Life with Kinni

On the way to class...

2009-01-25T12:38:00.000-08:00

Nobody in the hallway. The building is pretty quiet and there are not too many students as yet. Things are still nice and shiny and new.

Skyline

2009-01-25T12:35:00.000-08:00

Wow - It has been a long while since I have posted anything here, but I am hoping I will be able to do this more often.

This is a picture of the skyline taken from the fourth floor of our new Medical Sciences Building at our new college campus. It was a beautiful day without fog for a change so I was able to snap a picture.

Gangsta Granny

2008-12-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

My sister sent me this picture of my mom and her shenanigans at Christmas. This really makes me laugh as I can just see the grandkids getting gramma to pose for this pic. My mom really likes to have a good time and is very young at heart. You go granny T!

Under the Bunyan Tree

2008-12-17T06:43:00.001-08:00

When the kids were little we lived in a place called Port Hardy on the very north tip of Vancouver Island, isolated and very beautiful. Our first Christmas, we decided to join the ranks of the locals and get out there and cut down our own Christmas tree. I was rather excited at the prospect of tree cutting as I had grown up in southern Alberta where there wasn’t a tree for miles, so going into the forest was a whole new experience for me. My husband, well he was just revved up being able to spark up his chain saw. The kids being only 2 and 4 just did what we told them with the enticement of hot chocolate with marshmallows when we got home. Wish that were still true.

We hit the logging road in our 1964 Chevy truck, minus intact floor boards, on a bright, sunny Sunday on our first Christmas tree cutting expedition. Finding a good spot along the hydro lines, not that far from home, we decided it was a good place to look for a tree, either that or Neil had to pee, I’m not sure which came first. At any rate we all piled out dressed in our toques and heavy coats to get down to some serious tree cutting. Finding the perfect tree in the tree lot is daunting at best, but in the middle of the forest, not an easy task. The kids were busy picking up pine cones and tossing them at one another while Bill and I sized up the trees. Our criteria was stiff as we eliminated tree after tree. We had found a couple of reasonable candidates, which had been marked appropriately, when my eyes widened. Our excitement mounted as we ticked off each of our specifications. I could see Bill’s fingers itching to crank up the chain saw. We decided this was it and amongst yells of “tim…ber” saw our first, real forest tree fall to the ground.

After much grunting, hauling and dragging of our prize, we finally got loaded back into the truck and heading towards home with complaints of cold feet and empty tummies. I fed and watered the kids while Bill squared off the bottom of the tree for the stand and dug out the decorations from under the house. The kids waited anxiously in the living room, having already picked out the perfect location. I went to the garage to see what was keeping my favorite lumber jack only to find him looking from tree to stand after discovering it would only hold about one-third of the base of our fresh cut pine. I dispatched him to town after tossing “Rudolph” into the VCR to amuse the kids for another half-hour.

Anticipating the problems of regular stands being much too miniature for local loggers, Home Hardware had a fine array of large stands that would hold our tree steady for the next couple of weeks. The kids were happy to see daddy home with the new one and helped him steer the base through the ring and tighten the bolts to hold things nice and sturdy. Running back inside, jumping up and down the wait seemed endless and Bill and I pushed and prodded flipping branches through the front door and on completion slowly tilted the tree upright near its spot by the fireplace. Heads tilted up, no words could pass our stretched necks. Mouths agape we all just stood and looked up, way up. The top of the tree was bent over about a foot and-a-half, which meant the tree was close to 27 feet tall. It had looked much smaller in the forest than it did in the middle of our living room. I am not sure who started but the first giggles were followed by laughter to full on belly laughs and tears rolling down our cheeks as we gazed at the gigantic tree in the middle of our house.

At this point I knew we would never have enough decorations to complete the project so once again Bill was dispatched to town while the kids and I made a batch of shortbread cookies waiting for his return. The rest of the decorating went without a hitch but I am pretty sure Home Hardware had to restock after our visit to the store. It really was a beautiful tree and a memory not easily forgotten and one of the first of many forays into the bush for Christmas trees. Not only did we not get a Charlie Brown tree that year, but we got a tree Paul Bunyan would have been mighty proud of.

