Plenty of Activities....and a Party!

It has been a busy time since our last post.  

A surprise tea pot for a former co-worker.

Jeanette held a mid-day get together with several of her former nursing gang.  That happened this past Wednesday. The event centered around Judy (holding the bag) who was visiting from Thunder Bay, Ontario. It was a fitting occasion to get the nurses together to share some lunch with laughter - and lots of it!

Judy's special tea pot (L-R) Marg, Judy, Cynthia and Lorraine.

A few days back Jeanette got a call from the hospital she worked at and they were short staffed. She agreed to pull a shift on her preferred surgical floor.  Jeanette will accept to work the occasional shift (although she is retired) to maintain her nursing registration.

She found the tea pot that belonged to Judy, in the staff lounge, and chose to return it to her at the gathering.  Having retired, several years back, Judy was truly surprised to be reunited with her favourite tea pot.

Taken in our back yard.

We've been working on plans to change out our back yard and, although it is a long term plan, some things are taking shape.  Jeanette has moved a few plants and trees around and it's showing some nice results.  More on that in later blogs.

It was party time!  Getting in the groove with Easton.

Our daughter celebrated her 30th birthday yesterday.  Husband Trevor had organized a back yard Bar-B-Que and games night.  That took place last evening.  Over 30 friends and family came out to celebrate.  Jeanette and I joined in and prepared some of the food stuffs and I offered to take over the Bar-B-Que to allow Trevor to play host.

The birthday girl.

Jeanette baked and prepared the cupcake birthday tree.  That was a big hit.

Trevor, friend (and games organizer extraordinaire)  Nicole...and we're not sure what Ginette was doing here!

Ginette with good friend Tia....with Easton sound asleep

Early on in the festivities.

I offered to take over the Bar-B-Que duties....

Surprise visit from long time friends who live in Edmonton, Alberta - The Hains

At the ready to blow the candles.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GINETTE!

Friends and family looking on....

Trevor was trying to prevent Ginette from blowing the candles before it was time to do so!

It was a fitting party to celebrate Ginette's entry to the 30's.  The weather was fantastic.  It was a bright and sunny early evening that transformed into a nice warm night.

Today will be spent on building shelving in our back yard shed while Jeanette prepares her list of things to load into the 5th wheel in preparation for our departure to the BC Okanagan this coming Wednesday.  More on that later.

Thanks for dropping by.

Typically Wet May Long Weekend!

From dry to wet, the May long weekend in Canada - on the west coast - delivered the usual rains to dampen weekend campers, golfers, and other outdoor activities. It sure seems to be a historical curse that the May long weekend will deliver rains.  This year did not disappoint.  It rained....and continues to do so, as of this writing.

I had to cancel our T-time this Monday morning.  The rain - that started mid-day yesterday - would not go away.

This was Saturday though! 

Knowing that rain was on the way for Sunday, Jeanette and I rode east into the Fraser Valley on Saturday.  Taking all the back roads, we were not bothered by the long weekend holidayers who were scurrying to get somewhere on the major freeways and highways.

Saturday delivered balmy temperatures.

Meandering through different roads, we ended up in Harrison Hot Springs.  It was busy in the resort town and the RV parks displayed 'no vacancy' signs.

Peaceful and serene.

Jeanette was able to get this shot without too many tourists in the view.

We watched as this boat got loaded up with beer and food fare.

The folks below were having fun with their fishing rods.  We did not witness any catch but this lake does produce so I'm sure some left with a few lake trout.

This foot peddle canoe was towing the girl in the kayak as she was taking photos.  

We walked around the area for over an hour before leaving for another back country ride that would take about two hours to get us back home.  Although Harrison Hot Springs is 70 minutes or so from home, the back roads slow us up and allow us to enjoy the surroundings.

Harrison Lake

Another view from the town centre, looking north

A few folks enjoying the peaceful surroundings while the play area in the background had no takers.  We believe it was closed because the waters are still too cold. 

