Yummy Dinner at Carolyne's

Here is Carolyne in her colourful Kitchen holding the pan of prawns just before they hit the BBQ



Patricia used to be our regular Saturday gal, but now works occasionally. we don't often get to visit with each other unless she stops by the store. Here we enjoyed a nice ice cold glass of Pinot Gris before dinner

These tasted as yummy as they looked...hot off the Barby!

Look at htese puffy little beauties. I don't recall the name of them... they look like those MArgarites, but seems to me the had the leaf of a columbine... tall and very beautiful tho. Carolyne's garden was an amazing work of art with every imaginable thing growing from Blackk currants and elderberries to Raspberry bushes and then a full vegetable garden. I don't know how she does it, but she is doing a fabulous job of that and maintaining the store.

we had a nice evening of chatter and garden talk and mostly eating !
Thanks Carolyne..much appreciated after a day like it was yesterday!


"The Creator"

Sad day..Emil's dad, Peter passed away.

Yes, last night we learned that Emil's dad, Peter, passed away peacefully at Noric House in Vernon. My sincere condolences to John , Emil, and Lawrence and their families. May Dad rest in peace now and forever be at peace with himself and the Lord and be reunited in happiness with Annie.
He died with the stars yesterday as Michael JAckson also passed away and so did Farrah Faucet, so they will be at Heaven's gates together!
We'll keep you posted as to arrangements.

"The Creator"

Guess who received an early birthday gift? Moi!!!!

Here's a glimpse of our day from back to front!
Cheers...Deb, Ashley, Don and Nonie and ourselves wound up at the BBI for a delicious father's day dinner of prime rib, yorkshire puddings, mashed potatoes and gravy, veggies, a salad and strawberry cheesecake for desert! Yummy. We were lucky to arrive when we did...and despite having a reservation, we netted the last of the prime rib. Poor Nathen ( owner) had no idea that it was going to be that busy... seems like we were the only ones who reserved! Thanks Don and Nonie for treating us out... Emil will be BBQing at home for you tomorrow night!




Don and Nonie arrived shortly after John and Ronda and their golf buddies, Pat and Doug. Then Deb and Ashley joined us on the deck for HAppy Hour. It was good to have Don and Nonie back after so many years. They were up to Trail for a big Legion function and then came out to Ainsworth to soak away for a few days. Tomorrow ,they will return to spend the day with Emil, then overnight at our place... Our pleasure to have them.



Ok, this is a demo with the new Panasonic DMC ZS3 12 x zoom that Emil bought me when he was in Vancouver... Lucky that I didn't buy one here before he returned! It is the top selling camera at the moment... why? So many features and yet so small,and then there is that huge optical zoom,and a nice 25mm wide angle! So far, I love it!




This is taken on the Macro setting... a pic of my little bumble bee iris that survived the transplant.





A few flowers from my flower pots. Not so sure about this one. It looks a littel washed out.

A stream, just up the road from us. This is using the "undewater" scene mode.

Miss Mallard came to vist me near the garden this morning.

Looking up the lake around 5:30 am.

My poppy, about to burst open... and it did, by later in the afternoon.


looking up at our house from the garden.

"The Creator"

Look at My Girls!

Sonia dn Kaleigh while on Kaleigh's birthday trip to the USA

Sonia looking nice and tanned...like she has been in a foreign country

This is a cute pic of KAleigh, don't you think?

Kaleigh with her best smile on...You look beautiful! ( and all grown up!)
Love you all so much!


"The Creator"

Flooding over the beach now

As you can see, the rains have brought up the lake a bunch over night. Our beach has disappeared and the green grass will be going under next week. Usually by Emil's birthday, the water starts to recede. Since that is only in ten days or so, we could be experiencing the lowest lake levels at flood season, in a few years...unless we have a dramatic flood week.

My flower pots this year... No dracena, and a tiny replacement there that the name has escaped me...usually in red, but this is a golden yellow one.

My new tree that I bought from our eighbour Lynn. ....another name loss here... not sure if I ever even had a tag for it..dainty little flowers,but a little lacking in the leaf dept.

And last but not least ,a new sort of Siberian Iris in two tones... white centre and yellow beards. In each place I have three planted, and each is a different colour... the deep yellows, the purple and then these pretty guys. the othrs have yet to open. I hope they can multiply like crazy. These come from a bulb. Lynn sent my photos of her garden and it is lightyears ahead of mine! More heat up there in Warfield!
I will meet Joyce after work and we will have a nosh, then go to Carol Reynolds big opening at Touchstones museum. I am looking forward to seeing her new work. She is a terrific artist.


"The Creator"

Happy Big 4-0!!! Sonia!