As you can see by the tree, we had to cut about 2 feet off the bottom so it didn't hit the ceiling and also so it was a little more stable.

A Rare Moment

2008-12-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

I am so happy I captured this rare moment in time when my children aren't bickering, or arguing about politics, hockey or homelessness and they are just enjoying each other and sharin' the love.

My Photo Book

2008-12-05T12:34:00.001-08:00

I am totally excited!!! Yesterday in the mail I received the book I had made for my mom for Christmas and it is more than I could have hoped for. I decided that I would put all my best photos into a book and give them to my mom for Christmas, as she doesn't have wall space to hang photos, and it was too hard for me to pick just 1 or 2 that she would have liked. So I tried out Shutterfly and it is so EASY to create a photo book, I am not sure why I haven't done it before. The finished product is so professional with a cover photo, spine title, back cover photo, and all the photos are printed on heavy, glossy black paper. Absolutely fantastic! I hope she is as excited about it as I am. After Christmas when I have extra $ I am going to order one for myself.

I have 1 week to get all my Christmas shopping done. Thanks the gods for internet shopping! What would I do without it?

The Deck

2008-11-03T17:47:00.001-08:00

As promised, a picture of my neck deck. The progression was interesting and sure as hell took a long time! I am looking forward to the spring when I can do some planting and get everything all cozy and earthy.

Sail Away

2008-10-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

It is a rather, chilly, dull day here, so I thought I would warm it up with a shot of this colourful sailboat on the beach. I edited this photo so it would have that 60s feel to it.

Cosmos Yet Again

2008-10-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some more Cosmos. These are the same bunch of flowers as before just a different angle and used some different settings. I like the darkness of the shadows. I hope that my pictures of flowers don't bore. Donna thinks I take too many! I disagree.

Perched at Jericho Beach

2008-10-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

I love how these seagulls were all lined up on these posts. Donna wheeled her chair crazily towards them honking her horn and then all took off. Luckily - I got this shot before she took hers!

Sunny Sunflower

2008-10-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

I thought this was an appropriate photo for a very grey, rainy day. Maybe it will cheer us up!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-10-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to spending a quiet day with my children, cooking and eating turkey and engaging in lively conversation. It would be nice to have more people around to cook for, but that's the way it goes when you don't live near family. We will however enjoy ourselves. So - to all my Canadian pals out there, Happy Thanksgiving!

I took this photo the other day on my walk about and thought it looked very thanksgivingy...

Cosmos

2008-10-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

I decided it was time to get back to posting photos. I haven't had as much time to take photos as I would like lately, but I do have a few in reserve that I managed to get edited today.

Most Alien Place on Earth

2008-09-20T10:25:00.001-07:00

Hey peeps! A quick update while I take a break from typing doctor speak!

This week has been super productive for me, so I MUST be feeling better. My visit to the doctor indicated that my TSH is indeed returning to more normal levels. YEAH! I am going to continue on the meds for another two months and then have another recheck just to see how things are going. Yoga and change in diet are definitely a factor as well, as I have lost many inches as well. YEAH AGAIN!

Yesterday I went to Costco to pick up my card and get my photo taken. God that place is so ginormous! I didn't buy anything but wandered around checking things out for my next shopping trip. Neil, Brenna and I are going on a "family" shopping day to buy in bulk and then divide them by 3. Sounds like a plan.

Then, I took a trip to Ikea to buy Donna two new dressers for her room so I can get her shiznit organized. That girl has so many clothes, nicnacs and medical supplies that somebody needs to organize her ass. That person - is me. Hopefully by next week there will be some order to her chaos and I can get everything OUT of my room that is supposed to go in hers! That will be triumphant.

Neil and Brenna were both over yesterday and were both full of interesting information. Neil showed us this super cool island, which is located off the coast of Africa that is older than Methusela and labeled "The Most Alien Place on Earth". It is super cool and a definite MUST see. Check it here:
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/09/most-alien-looking-place-on-earth.html

On that note I am off to complete my day's work. Peace out!

Mini Vacay

2008-09-03T11:01:00.001-07:00

I need to update. I am not sure when life became so busy, and I have no more time for blogging, because it really seems like nothing has changed in my life. However, I do spend far less time here than I used to.

