was reluctant as usual when the subject of vacation comes up.
But then this falls into my lap-makes it much more difficult for him to say no :) Hurrah! Although he is still not committing to it. If it were me, I would have leaped on the opportunity if it was him going. I think it is being raised by hard-working Protestant Dutch immigrants.

We went camping last weekend-had a lovely time-it was nice and warm and sunny. sat on beach, I read a scary Icelandic novel that Jude left here. Richard did sudoku.
We are going to Nakusp this weekend and sitting in hotsprings. Leaving after Richard gets off work tomorrow.
Grace and cousin Scott were here on their way to Victoria. Mom made supper, and then they left the next am-Grace has not been here since Mom moved! Scott is a very nice man. I am afraid that I chattered too much though and possibly overwhelmed him. Grace is used to me.
Will was here last week and we had a good chat with him too. Hr makes me laugh.


Thursday, August 30, 2012

Baba's boy

Tim is working away and Courtney had to work late tonight so Geoff picked Kane up from day care and he came over for a visit and supper. Geoff and Kane also came to see me at work and Kane impressed all my co-workers with his cuteness. Told Tim I would post this video Geoff took after Kane put Geoff's shoes on and started clumping around.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Christmas list

Mom has Theresa
Geoff has Allison
Theresa Jim
Anne has Lisa
Will has Geoff
Grace has Anne
Jude has will
Laura has grace
Sandi has Jude
Jim has Mom
Lisa has sandi
Richard has Laura
Allison has Richard

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Christmas

Could someone post the Christmas list? We can't find it.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

August is flying by

When it has been busy I don't get around to posting because of the time, when it's not busy, there's nothing to say. And it has been busy all of August. Jude was here on the long weekend. Also Dick, Jo and Heather were staying out at the lake so we visited with them out there one evening. My friend Linda came out from Red Deer for brunch on the Sunday so that was another good visit. I had to work the long weekend Monday but nobody here seemed to miss me that day. Jude went back to the city with Grace on Tuesday. Will arrived Thursday, just basically exited his car and entered ours to go for Folkfest. We wanted to go Thursday night because of Corb Lund. Laura got us a real good tarp spot and Corb was great. The rest of the weekend has been covered elsewhere, I just have to say again that it was an especially good fest this year. I took Monday off too so we didn't have to rush home Sunday night.

Will is still here, does not have to leave until Thursday. The weather has been really good so he has had a lot of time to relax in the yard, rising only to pick a few saskatoons for a snack.

This weekend was the trail run around the lake, I am on the committee for that, so I volunteered Geoff, Grace and Will to help. It was fun being there, another beautiful day and lots of people running - about 250. Kane had a sleepover here Saturday night. Tim and Courtney had been in Calgary visiting Courtney's dad (he is going through treatments for leukemia and was out on a day pass), and left Kane here so they could have an evening out. That is a very busy baby. He is walking now and so interested in everything. Good thing we had four people to spell off making sure he didn't fall down any stairs.

Will and I went to the chuckwagon races on Sunday afternoon. That was a lot of fun, it's like a whole other world. The races are very exciting. Then Sunday night we went to Tim's for supper and had a good time eating on the new deck, visiting and playing with Kane. That kid just loves Geoff.

We felt quite touched when Tim asked if we would be OK with Kane calling us Grandma and Grandpa. But I asked if I could be Baba. It seems to be a sound Kane makes a lot so I like to think he is talking to me.

And summer carries on. The weather is still nice, although it is supposed to rain tonight. The garden is doing really well, we had all kinds of veggies from it for supper tonight.

Sam and Nancy are supposed to be coming tomorrow night, they are planning on camping on the weekend. I think everyone is going out for a drink tomorrow night before Will leaves, except me, I will stay with Kane. Which is just what I want to do. Can't get enough of that kid.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Recovered

It took me a few days to catch up on my sleep after Folk Fest, I guess that is what getting older does to you.  I was also a bit sad to see my company leave, the place seems empty when company goes.