Wishing my Beautiful daughter,Sonia, a Happy 40th ...Did I say FORTY??? Phew! Where did those years go? One day a beautiful baby to cuddle in your arms and then a gangly teenager who not so strangely enough, looks much like her daughter Maddie. Now all grown up into a beautiful, successful, courageous woman who has brought two equally beautiful daughters into my world, I say Congratulations Sonia, for a job well done!
I wished that your dad and I could be there to give you a big hug on the 17th... but I know you have someone special in your life who will make your birthday the best, in a long time. Love ya loads Sonia and I can't wait until we see you in person for the biggest birthday hug of all!
.
Sonia as a baby in her first photo-shoot.

Wasn't she precious at about three years old here? I made her dress and she was the perfect little model for her Christmas photo.

This was about 10 or 11 , just as the ganglies set in.. Of course, those only lasted a few years ! Thank-goodness!
After graduation, it was onwards and upwards and now she is a grown woman with many acheivements, milestones ,two beautiful daughters,and a singing voice that brings tears to my eyes... all of which her dad and I are very proud of her for.
That might be a run on sentence, but it still says only a fraction about what Sonia is all about. Forty and holding, and looking better than ever... You did great, Sonia and I see great things in your future!

"The Creator"

Chunk o Bull

Who's weekend wouldn't be complete without a little love from Chunk...da bulldog?
Him and I became pretty good friends over the weekend. Firstly, I brought Silky over to Deb and Ashley's and there at the door to greet us and nearly mow us down, was Chunk. This is Caitlin's boyfriend's dog, but she was looking after it. I went over to get my hair cut and coloured and did the usual and brought Silky... Sort of a bad idea,as Chunk thought she was the goddess from Heaven that he always wanted and he proceeded to nudge her and check her out form head to tail, and under all those parts... Now, poor Silky wasn't too beholdin' to him,s o she tried to find a place to hide. Altho neutered, Chunk ( or Chunky, as I liked to call him) couldn't resist a few humping motions as he tried to figure out a way to climb on to her back. That did it for Silky... she wanted nothing to do with him or his humpy mood! Poor Chunky got sentenced to Alcatraz for the rest of the night.
On Saturday night, when Deb's family was at the grad, of Mount Sentinal, I was the caregiver for Mr. C. He was totally astonished that I opened the door to the deck and was pretty much standing in his face, before he realized that I was a possible intruder... The look said it all... "Who the hell are you, and what are doing here?" Not a bark or a growl... I could have robbed the house blind and he would have licked me to death... and he has some looooonggg tongue!



Here Chunk realizes, that I am holding his baga of food!


Outside for his jobs

I don't think his big long tongue actually fits inside his big mouth.
He was quite a character for only eight months old...scary looking as hell, and strong as a horse... but not at all so dangerous as his ugly mug portrays!


"The Creator"

Maiden voyage for Annie

Despite the low water, we took a little fishing cruise around the bay to give the boat and us a refresher course. This was taken a few weeks ago. Now the water is creeping up and up, and soon will have our beach under water and all the junk that comes floating in.

The line on my side had one little tug, but it was a lost effort... probably a niblle form a minnow.

Silky could take or leave boating. She is never sure where her "best spot" is , on the our boat, Annie.
This is the first year all of my rotos have bloomed at once. Here is the majenta one... lovely, if I do say so myself. In fact , Lynn came out and loaned me her old camera until I figure out what kind I will buy. I know that the PAnasonic has the best features, especially the newest model, but it is a little out of my range... I take paypal tho, if anyone wants to contribute ! Just joking!
Yes, Lynn was out last week-end when we did the garden tour around Balfour and over to Glyn's beautiful mountainside display of unusual plants. A mini Bouchard gardens right in our neighbourhood.
Lynn, my sweet angel, helped me do so much weeding in my garden, I am grateful for her hard work. It enabled me to get on with planting my beans and tomatoes and flowers that might bloom in September now. My lilies ,however, love their new location and will bring me a display, second to none once they start blooming. I can't wait. Even some of the irises will bloom this year, after two years of neglect and a transplanting. Well, speaking of the garden, I have a graden party this afternoon at a co-workers, across the lake, Annie's place. She apparently has beautiful gardens as well,so I am anxious to see them. In the meantime, I have a streudal to make ,so I have a desert to bring.
I can feel the heat coming on and have to mow lawns. Emil is off on his fishing trip, but should return today or tomorow with Wayne, and with any luck, a few fresh trout!
Have a great weekend... Love ya all, and so sorry that my blog is going downhill... probably will until I get a new camera and a 27 hour day...


"The Creator"

The Renovation.