At any rate. Donna is going in for her surgery on Sept 8 for her feeding tube. It is a small procedure so I am pretty confident all should go well. However, because she has been undernourished for so long she will have to stay in the hospital for a full week, to make sure her body tolerates the feeds, I know how to work the pump, and the staff is confident we can do everything at home. Not really excited about the week's stay, but there isn't much that can be done about that. Also, the ward she will be staying in at the hospital, is not equipped to handle a ventilated patient so if Donna wants to have this procedure done, then I have to sign a waiver, and be her 24-hour care during her stay. Now most certainly I don't mind doing that, because I know she feels much more confident knowing I will be there to care for her, but why aren't nurses trained in the simple art of suctioning??? It's really not all that complicated. However, I shall not bitch and I am looking at this hospital stay as a mini vacation. I wish the accommodations were a bit more luxurious than hospital drab, but I will do anything to make Donna more comfortable!

I have to take a week off work, so we decided to make our time enjoyable and ordered Season 1 and 2 of Wires to watch on DVD, bought some yarn to knit a sweater and Donna is going to do a cross-stitch. I am hoping to get home for a shower every day as the caregiver can stay with D for a couple of hours. So, although the accommodations aren't 5-star, they are free, I don't have to cook, clean or work, and I should get some nap time in the afternoon, barring visitors.

On that note, I am off to complete my day's work and hopefully get in an hour of yoga as well. I have been popping around to read everyone's blogs, but often I do not have time to comment.

Peace out!

I will be sure to update after it's all over with the outcome of the surgery etc.

Slowly Getting Better

2008-07-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

I am slowly starting to feel better day by day, although I do still get tired if I do too much. My brain fog is clearing a little bit at a time, and I can hold a thought for more than 60 seconds now! LOL...Naps have been reduced to one about every 3 days instead of 4 per day, so that is a definite improvement! Hashimoto's is not going to get the best of me!

I have been walking a lot this last 10 days logging in about 25 miles or so. It feels good to have the energy to make it past the end of the street for sure! The first few days Donna drug me behind her wheelchair, with me clinging on for dear life - but I have managed now to let go and I can walk up the BIG hill on my own.

After 6 years of constant bitching, the management of my building finally started work on my deck. Had they done something 6 years ago, they would have just had to paint - however now, after the deck has been left virtually exposed to all elements it now has to be completely torn out and rebuilt! Fine by me! Now I get a brand new beautiful deck! Franco and Lynn (the builders) assure me that the deck will be so wonderful I will spend more time outside than in. Not hard - as that is almost the case now! Anyway - when it is complete I will post pictures so you can all enjoy it!

Donna and I went to see the gastroenterologist yesterday. She has been losing weight over the past 3-4 years and it is starting to become a serious issue. It is so difficult for her to eat, as raising her arms up to her mouth is a chore, chewing is getting harder and eating just isn't joyful for her. She decided she wanted to get a feeding tube in order to supplement her diet, up her calorie intake, and see if she can get up to 90 pounds again. Right now I would say she is hovering around 65 or so and being 5' 9" means she is damn skinny! At any rate, the appointment went well and it looks as though we are going to go ahead, hopefully come September. it is going to be a load off her mind for sure, and I can tell she felt relief when she left the appointment. This will be one more thing for me to learn about and make sure all is running well, but I am sure I am up for the challenge.

All in all, things are going well.

Kinni - the Cynic

2008-07-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

Oh my God! I cannot stand it! I think Donna's caregiver must be in love or something. I can hear her in the kitchen singing "love" songs. Gag me! She is singing the theme from Titanic! Pllleeeeeaaaaassseeeee make it stopppppppppppppp!!!!! I know she is dating a new guy so maybe they sealed the deal on the weekend or something. BBBLLLLLAAAAHHH...I'm too cynical for this! LOL.....

Weekend update

2008-07-20T14:22:00.001-07:00

It somehow feels odd for me to write here, as this has always been my photo journal, but I think it is something I am going to have to get used to. I would rather stay here at my stable blog site than have to start over again. At this point, I don't have the time, energy or initiative to start something new. So, that being said - this is where you can find me.