I rode to our favourite Tim Horton's, on Sunday morning, where our group of guys meet to solve the world's problems.  The grey skies rolled in and by 11:00 am, I was back on my motorcycle heading for home before the anticipated rains.

Saturday morning visit with Easton

Before our Saturday ride, we dropped in on Easton and his folks. Jeanette delivered some muffins she had baked and we got to have some cuddle and face time with our favourite little fella.

Today will be a quiet holiday Monday on the home front.  The skies are sill grey and the light rains continue.

Sunny Spring Scenes & Activities...

Countryside vegetable market - Abbotsford, BC

Jeanette and I are changing up our back yard and one tree we would like to add, near the outdoor pond, is a palm tree that can thrive here.  There are a few that can so we rode out to have a look.  We're now convinced that a palm tree will dot our back yard landscape in the near future.

Riding through the countryside, on a hot and sunny day, is always a treat.

The raspberry fields are thriving.

Farmers are busy with cutting and baling the first of three or four hay crops.

Bright eyed.  Easton spends more time looking around and getting to know his surroundings.

Jeanette was quick to offer to look after Easton when our daughter needed to run some errands.  Anytime!  

The Abby in Mission, BC.

Yesterday, friends came by to collect Jeanette and they headed north of Abbotsford, across the Fraser River, to check out the Abby in Mission.  It sits high above the river, offering great views of the Fraser Valley and the mountains in the horizon.

I, on the other hand, was busy with a project in White Rock.  Too bad for that!  They had a nice day out and it would have been nice to join them.  "A la prochaine." (At another time)

This is a Catholic Institution

Too bad for the haze.

Enjoying lunch at an outdoor market.  L-R Lorne, Mariette & Lucille.

After hiking in and around the Abby, the group settled for lunch at an open market just south of the Fraser River.  It is one of our favourite markets in the area.  The fresh vegetable produce, seafood, fresh meats and baked goods is a draw.  We especially like their frozen beef burgers.  When barbecued,  they retain their high beef and low fat content. 

Jeanette and I remember when this market was a farmer selling produce out of the back of his truck.  It is a going concern now!

Today is my turn to visit our dentist for a regular check up and cleaning. I plan to motorcycle there.  After that, I plan to visit a good friend who is in hospital and recovering from surgery. Jeanette, Easton and Ginette will be off dress shopping for our son's wedding this coming September.

New parents - Ginette and Trevor with Easton (now one month old)

FORE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, today is golf day.   We T-off at 3:40 this afternoon.  It's shaping up to be a great day.....ah.....other than the visit to the dentist, that is.

Thanks for dropping in.

Fun Weekend!

Odette, Gwen, Ione and Cynthia - watching as Ginette opens the gifts

It was a busy couple of weekend days.  It started on Saturday with a gathering of Jeanette's close friends (and some of our former neighbours) who came over to our home to shower Ginette and new baby Easton.

Flo and Joan (former neighbours) sharing some cuddle time with Easton

Ginette, Jeanette and Marg

Brenda, Joan and Flo

Easton was totally spoiled and he will never be cold - considering the clothing and blankets he received.

A beautiful quilt by Odette will keep Easton busy....looking when awake.

Sunday was also special because - like everyone else in blog land - we celebrated Mother's Day.  Our daughter and her sister in law chose to do a combined brunch to celebrate the moms.

L-R  Bob, Sandi, Jeanette (her back to us), Tracy, Trevor and Ginette

We met at Tracy and Mark's home in Langley @ 11:00 am.  Bob and Sandi had driven in from Summerland, in the Okanagan Valley.

Tracy, Wesley, (Mom) Sandi, and Trevor

Me, Ginette, Jeanette and Trevor

New Mom, Nana and Easton

Easton's Nan, Sandi

 Uncle Mark....seems quite comfortable with Easton.

Mark, Tracy, Wes and Trevor were great hosts.  We were well fed while enjoying a most beautiful day outdoors. 

On the road towards Mount Baker, Washington State.