Yes, it has finally come to pass. We have a brand new set of stairs leading down to a landing in the basement. From the landing , one can go east or west... west taking me straight to my fruti room/pantry. Anyone want any quart sealers? I have an over supply of them and will gladly pass them along to anyone who comes to pick them up. Otherwise there is a Car boot sale at Sunshine Bay park on Father's day weekend where you can sell things out of the boot of your car and there will be fun and games... I see a lot of Quart jars and Partylite in my boot.
Back to the stairs. They are a gentle slope... no pain in the calves going up and down... I love them so much already. Silky won't venture down them...just looks from the top and can't quite make heads or tails of them. Adjacent to the front door will be a little clothes closet to at least hang a guest jacket or two, and we will have another closet down the basement once it is all gyprocked. Thanks so much to Ron for mentioning his grandaughter's husband, Jeff. Him and his appprentice did all the carpentry work in 2 and a half days... great work ethics and a job well done! That's POLS contracting if anyone is looking for a great carpenter.


Emil and I hauled the coffee table and end tables up to the suite and Nelson's Share centre relieved us of the old chesterfield and love seat and chair. In its place we have new living room furniture that needs the rest of the room updated to set it in its place. All in due time, now that the front door is new and the front window has been replaced... We are a happening place here!
I guess everyone is wondering how I took the photos with my broken camera??? My dear cousin Lynn loaned me her old one until I buy another... Thank-you sweet cuz for thinking of me.

One more pic of the grad girls as we went for a walk on the beach. We sure had a great visit with one another.
I'll try to make a point of visiting with Karen when I go to the island next time.

My bed is calling me as my feet are crying for horizontal. We had a busy busy day with all the grads coming in to get their escorts a gifty. The grad is this week-end and the young'uns seem to look younger and younger nd they are graduating!!!!

"The Creator"

Grad Girls Hen Party

Twas a lovely afternoon for tea ( oops...make that Mimosas) on the balcony with my old friends I met at the Grad reunion, and cousin Lynn and neighbour Alyssa. We had so many laughs, it was downright making our bellies sore!
In this photo we have starting from the left, Chris, Alyssa, Viola, Patti, Karen and Lynn ( also a Karen) . KAren used to be Karen Macabe and I knew her from riding the bus in from Montrose when I stayed at my sister's house. Chris is Karen's sister and Viola, of course is their mom. Chris drove out and picked up PAtti whom I also went to school with and who used to live up a few streets in Warfield. I used to babysit her little girl, Cheryl ( who is now some 38 years old) Lynn drove out after church and Alyssa, my neighbour just walked over. We had a grand lunch of salads and quiche and chicken wings and then many deserts from Lemon pie to rhubarb streudal to mini chocolate cheesecakes that Alyssa brought. Yummo...oops ,not to forget the pecan pie that Chris and Karen brought out... so we dined away for half the afternoon as we chatted about old school mates and told stories and probably a few lies. It was a beautiful day and so wonderful to reconnect with old friends and to get to know Karen's sister and mom. These moments don't happen so often . It will be one that we charish and be gld that we did.



Patti and Karen and the deserts

Patti, Lynn and KAren

The whole five of us

And a big huge thanks to Lynn for bringing me her old camera to play with for a week or two until I get myself a new one.
I am sure we will all keep in touch from here on in...Thanks to everyone for making it happen!

"The Creator"

Happy Sweet 15, Kaleigh

A big Happy Birthday to you this fine Sunday afternoon! I am so proud of you... and lookat how beautiful you have grown up to be.. Granny and Grumps love you and wish we were there to give you a big smacker on the cheek! Ha-ha...Love ya loads and have a great day... Feliz Cumpleanos!

"The Creator"

Google 411

Here is the hottest thing since sliced cheese!!! Plug this phone number 1-800 466-4411 into your cell phone ...call it Googlle 411, and you'll be thanking me for the rest of your life ! It is a new app by google that allows you to access a 411 service ...get this... WITHOUT any charges except your normal Provider charge for using your phone.It is good in Cnaada and the USA. You say the city and province and the type of business you are looking for. It gives you choices and voila... it will patch you through to the restaurant or place ( or person) that you are trying to locate. Here is an example. You are in Nelson, but want to make a reservation at the Black Rooster in Castlegar for dinner later in the day. You are on the road and don't have a phone book handy. You press your Google search listing and dial up google 411. They ask you for the city and state ( province) and then ask which category or the name of the business...so you can say "Restaurant . " They will then list off the restaurants numerically and you just have to say the number that you choose. Google connects you to the restaurant. How cool is that? Then you get to make your reservations. No long distant charges. No 411 charges for looking up numbers anymore. Try it out and use it a bunch... and you'll be surprised that it works in Canada...pretty darn good too!