I think the medication may be slowly kicking in. I am down to two naps a day most days, and sometimes even one. I am keeping a "health diary" in order to keep track of how I am feeling so that when I go for my six-week checkup I will have something concrete to pass on to my physician. Donna, bless her little heart, has been helping me with my exercise program. She makes me walk with her everyday and so far this week we have logged in about 15 miles. I have practiced my yoga twice only, but will probably do more of that next week after one more session with my instructor on Monday. I have to force myself to walk and hopefully soon, I will want to rather than have to!

Friday night we went out to a birthday party. Scotty and Amanda (who are dating) have their birthdays on the same day - which we have always thought kind of cute. Anyway - Scotty turned 21, Amanda 19, and we had a great time with family and friends. I met Amanda's parents for the first time and found them to be extremely interesting people. We were told to be on our best behavior and were not allowed to say "fuck"! I wasn't sure why the hell they invited me if we were supposed to be on good behavior, because I am usually not, but Barb said I was there for my witty reparte! LOL..I believe I held up my end of the conversation and didn't say fuck once! The rest of the gang I have known since the beginning of time it seems - but in actual fact only 32 years. We always have a great time together and delight in seeing how far our adult conversation will actually go in grossing the kids out. This time we told them a tale of Mitzi the stripper, ping pong balls and a flute. I had always thought this an urban legend, but it seems there was at least one person in our midst who had actually seen her performance! Much to the dismay of our children, we continued on this tangent until they declared they didn't want to hear anymore of Mitzi's exploits as it were! Sadly - Mitzi doesn't dance any more, but she was one talented stripper! LOL....

I plan on keeping the week fairly low key as we have guests this weekend. A girls weekend out - so I have to be in top form to keep up with the young ones! I am twice as old as they are! Actually though, if the birthday party was any indication as to who can outlast who - I was the last one to bed, with Scotty and Amanda falling asleep on the couch well before midnight, BJ heading to bed soon after. I actually didn't hit the sheets until about 2 a.m. Wimps - the whole lot of them!

I am here my fellow EFXers!

2008-07-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

I will be posting here at this blog as it seems EFX2 has totally died. I usually just post photos here, but this will now become my permanent home. I don't have time to maintain two blogs and I know there are many of you over at Vox. I will be in touch with those folks over there to let them know where I am and I will try to get around to each of you here at blogger as well. If I don't have you listed on the side and linked please put your link in the comment section!

Peace out!

Garden Delight

2008-06-26T22:28:00.000-07:00

The front garden at my apartment has beautiful peony bushes. I just had to snap this on my way out for my walk this morning.

Cool Tranquility

2008-06-21T23:06:00.001-07:00

This is actually a photo I took quite a while ago, but I was thinking about it yesterday and decided to post it. I often think of being able to sit on a rock here on a hot day sheltered from the sun, in the cool shadows of the big trees and listening to the trickle of the water.

Crescent Beach

2008-06-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

I took this photo a few weeks ago on a trip down to Crescent Beach in White Rock. It was an absolutely glorious day and the smell of the ocean was invigorating. I have to do this way more often!

I have not posted for a very long time due to lack of time, and definitely not lack of interest. I haven't taken any new photos for a while either, so it is definitely time to get back into the groove!

Hidden bridge

2008-04-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

This was taken in the park right beside the Marine Museum down at Kits. I thought this was rather pretty. Imagine it will be much prettier once the trees all have their leaves.

Calm

2008-04-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

This boat looked so calm and peaceful sitting at the dock. It was the first day I had been down to the beach in a long while and the fresh sea air did me a world of good.

Steamy Morning

2008-04-03T21:37:00.001-07:00

I took this from my deck the other morning after we had some snow. Thankfully it didn't last long, and was gone within the houre. I did love the steam coming off the rooftops.

Reindeer Trees

2008-03-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

This totally caught my eye when I was out for my walk yesterday. A young man nearby waiting for the bus just couldn't see what I saw and thought I was totally nuts!
What do you think?

Gerber and Mum

2008-03-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

I bought these flowers last week and they were getting a bit haggard looking. I decided to stick them in some bubbly water and take a picture. I think it turned out okay.

New Hair cut

2008-03-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

Took this photo to show off Donna's new cute hair cut.

