2013 Comes to a Close....

I have not had a lot of fodder to include in a blog, these past few days, mainly due to inactivity and the endless flu symptoms I have been plagued with.

So, I open the front door to our home, this early morning, to retrieve our home delivered copy of the Vancouver Sun newspaper and the first headline I see is, 'Man Flu':  The Truth That Women Don't Want To Hear.  Now that got my learning juices going, even before I had ingested my first cup of java.

‘Man flu’: The truth that women don’t want to hear  
(click on the link to read the article)

The article states that, "a new study suggests men may actually suffer more when they are struck down with flu - because high levels of testosterone can weaken their immune response."   This study, by the way, was conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine. The article goes on to state that, "It has long been suggested that  men might be more susceptible to bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infection than women."

I now understand (or believe to understand) why this darned flu bug I caught is taking its sweet time to exit my body.  Yes....I still have lingering effects from the H1N1 virus.  I hate that darned bug.  Go away!

Our little man has taken advantage to visit as often as possible.  We thoroughly enjoy those visits.

Easton sure loves to get outdoors....and he often asks to go out!

Due to the latent effects from this awful flu bug, we've stayed close to home and enjoyed many visits from our favourite little man, Easton.  We even had him for a sleep over, a few days back, and that too was a treat. 

Knowing full well that there is a lovely park, with wonderful kid type play stuff near our home, Easton looks forward to donning his boots, winter clothes and heading off to the park.  Jeanette took him there a few times. 

Yippee.....

What is not to like when watching a young little fella thoroughly enjoying himself on this play centre.  He is all smiles.

This is a huge park and the other activity Easton enjoys is to run as far away from us as possible.....teasing us to chase him.

Not having participated in the Christmas morning gift exchange at Ginette and Trevor's home, when they came by for a visit - and to drop Easton off with us - we exchanged a few small gifts.  I was most excited to have Easton open his special little toy gift from his Grand Papa. 

It is a little Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Easton was so thrilled by the motorcycle toy!  He treats it with kit gloves.....and emulates the engine sounds.  I think I was almost more thrilled than he.....but the little toy did excite him.

The night he stayed over with us, we took him out to stroll the neighbourhood after dinner and before his bed time.  Our area has the Christmas spirit; as witnessed by so many homes that have been lit up. It was a nice evening to check it all out.  

I keep checking in on the temperatures down south and although our weather here on the Pacific Northwest coast has been exceptionally nice, I still long for the sunnier and hotter climes we are missing in southern California and Arizona.  We look forward to our return there on the 19th of January.

Deni and Courtney........new parents to be.....very soon!

Up in Edmonton, Alberta, Deni and Courtney have not yet called with news of their new baby....so we wait for that news before heading up there for a visit.

So....not a lot more news to report from here for now.....so, Jeanette and I  sign off with a BIG WISH for a healthy, happy, successful and prosperous 2014 to all of our family, friends and blog readers. 

Thanks for dropping by.