Thursday, June 26, 2014

75 years

This year is the 75th year of the library in GP.  They have a display set up in the lobby, it was cool to look at the 60's and 70's pictures and see how much the library has changed. I miss the old library the way it smelt, old books and wood.  I looked for any pictures of us.... but there was none, I think we were their best customers every saturday while mom went grocery shopping. Lots of Tintin books.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

weeds be gone

Spent the day weeding and the yard at Jones is 2/3 done. It looks pretty good there now. At least the weeded side.
My proposal has gone to ethics, so am not doing anything school related. It feels nice and I am going to remember this, so if I start thinking of doing something else like school, I will not do it.
We had a great visit with Laura. Even though I fell in the pond. Good thing it was warm out. Even so I made Mom and Laura suffer with the heat on full blast between gardens til I dried off.
Later in the week my elbow got really sore and I thought it was bruised too. It also got warm and red. Went to the walk in, as it seemed to be getting worse and I have cellulitis. I thought maybe it was from gardening, but it might have also come from the pond. Anyway I am on antibiotics and it is getting better already. I feel a bit like a drug addict. I wouldn't make a good one, as apparently I am not cut out for things that might put me at risk for infection.
Also reminds me that I need my tetanus shot.
Bought new dress for next wedding we go to. It's pretty cute. Richard says it looks like a dress Anne would wear.
We go to Ontario in a couple weeks. Leave on July 4th. Am preparing for humidity.
Mom, Richard and I are going to go see Gordon Lightfoot! In October. It will bring me back to age 5.

Sunday, Appropriately Named and water elfs

Beautiful day here yesterday and nicer today up to 26. The garden grew while I was gone, veggies coming along well. Flowers all blooming and lots of color, happy.

Wilf met me in Edmonton and we got caught up on everything, it was a good flight my seatmates not talkative.  Luggage arrived safe and sound. Pretty quiet in Edmonton, just saw Henry and Ally and Bob on the way out of town.  We did go to Ikea and bought some cabinets for the bathroom reno, RED!  It is going to look great.  A funny thing happened while we were there, a couple of young ladies were there with a young boy. He wasrunning away and one scooped him up right by us.  Then they left, and then they were back, the one said "Hi Laura", I looked at them there was something familiar about them but I could not place them. So the one said we are Noreens daughters from S and B. Floored me that they would remember me, we had a great little chat and I was introduced to both boys, very cute.  Small world for sure.
I had a super visit to BC, great visiting with all and I enjoyed the garden tour. The gardens were all beautiful but each different.  I had to tell you about the water elf we saw. At the second garden there was a pond with stepping stones. Mom decided to walk around and Lisa and I walked on the stones, I was first, behind me I heard a gasp and a splash I turn around and there among the water lilies was a elf aka Lisa up to her chest in pond.  You could almost see the event circulating around the garden, "someone fell in the pond".  Lisa dripped through the whole garden.  She was such a good sport about it.  She decided to dry naturally instead of gojng home to change, I am pretty sure she was the talk of the tour, I was not fast enough thinker to get a picture of her in the pond, but it will live in my memory.She had a hugh bruise and scrape on her leg.  she did seem to recover quite well otherwise.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

A rainy Saturday morning

But it's supposed to clear up this afternoon. If so, good, will be out in the yard. If not, fine also, lots to do inside as well.

I have a sudden urge to get all bedrooms cleaned out. No more shrines to your childhoods, kids, we are going to get those rooms useful. I want to have them ready for visitors, which is all of you and your significant others now. And I want the sewing room set up for my space. I have not had a room I didn't have to share for 36 years. That is going to change.

We had a great weekend with the grandkids while Tim and Court went to San Francisco. It was very busy, good thing there were three of us. How did I do it with five kids? No idea. Anyway those boys are delightful. It sounds like T&C had a great time on their honeymoon. Their plane was late getting back and they had to get up at 5 on Monday to get Tim to the airport for his flight to Mexico so it was a rush Sunday night. He arrived safely but his luggage didn't so that was a hassle for him. I guess things are going ok there; he said it's going to be a long month till he comes back for a few days.

Once in a while at work I get a pang thinking I won't be there in the fall. Then I realize that I will be glad to be done. It has been many years since I have had more than one day to do whatever I want, or nothing. Am looking forward to free time.


Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Happy Birthday Judith


Sunday, June 15, 2014

I have planted 50 tomato plants!

I grew them from seed. Will they all bear fruit?

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads in the Family





Friday, June 13, 2014

Mom's spa

I arrived on Monday and Richard was there to pick me up, thank you Richard.  I sat next to lady on the plane who was from Kelowna but used to live in Fort Mac, we had a nice discussion of her life and travels.
I have been taking it easy while here.  Although I have accomplished some things, sorted and took back the bottles, mowed the lawn and washed mom's windows.  On Thursday we borrowed the truck and went to the lab, bottle depot, Michaels, Home Sense,  liqour store,Suzannes and Winners, then to Extra Foods for groceries. It was 27 so pretty hot and humid rained all around with severe thunderstorms expected.  Got home unloaded and put away groceries and mom was pretty tuckered out.  So she had a rest.
Today Ted came and refinished her tub, it looks like brand new, hard to believe.   It rained most of last night and until about 1 oclock then it cleared up and went for walk to see the old houses, except Ritchie Court too far to walk.
Tomorrow Lisa, mom and I are going on the garden tour I am looking forward to it very much.
I am enjoying my time good visiting and great people.

Thursday, June 05, 2014

I did it

I told them at work yesterday that I'm retiring at the end of the summer. Some people cried, I kind of teared  up too but I really feel that it is the right time for this. It is nice to hear from people that they don't want you to leave. One reporter told me that she thinks of me as the office sage. Well, I AM the second-oldest person there.

I did tell them that I would be glad to go in and cover for holidays so I won't lose touch with people. So many good people work there.

All recovered from the wedding and company afterwards. It was a good weekend, everything worked out the way it should have, and Tim and Court are married. They are off to San Francisco next weekend so we get the boys, which is always a good time. As soon as they get back, Tim goes to Mexico for the summer.

We had a good week with Will. He always seems to get sorting of stuff done when he is here and he organized the storage room so it is accessible, plus got me watching Dr. Who. Grace has been here all this week helping Jovita with wedding preparations so it has been good to visit with her too.

The yard is really looking good, some of the vegetables are up. We could use a few days of sun.


Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Happy Birthday Allison

1985 at Fort Edmonton Park.

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Mom's Tree


Mom's Mothers Day tree from a couple of years ago is looking mighty  good, especially considering she did not think it would make it through the first winter.  Most of the plants around it started in other family members gardens, which made their way to Mom, so that is pretty cool too.

I have not done too much while I have been here in Kelowna, a little weeding, a little shopping, lots of visiting.  As Lisa said we have had dinner with the Wensinks every night, which has made it easy to catch up on what is going on in their lives.  Weather has been great, lots of sunshine and sitting on either Mom's patio or L&R's deck is very relaxing.  Mom went grocery shopping on Monday, and used the accumulated points from Presidents Choice, a grocery order of over 200.00 cost her just under 11.00 when points were applied.  Pretty satisfying for her.

I leave tomorrow, will end up flying in  to Red Deer after a couple of other stops where Grace will pick me up and then home.

Sunday, June 01, 2014

sitting on the deck

Drinking a beer. It's 27 right now. Did some weeding at Jones today, then went for brunch with Marja and a couple other people as Marja was going through town. Did another revision on the proposal. Apparently it is almost done.
I hate this process.  Hate it. Am not doing another degree after this one. Unless someone pays me to do it and that is highly unlikely.
Mom has had us over for supper every night since Jude's been here. Which is nice because all week I felt worn out. We are having them over here tonight. But instead of cooking, we cleaned the house and are getting take out. There is only so much time in the day.and having a clean house makes me feel so much better.
Watching the Mom bird on the deck, the baby birds are chirping. Yesterday, before we went to the farmer's market, I was sitting on the deck, reading the paper (my favorite summer thing to do) and I saw a bushy tail go by me, and thought, oh Nick's out. But it was the black squirrel.
Later as I was writing, it climbed by the front window. The cats got quite excited about that.
Richard is about to start painting the kitchen cupboards from Jones. He brought the doors here,the rest of them are done. He put down all this plastic in the garage, for the dust. But now our garage looks like Dexter lives here, especially since the doors were red and now there is red on the plastic.