My Niece

2008-03-11T07:46:00.001-07:00

I took this photo of my niece a couple of years ago, and always thought it would look good as a sketch. I finally got around to processing it that way. I am going to send it to her as a gift. She is so cute!

Work to do...

2008-03-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

While the rest of the country huddles under a blanket of snow, we on the west coast are enjoying some nice spring days. I happened upon this scene the other day on my walk. The smell of freshly turned dirt hit my nose long before I saw someone had been working in the yard.

Computer

2008-03-06T15:12:00.001-08:00

This amused me yesterday. It gives a whole new meaning to the words mobile office.

Tiger Lily

2008-03-05T21:55:00.001-08:00

I saw this beautiful lily today at the market on the corner. Spring is just around the corner and the bright colours of this flower were just what I needed to brighten my day.

Shortlisted

2008-03-04T09:41:00.001-08:00

I just received an e-mail notification that this photo has been shortlisted for Schmap.com. Kind of exciting - even to be shortlisted. I am not sure if they will use it or not, but I am flattered enough that someone even considered it!

Stadium Roof

2008-01-20T22:56:00.000-08:00

I like the light and contours of the roof of BC Place - that is when it isn't collapsed.

Cuppa Joe

2008-01-15T20:38:00.000-08:00

Donna gave me a mild frother for Christmas and some little templates to decorate my coffee. Doesn't it look great?

Puppy Pals

2008-01-12T22:04:00.000-08:00

Aren't these little guys adorable? I miss my puppies!

Rose

2008-01-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

There is something about a black and white photo that I really love. It seems to capture the subtle nuances and shades just a little differently.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-06T10:02:00.001-08:00

I have no idea what is going on over at EFX2, but the site seems to be up and down yet again. I can ALWAYS be found here. Hopefully I will have a little more time to post my photos here on a more regular basis. The last few months have been too sporadic! Keep in touch!

Lily

2007-12-29T15:57:00.000-08:00

As usual, I am back taking pictures of flowers. They call to me - what can I say?

Sparkling Mums

2007-12-26T22:19:00.000-08:00

I saw these flowers in the local florist shop and thought they were kind of pretty. I don't think I have ever seen sparkles on mums before.

Window dressing

2007-12-21T00:23:00.001-08:00

I thought the colours were nice in this window so I snapped a photo. I probably could have cropped it a little more, but sometimes I never know where to stop and start!

Glass Slipper

2007-12-13T15:33:00.000-08:00

I took this picture after our last snow storm. I was just feeling a little Cinderellaish!

Light Angles

2007-12-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

The light in this photo produced a very sharp angle on the corner of this building. It was beautiful anyway, but the way the light hit made it even more so. Another building from the DES.

Morning Light

2007-12-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

I have absolutely no idea what this building is, but it is incredibly beautiful. This is the view from outside the classroom at VCC in the Downtown Eastside. The morning light with the steam rising from the rooftops gave me an excellent subject for a photo.

Whistler in black and white

2007-12-03T23:44:00.000-08:00

I loved the way the snow was blowing around a bit and I caught it in the photo. You can seen the back of Donna in her wheelchair going towards the lift.

Whistler at Night

2007-12-02T23:10:00.001-08:00

I took this recently on our trip to Whistler. I loved the pretty blue lights in the trees.

Lest We Forget

2007-11-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

My thoughts and prayers are with all the brave men and women who have served their countries.

Fall

2007-11-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

Mystery Flower

2007-11-05T06:57:00.001-08:00

Here I go with the flowers again. I have no idea what this flower is, but I thought it was rather pretty. I'm glad we still have flowers about, even though we are smack in the middle of fall.

Pink Flowers

2007-10-30T09:58:00.001-07:00

I have no idea what kind of flowers these are, but I love the delicacy of the blossoms and the big white stamens.

Daisy Among the Cedars

2007-10-29T00:14:00.001-07:00

I loved the head of this pretty little flower poking out from the cedar hedge. I have no idea where it came from as it was the only one there, but it of course caught my eye.

I have been very remiss with my photos here. I haven't even taken any pictures for about three weeks. I have to get back out in the neighborhood armed with my camera!