Our accommodation is booked for London, a two bedroom flat in the Knightsbridge area, close to the V and A.  The best thing about this booking is that a taxi will meet us at Heathrow with the keys and take us directly to the flat, hurray, no looking for keys in the dark or getting lost.  the other good thing is the building has an elevator.

Nancy will be in town this week, Marylynne is going to have a supper for her, and Allison and I are going to go.  It will be nice to see her and the other cousins, I think Tommy and Hulda will be there as well.

I am trying to participate in a study about osteoporosis, I have passed the first interview and now I am going in for an in person one at the university tomorrow.  If I am accepted I will have to have some bloodwork and bone density tests done.

I went to visit Sam at his new place, very nice.  It is a good size with a balcony, not too much furniture but there are a couple of couches so company does not need to sit on the floor.

It is going to be nice again today and I don't work so I might go and see what is happening at the Fringe.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

For Steph

I know Stephanie checks in here from time to time so I just had to post this picture. Geoff was not impressed by Rem's sarong the first time we met him at Folkfest; now G wears his all the time in the hot weather. Here he is picking saskatoons.

Four Strong Winds

has been sung and FF is over for another year.  This year was just about perfect, my raingear remained buried in my backpack and the weather was not too hot.  In a bit of a change this year, we showed up for the tarp lottery all 4 days, and got fantastic tarp locations every single day.  A new face on the tarp this year (Dallyn) and a couple of returnees (Will and Grace).  I think everyone else also had a great time.  On every night there was someone who stood out for me, Corb Lund, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt.  And I also had several acts I had never heard of before but now I am a new fan, Trampled by Turtles, Bahamas, New Country Rehab.






Sunday, August 12, 2012

Ticket and Feast of fields

We went to Feast of Fields today-yum. It was a lovely setting and good food, but H-O-T. We had to keep finding a tree to sit and stand under, and I think we still got a bit pink. Some good wine too.
We went to beach yesterday with  friends and brought along a couple beers. Apparently police were doing patrols and ticketing-$235! They seemed to feel badly about doing it, the cop kept saying, "Oh, that's too bad" in her Quebequois accent and  after giving ticket said, "you just weren't quick enough, why didn't you get rid of them?" I think it's because when they came up, I confessed immediately. I would make a terrible criminal. "Officer, I cannot tell a lie, it is our beer'. She did let us take the other ones back to the car though. We split the ticket. Maybe I should feel more outraged, but really, I feel like, well, they're just doing their job, and I was in the wrong, although not doing anything obnoxious. The couple we were with were crabbier about it, but if you're a rule breaker, you take your chances. I did read in the paper that they were targeting this, this summer, but have not seen them doing it.
If I lived in Rocky, we might be in the police report!
It has been above 30 for at least 2 weeks-summer was late this year, but it seems to be making up for it.
I go for a pedicure tomorrow-hot stone-because it has more massaging in it.
I wish I had been able to go to Folk fest-it looks like it was fun, as always.



Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Holidays Are Here!

Hurray hurray, I'm on my way!  Well, almost.  Off to Kelowna on the 9 am ferry tomorrow, then on to Rocky and Edmonton on Thursday.  I'm very much looking forward  to seeing Grandma and Lisa and Richard and to folk fest.

It's been a long slog - not particularly tough, but lots going on, and now since Peter retired, I'm the fellow who makes most of the decisions.  I was in a meeting tonight til 10 - meeting about one thing that morphed into general discussions, and on and on.  I will be glad to be on holidays.  We have had lots of stuff going on - a vacation bible school, three kids doing baptismal preparation, in addition to celebrating and preaching at most of the Sunday services, visiting four care homes, and the usual roster of people in the hospital.  About the only thing that I don't enjoy is picking the hymns for Sunday.  We use 4 different books across the services, and I'm supposed to try and match the hymns to the themes of the day, or the readings.  There are resources to help, but then I find that we don't know the ones that they're suggesting, and I always end up with a headache.  There'll be a part time interim minister coming in September, so I'm hoping I can shuffle hymn picking off on to him.