Following brunch, Jeanette and I headed south of the medicine line (the US border) and rode to Mount Baker.

One lane bridge over the Nooksack River

We rode up towards the mountains and headed into several tree covered roads that offer incredibly picturesque views along beautiful, paved, back country roads.

Another view of the Nooksack

The snow melt has elevated the river flows.

Celebrating Mother's Day with a dinner out in the Fairhaven District in south Bellingham, WA

Uhmmm....what to order!

So, we ended up in the old Fairhaven Disctrict, in south Bellingham, WA, and seeing as it was near dinner time, we settled on a really nice outdoor Italian restaurant for a quiet dinner.  From there, it was a quick 20 minute ride back to the Canadian border and our return home.

And that was how we celebrate the past two days.  Thanks for dropping in.

Why We Blog!

Believe it when I say I wrote a comment on blog controversy  Rick & Paulette's RV Travels and, before I realized it, I had written a long diatribe that I felt was good enough to  include in my own blog.  So, here it is!

WHY WE BLOG:

I recall why we started writing a blog. It was a seamless way to communicate our adventures (dull or exciting) to family, friends and acquaintances. It was a communications tool that would not invade email 'inboxes' but would be out there for those who chose to drop in. It was, quite simply, non-invasive communication.

It was a great way to archive our blogs - for future publication or web storage - and it could include as many photos as we chose to insert. It could be long form, short form, daily or bi-weekly, and would include material we felt would interest our primary readers.

The bonus was the wonderful bloggers we have met on line, and in person, these past 16 months. We have also learned about wonderful new places to explore; new hikes, foods, restaurants, points of interest and more.

We have been given wonderful tools to make our online lives more interesting, entertaining and knowledgeable.

We have read along with those who faced trials and tribulations as well as the highs and the lows in their lives.

And we continue to wish for more stories and meeting more interesting RVers. That is what makes writing a blog - and reading from others - so interesting. Although it is primarily a personal, historical diary, it has evolved into something we would not have imagined those many months back.

Blogging simply exposes just how interesting everyone is, how unique their lives are, how wonderfully diverse we all are and how we all bring an interesting personal and geographic diversity to the little WEB world we all play in.

I like many blogs; I dislike many others! That's the reality. While I may not agree with every one's point of view, I try to understand it. Sometimes I simply tire of pontification and other times I relish reading it. It depends on the writer and his/her message.

A little controversial (I use the term loosely) expression is valuable too! If it is well thought out - as I believe Rick's post was - I relish reading and understanding that point of view. When it is simply pontification - without substance, thought, or riddled with misinformed truths - I tune out. I fully suspect that many have tuned out from our blog too. It it, quite frankly, inconsequential and does not affect our lives.

At the risk of repeating myself, I return to our original intention for creating our blog in the first place.

C'est la vie! (Such is life) As we say in French!

Soldier on Rick. Rick & Paulette's RV Travels You are a most valuable contributor to our blog world.

A Little About Little

Our routine hasn't changed much these past few days.  As a result, there is little to really write about.

Jeanette did return, on Monday, from her one week journey to visit her mom and dad in Alberta.  I held down the fort here. 

 Jeanette's mom, Mary.

I did get to complete a few small projects - hardly worthy of note.  I also managed to get out and golf too.  And, of course, I took advantage to have as much face time with Easton as was possible.

 Easton...smiling, one month since his birth.

Now that our regular Wednesday men's golf is in full swing, those afternoons are taken up with meeting our group of 16 players, on our preferred golf course, and vying for the 'big' purse.  Each player throws in a 'twonie - toonie - tunie'  (that is a $2 coin for our US, European and Australian/New Zealand readers) and the winner collects the purse following the tallying of scores.

So, we'll see how this golf round goes today. It's always fun to compete and to try hard top one's existing handicap!

We've rolled into our non-snow birding routine with gusto.  Our weather has really improved and we are back to wearing shorts again.  What's not to like!

Hoping for a good golf round!

Thanks for dropping in.