New Van

2007-10-14T07:51:00.001-07:00

While certainly not one of the best photos I have taken it is one of the most exciting. Donna and I are now the proud owners of a brand new Dodge Grand Caravan! Isn't it pretty? There is a removable seat in the front passenger side so now Donna can sit up front with me, enjoy the view, and we can actually carry on a conversation. We are both excited and plan on going for a drive this afternoon!

Center

2007-10-04T23:00:00.001-07:00

I'm not feeling very centered right now, and kind of going in 100 different directions at once, so thought I would post a picture of the center of something.

Horseshoe Bay

2007-09-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

The view from the ferry back in towards the bay has always been a favorite of mine. This photo definitely does not do it justice.

Contemplation

2007-09-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

I snapped this picture at the ferry terminal in Nanaimo. This woman and her friend had just biked in to the terminal and she took a much needed break on the picnic table overlooking Departure Bay.

Totem

2007-09-26T23:41:00.000-07:00

This totem was at the ferry terminal at Departure Bay in Nanaimo. They are very much a part of the First Nations people and can be spotted in various places along the coast.

White Rose

2007-09-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

Ok - I promise this is the last flower for a bit. I took this the other day in the garden of a nearby apartment. If you click on the photo to make it look bigger, you can see the detail a little better.

Bee Patient

2007-09-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

After what seemed like forever, standing still with the camera pointed on this flower, the bee finally landed and I was able to get a shot! I should have had my tripod with me, but unfortunately I didn't. However, I seemed to hold still enough and managed to capture what I wanted. Are you sick of flowers yet?

Pink Dahlia

2007-09-22T08:05:00.001-07:00

I am afraid my posts will look rather like a flower garden for the next while unless I get outside and take some new photos. This is from the same neighbor's garden. I would have liked to catch it a little later in the day so the light was softer, but I think it still turned out okay.

Dahlia

2007-09-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

Fall is here! I went for a walk last week and happened upon a beautiful garden in our neighborhood. This little, quaint home, has the most glorious collection of dahlia's. You may be seeing a few more over the next few days.

Jennifer

2007-09-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

This is Jennifer or Jenny as I so affectionately call her. Jenny is 19 and one smart cookie. This year she is attending the University of Edmonton and taking all her prerequisites for Molecular Genetics. I am not even sure I know what that is, but it is the direction she wants to focus on. Jenny is high spirited, energetic, talkative with a quick wit and great sense of humor. Jenny also is a great dancer and her and Jodi tried to show Patty and I some dance moves over the summer. We - are hopeless.

Jodi

2007-09-17T06:43:00.001-07:00

This is my niece Jodi and she is the "kid in the middle". Jodi is free spirited and easy going with a quick, sharp wit. Dancing is her passion and one day she would like to be in a cheesy musical, which she loves by the way. Jodi also has a beautiful voice and is auditioning for a part in the upcoming "High School Musical". I have no doubt she will get a part. Jodi takes what life tosses at her in stride which is pretty atypical for a 17-year-old girl. She is definitely no drama queen. And yes - those curls are real! Isn't she gorgeous?

Dylan

2007-09-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

This is my nephew Dylan. He is 15 years old and has the greatest sense of humor, and is pretty damn cute too. He is also an extraordinary skateboarder, in my humble opinion. He and his dad built a 1/4 pipe in the back yard, and he skates on that thing for hours a day. He is also pretty amazing on his trampoline. Dylan has Type 1 diabetes, so it is extremely important that he stay active. His mouth stays pretty active all day long, as Dylan does like to talk a lot, but I find that typical 15-year-old boy behavior. Neil was the same...come to think of it, he didn't grow out of it. Guess my sister has something to look forward to?

Ahhh...aren't they cute?

2007-09-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is one of Don's sons Steven. He came down with his parents to visit with Donna. They had met each other on Facebook, but hadn't seen each other since Donna was about 8. We were camping with my parents at the time and Don and his family came to visit with us for the day. The kids were all playing down by the lake and when it was time to come back to the campsite, Donna came lumbering up carrying Steven. Apparently he had been crying because the rocks hurt his feet, so Donna being the empathetic person she is, picked him up and carried him the whole way back. No mean feat, since she struggled to walk herself. At any rate, they do chuckle at the memory. There is NO way she could carry Steven now (well other than the fact that she can't walk), but Steven is now 6 foot 5 and definitely not little by any stretch of the imagination. The two did have a great visit and it was fun for them to reconnect after so many years.