But mostly it's great.  Today I managed to go for lunch with a colleague, have espresso at a parishioner's house, and hang out with three kids who are going to be baptised in October.  Pretty hard to complain about a day like that.

I will be glad to get away from the weather - it's quite humid here, which I hate.  Sunday was hot hot - 30 degrees plus humidity.  There I was all dressed up for church!  Luckily the evening service was cancelled, so I came home, put on shorts, and spent the day reading in the shade. 

Saturday, August 04, 2012

Cat days of summer

It is hot here, and I feel like doing not much this weekend, except reading a book.
Though I will make myself take a bike ride to store to pick up snacks for drive in movie tonight in Enderby-Batman is playing. And that stupid male stripper movie-which I will no doubt fall asleep in.
We won tickets to Feast of Fields.
From our veggie delivery people! I was excited as I hardly ever enter and consequently don't win prize contests very often.
Stupid course is done. I got a mediocre mark, which of course made me fretful. I still don't understand what she wanted and what I should have done differently. Humility is good for me.
Allison was here for a week, and we enjoyed her visit.
Kris, Joe et famile and Rhonda and Don were also here for 2 weeks. They stayed at a beach house in McKinley Landing, about 15 minutes away. Was also good to see them.
 OK, better get moving so that I have justification for nap later on today.

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Busy Couple of Weeks

After 3 months of enjoying the relaxed lifestyle in Kelowna, my return to Edmonton has been very busy.  I started work on July 23, my training day.  I was a bit nervous because I have not really had to use my brain too much in the last year, but everything went well.  On Tuesday, Vicky and I hopped in her car and took our road-trip to Rosebud.  On the way there we went via Camrose, where we stopped and went through the railroad museum.  It was very cool, in honour of the Queen's 60th year, they had a display of her early trips to Canada, most of the traveling was done by train.  There were lots of pictures.  As I was going through it, it made me think of uncle George and his time on the railroad.  At one time Camrose had 3 different railway lines going through it.  After lunch in Camrose, next stop Stettler.  We stopped at a great store there, it had quilting things as well as knitting stuff.  I am always amazed at the variety of wool there is available, and each knitting store seems to carry different brands.  We had supper in Drumheller, stopped at the giant dinosaur. 

I loved Rosebud, such a cute little place.  Our B&B was wonderful, the rooms were very big and it had a great lounge area for reading, visiting, doing puzzles or playing games.  We met a couple of other guests there who were at a school reunion there, U of A, Class of 64 agriculture.  After breakfast (served by one of the actors from Anne of Green Gables), we toured the town, had lunch and attended the play.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The lady at the B&B had seen it and said the production was better than the one in Charlottetown.  The actors were just as I imagined Anne, Marilla, Mathew, Gilbert etc. would be.  The show was a matinee, so after it was over we zipped to the QE2 and were home by 7:30.  Vicky is a good person to travel with, very interested in everything.

I worked on Thursday and Friday, at the store.  On Thursday evening Sam took me out for supper to Rigolettos, where I had the baked rigatoni, one day I have to expand my horizons and have something different.  the weekend was fairly low key, Sunday was a pajama day, after all the stuff the previous week.  I am working 4 days this week, and Evelyn just got back from vacation, so I will not be working as many days in the future.  I really enjoy the store, it has been pretty busy so the time goes by quickly.  On Tuesday, Sam, Grace and Daylon and I went out for Thai food.  Sadly the Boun Thai has closed, but the Bua Thai is a good replacement.  Yesterday I went over the the coffee shop, and who did I see there but the old owner of the Boun Thai having coffee with Maureen (owner of the coffee shop).  I told him I missed him (and his restaurant).  I guess the rent for his space was jacked up so high that they had to let the space go.  His sister in law owns the Bua Thai.

I have a day off today, and some running around to do, work tomorrow, then to Rocky on Saturday.