A Family Picnic, Pond Works.... and a Tribute to A Wonderful Woman

Our daughter in law - Courtney, from Edmonton - is in Vancouver visiting with her family for a few days.  We planned a get together picnic in the park yesterday. It was a perfect  day, weatherwise. 

Our son Deni with his wife Courtney. (Photo taken 10 months back)

Ginette, Trevor, Easton and Courtney gathered at our home before we drove to our local park.

Trevor and I carrying the picnic food stuffs to a table in the shade of the trees.

Jeanette put together a five star lunch that we got to enjoy in the tranquility of this quiet park. It was a perfect environment to enjoy each others company.

Ever the explorer, Easton was leading his Nana around the area.

It felt like we had the entire park to ourselves.  It seems that families don't take advantage of these great parks....at least not while we were there.  We selfishly enjoyed the peacefulness and privacy.

After lunch, we put all the food stuffs back in our vehicles before taking a good 40 minute walk around the park trails.

Ginette, Easton and Trevor headed back for their home and Courtney returned to our home with us to retrieve her mom's vehicle.  Following a brief visit, she left to meet up with her mom.  She flies back for home this Friday.

When Easton drops by, he likes to help with the laundry.  He took no time to sit in on the folded laundry.  

Of course, that was hard work on a hot day so he needed some water to quench his thirst. He prefers to be the big boy and drink from a glass; not from his sealed baby cup!

He is a climbing little monkey too!  He attempts to climb everything he feels can be accomplished.  Good fun!

I finally found the time to complete the natural flagstone project on our back yard pond.  It's like putting a puzzle together.  It took many hours of placing, removing, replacing and juggling stones to find the right fit.  It's done now! With the retaining wall that elevated the pond a good four inches above grade, a new liner, a new UV system and the now completed flagstones, we get to enjoy a great back yard feature.  The birds that are drawn to the pond concur!  It's nice to watch them bath in the free flowing water.

We'll add some water born pond type plants next season....but, for now, we purchased a few bulbus type pond plants that add some nice colour.

Happy with the result.

So...with the pond project completed, the next project(s) will begin in the weeks ahead.  We have a couple of pergolas to build, a large (and long) elevated planter to build with 4X4's to receive Emerald cedars, and build a deck using composite materials.  It's all part of the master plan for our back yard. It's good fun....and the builds will happen as time permits.  

Aunt Kay with Jeanette - only 6 months back - at Christmas

But first, we pay tribute to a woman who was very special to Jeanette, me and our family.  Our wonderful Aunt Kay passed away this last Monday.  She had been in a Port Moody hospice for just over one week. We had been visiting with her, in her home - as often as possible - since our return from the US southwest.  She was only a couple of months shy of her 90th birthday.  Her three daughters shared the pre-hospice duties of looking after her.  She chose when to move into the hospice.

Married to one of my mom's brothers, this woman was a gift to life and to anyone who came in contact with her.  She was truly special.  We called her our West Coast mom!

Sharing a hug with our son, Deni, last November, 2012

Had it not been for the cancer that plagued her, she would have lived a long, long life.  Before diagnosis, this wonderful lady did not look anything like her chronological age.

What made Kay special?  You name or think it and this woman exuded it in spades!  She had a huge heart and always made those close to her feel like they were number one. Her funeral is next Tuesday, July 30th.

The day following Kay's funeral, Jeanette and I will be leaving for a two week trip to visit with our son and daughter in law, Jeanette's mom and siblings, and my siblings in the Edmonton area of central Alberta. We have some business to look after too.

And that is it from here for now!

Thanks for dropping by.