Friends!

2007-09-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

I love this picture! This is my friend Don or Donnie as I so affectionately call him. He is my OLDEST friend and one of the members of OUR "Group of Seven" (not to be confused with the artists). We used to cause much mischief and mayhem when we were young and if you kept up with my blog on efx2, then you will know about our playing "Purse", drinking in Waterton, and being chased by a gang of hoodlums. (I showed Donna the yard we hid in on our walk around town). Don used to love to come out to the farm and stay with Patty and I without his sister Donna and we always used to have so much fun. I hadn't seen him for quite some time, but he drove down from Calgary to see us when we were in Taber. Don was my ex-husband's roommate through his first and second year of university, and then lived with me for awhile when he went to summer school. We have shared far too many memories to recount and it just felt so good to see him this summer.

News on EFX2

2007-09-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Keith has just posted an entry. You can go here to check it out.

http://www.efx2blogs.com/

My Grandparent's House

2007-09-12T06:42:00.000-07:00

Another home that we checked out on our walking tour was that of my grandparents (my dad's parents). The house is still in really good shape and I was dying to go have a look inside, but I know I would have been disappointed. There wouldn't have been piles of crocheting or needlepoint projects in the living room, or music on the organ, no smell of oil paint in the studio, or yummy goodies in the kitchen. So, I was just as happy to keep my memories intact. Every summer for two or three days, all 14 of the grandchildren would come here and stay and just have a ball! Good memories.

Reminiscing in Taber

2007-09-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

The quality of this photo isn't that great. However, we thought it was an important one to take. Donna's dad used to live in this house in our old hometown. We took the photo for him to show how much it had changed since they sold it in 1972. It really hadn't changed that much, however the tree in front had grown like crazy! As Donna and I walked around town that day I reminisced and told her who lived where and what kind of mischief I used to get into. It was a fun day.

French Fries

2007-09-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

This is one of the photos I took at Taber Cornfest. Every year at the end of August the town celebrates with a real old fashioned "carnival". There is a small midway, lots of displays with quilts, old cars etc., arts and crafts booths, and then of course food booths featuring the world famous Taber Corn! Believe me it is the best I have ever tasted and anyone from there is a corn connoisseur. This is just one of the food booths. There are more photos to come.

Confederation Park

2007-09-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is confederation park, which was built in the year of Canada's Centennial in 1967. My grandparents and parents planted trees in this park, so that one day their grandchildren and great grandchildren could enjoy it. The trees have grown and it is now a very beautiful and well used park.I remember that year well and all the hard work everyone in town put into making this space beautiful for generations to come.

Fireworks

2007-09-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Cornfest in Taber had pretty good fireworks for a small town. I had to snap some shots, but when I reread my photography book when I got home, I realized I could have gotten much better shots had I changed a couple of my settings. Live and learn! Next time - I will be better prepared.

The Ranch

2007-09-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

This is Rob and Jess's ranch. The setting is so incredibly beautiful. I wish I could have had more time there. I can see why they bought the land!

Barn

2007-09-04T18:28:00.000-07:00

I love the character of this old barn, which was at Rob and Jess's ranch. I was actually more excited about the ranch than seeing The Cup. Is that weird or what?

Dylan

2007-08-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

I finally got a shot of my nephew when he didn't have a stupid look on his face!

Land of the Long Sun

2007-08-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Sunny Southern Alberta, is also known as "Land of the Long Sun". I found our shadows interesting and very long indeed! The day after this photo was taken, Jennifer spotted a rattlesnake near this very trail when she was out for her morning walk. Needless to say, we didn't go back!

Filling the Cart

2007-07-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

This guy has his own way of shopping. Now with the garbage strike on in Vancouver and all the dumpsters locked, what will these binners do?

Ferry

2007-07-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

BC Ferries welcomes you aboard! How many times have I heard that! This is the ferry between Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay in Nanaimo.

Jack

2007-07-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

Jack was posing for me up in the tree on the beach. Isn't he cute? He reminds me so much of Neil when he was little.

