Readying For Our Return to the US Southwest....

Only a couple of days remain before Jeanette and I return to Las Vegas, NV, to continue our winter snow birding journey.  We are looking forward to that.

Here at home, in Langley, BC, we have kept busy with activities involving friends and family; and several 'Face Time' conversations with Deni, Courtney and our new grandson, Owen, who live in Edmonton, Alberta.  Owen is five (5) days old today.  Hard to believe we have another grandson in our lives.  It sure adds to the pleasure we both feel.

Photo of Owen taken at four days of age.

Courtney and Deni are managing very well with their first born.  Barb,  Courtney's mom, took a flight from here, on the BC coast, to Edmonton yesterday.  When we 'Face Timed' yesterday, late afternoon, Barb was busy bonding with her first grandchild.  Quite touching!

This is how Jeanette and I celebrated when word came of Owen's birth.  Deni's very first little wooden toys were placed around our orange juice, in celebration.  The little wooden toys were on the flight with Barb to Edmonton and Deni/Courtney received them yesterday.  We 'Face Timed' when they opened up the packages we sent along.  The new parents were quite touched by those little wooden toys.

Long time former neighbours, L-R:  Al, Jeanette and Joan.

Jeanette and I had been longing to get together with our former neighbours.  That happened last Tuesday.  We drove into our old neighbourhood to enjoy a nice mid-morning coffee with Al and Joan.  Shortly after our arrival there, other neighbours from up the street dropped by too.  What fun!

L-R  Flo, Joan, Me, Al and Peter.

When we moved into our former neighbourhood, over 20 years back, these were two couples, of many, who made this a fantastic and friendly place to live.  We miss them dearly but it's only a short drive to drop in for visits.  Sure glad we got this visit in.

Our former home....as it looks today.

I had a lunch gathering with my golfing group at The Artful Dodger pub/restaurant in central Langley this past Wednesday.  We live in horse country and this pub is famous due to the hitching posts for horses.  Many of their patrons ride to the pub on horseback.  It is a fun place with good food too!

The Artful Dodger Pub (2013 Christmas photo) - taken from their web site.

Jeanette attended a bowling and lunch get together with her nurse friends yesterday.  Those RN's always have a good time together.  To have the chance to join in the fun is always a draw. 

While Jeanette was bowling and lunching, I was at Trevor and Ginette's home giving Trevor a hand to build and move some substantive shelving units into his new garage. I did not get any photos but our collective work got the job done more quickly.  Organizing his garage will make finding stuff much easier. 

Fun to play with simple things....

Easton has been around a few times too.  And it is always a fun time with the little fella.  He is a funny little parrot these days.  He repeats everything anyone says.  His ability to speak is stunningly good.  His ability to form short sentences is even more stunning.  His transformation, these past 21 months, since birth, is so gratifying to witness.

......and fun to play with the toys at our home too....

We took advantage to look after Easton when his mom, dad, or both, needed some free time to run errands or get stuff accomplished in or around their home.   

Watching his Nana clean our home got Easton interested in doing the job too.  Well done!

I took him out for some outdoor activities and, typical of a little boy, playing in the water was far more fun than sliding and playing on structured kiddie play areas in the park.

A little puddle of water became the big draw.  Splish/splash...is far more fun, isn't it?

Easton and I also removed the protective cover off the Harley Davidson, turned on the starting ignition system and it fired up instantly.  It was nice to hear that sound again.  Once cooled off, I reinstalled the motorcycle cover. Easton enjoyed sitting on the HD while it was running.

Rumble, rumble, rumble.....

So, as our time here at home comes to a close, we look forward to returning to our RV in the desert.  

Today though, I will be attending a memorial for one of our former golfing friends who passed away this January 11, 2014.  I - and the others in our group - golfed with Bill Miller for well over 20 years.  And what a gentleman he was. 

That's the way it is from here.....!

Thanks for dropping by.