Gramma with Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren and spouses

2007-07-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

Seated: Logan, Neil with Jack, Brianna with Josh (at least I think it's Brianna, I still can't tell them apart.
Standing: Jaclyn, Kara,Donna, Gramma, Lisa, Toni
Standing in back: Trish, Curtis, Scott

Good looking bunch of kids!

Peepin' Through The Porthole

2007-07-13T23:45:00.000-07:00

I took this of Neil as he was looking out over the ocean on the car deck of the ferry. It was a beautiful day and the sea breeze felt so wonderful!

Waiting to Relax

2007-07-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

This was taken just before the wedding while looking out over the estuary in Comox towards Goose Spit. I miss this view!

Donna and Crafties

2007-07-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Donna with my "Crafties". The actual name of our group is the "Crafty Bitches", but quite frankly, none of us are bitchy! LOL....They are a good looking bunch aren't they? We all lived within a few steps of each other when we lived on the island, so they ladies watched Donna grow up from the time she was 9 to the young lady she is now.

Mr. Bojangles

2007-07-06T08:06:00.001-07:00

This is another of the street musicians on Granville Island. He was singing Mr. Bojangles, which is a great song, but always makes me feel kind of sad.

Star Shell

2007-07-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

I love all things pretaining to the ocean. These colours and the way this ceramic star lay on the blue sand, caught my eye.

Crow

2007-06-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

This is kind of an odd picture, but I liked the idea of this crow sitting on this sculpture at Van Dusen. I fiddled with this a bit to make the crow stand out and the rest blurry. Not the best photo - but not the worst either

Anchors Aweigh

2007-06-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

A hidden gem in a courtyard on Granville Island. I love how the water looks like it is dancing!

Carl Linnaeus

2007-06-25T00:07:00.000-07:00

Carl Linnaeus is the Father of Taxonomy. Whatever the heck that is! Actually I know, but don't feel like explaining it here. Anyway - he was Swedish and kind of cute, so I had to take his picture. Donna snapped one of me kissing him on the cheek, but I haven't seen it yet.

Korean Pavillion

2007-06-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

This is the roof of the Korean Pavillion at Van Dusen Gardens. I had not seen it on my previous visit, but the colours certainly are beautiful!

Is there a pot of gold?

2007-06-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

This fountain is in the middle of the small lake at Van Dusen. I missed it last time I was there, but with Donna's expert direction, we found it this time. We just happened to catch the sun in the right spot to make a small little rainbow.

Waterfall

2007-06-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

This waterfall is in Van Dusen Gardens, which we went to visit today. It was a beautiful day and very cool and relaxing sitting near the waterfall listening to the water splashing on the rocks.

Duck

2007-06-20T06:21:00.001-07:00

I had to get pretty up close and personal to get this shot of the duck. Fortunately I didn't fall in the pond, which could have been a possibility!

Reaching Out

2007-06-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

I have always liked these wooden sculptures at the airport, but have never taken a picture of them.

Gong

2007-06-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

This is another photo from Spiritland at Van Dusen Gardens. I really loved the feel of peace and solitude of this particular display. The bamboo leaves rustling in the wind and the soft tinkle of a wind chime....

I Got My Eye On You

2007-06-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not - this photo was taken at the airport. It caught my eye as I was standing waiting for my friend to arrive and I just had to snap it.

Pink Rose

2007-06-11T21:59:00.000-07:00

Here I am again with my taking pictures of flowers obsession! I would have liked the center to be a little clearer but I think I need a tripod to hold the camera a little more still.

Bathtime

2007-06-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

This display with the bathtub and the beautiful serene surroundings really appealed to me.

Spiritland

2007-06-08T23:34:00.000-07:00

This is one of the beautiful teak wood statues in the Spiritland display at Van Dusen Gardens.

Lack of posts

2007-06-08T07:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't had time to search around for some photos to post the last couple of days, but I am going to the botanical garden today, so hopefully I will get some good flower shots to display.

Peone

2007-06-05T23:51:00.000-07:00

I took this at the rec center the other day. It isn't as sharp as I would have liked. I think I need to get a tripod!

Contemplation

2007-06-04T06:41:00.000-07:00

I wonder what this guy is thinking about. He looks very deep in thought as though he has a tough decision to make.