"The Creator"

Boo-hoo Bhwahhhhhhhh

My Canon camera has bit it and it looks like the grad reunion will be the last of the photos it will ever have taken.!!!! So how can I operate a blog without pictures? I guess I will invest in a new camera fairly soon or I will be a crazed woman... Moi, without a camera... it just won't do. I have my phone camera, but the upload program ( Roxio) that is supposed to upload the photos to my computer, does not ,in fact do its job...unless I uninstall it and reinstall the program... I think it has something to do with this registry cleaner program I have. It all adds up to being hooped for taking photos.
I had important things to photograph this am... Know what it was?
The big hole in our floor where the steps to the basement used to be.
Know what is there now?
Stairs, but going down to the basement from the kitchen side... and they are the most gentle stairs I have set foot on... not too steep and easy to navigate... perfect for my gimpy knees.
At the front door side is the foundation of a new clothes closet! How novel is that? Imagine...guests arrive and we can offer them a place to hang their coats, instead of grabbing them and stearing them clear of the stairwell so they don't tumble down it!
It looks great and Phoebe and Ron's grandson and his helper are the ones who did the carpentry Work. Jeff is good...real good at being an efficient carpenter. In two and a half days ,they will complete all that Emil asked them to do and what they predicted would take 4 days. When was the last time a tradesperson took LESS time to complete, than scheduled for? And no, he didn't leave a thing out. We are totally impressed and would reccommend him as a builder any day!
For young guys, they are Very very good carpenters.
I'll have photos for you when I upload them from me phone or buy a new camera.
Seems like bed is calling me. My knee had a terrible sleep last night and is begging for comfort and relaxation tonight! Have a good one..

"The Creator"

Where did the week go?

Hey there... here it is Monday morning... EARLY Monday morning... Woody Flicker Pecker woke me up doing his love call on the chimney of the suite...ratatatatatatatttaaaaaaaa...over and over again. In fact I couldn't see him, but with my window open, I could hear him plenty good! I am sorry that I never got back to my blog all week...seemed like the week went by so quick with the nice weather. I came home to HAppy hour on our balcony on Wednesday... Deb, Ashley, Emil, Lorraine's golden retriever, Brandy, ( being dogsat by Deb and Ashley) and Ashley's cat, Phoebe,and Silky of course... a menagerie to say the least...The day was so beautiful, but once the sun started to go down, we moved inside for dinner... Lucky I had some frozen wings and a frozen pizza all ready to pop into the oven.. Kristen brought over a salad and we were good to go. That is one thing about this nice neighbourhood... we all pitch in when it comes to food, and it works out terrific. Saturday night we had a bonfire over at Deb and Ashley's with some of the neighbourhood there.. and loads of great salads and MArlene brought a whole chocolate cake oozing with fudgey icing. Alyssa made some beautiful roasted veggies...zuccini, red peppers,and mushrooms and onions... very yummy indeed...then we enjoyed the salads...pasta from Elli, Spinach from me, and Quinoa from Deb, as well as a coleslaw... all delicious for sure.

Oh yes, we had news of Derrick and Barb's new baby girl...weighed in at at 7 lbs, 14 oz. and her name is Meghan Makayla... isn''t that a pretty name? She is as cute as a button with a head of black hair and she looks like Ethan ,we think. Sweet!
Joyce came out on Thursday and we reviewed Grandma's old bible... still slightly confused over who's who... lots of info in there, but it is mostly the same stuff repeated over and over in a different order. It is a moot point as I am unable to load in my new Family Tree maker program and make it work... Lets say it was working at one point, then wouldn't even open due to an error message....over and over again... much to my disapointment. I have removed it at this point and will try to install it again when I have the energy. Seems I need to have most every other program and my antivirus turned off before it will be loaded in properly... forget it for the moment.

Friday I stayed in town and had appies and a drink with Judy Kirby, whom I got re-acquainted with at our grad reunion. We mostly knew each other at Crowe, She and I had a long chat over food while we we soaked up the afternoon sun on the deck at Jackson's Hole! Nice to reconnect again. Even Karen and her sister, Chris had dropped in on me at work during the week... I'll try to get them over for a visit before Karen leaves back to Duncan.

John and Ronda surprised me with a visit at work on Saturday... Oh yes, I worked for Carolyne on Saturday so there was half my week-end shot. It was nice to see John and Ronda again. They were down to pick up Ron and Phoebe's fifth wheel so they could go camp/golfing. Sorry to hear that Phoebe has come down with the dreaded cold that has been going around. John and Ronda were sick nearly the whole time they were in Nashville, but are on the mend now.

Sunday, I cleaned up and made a nice pot of chowder with clams, rainbow trout and a little halibut . It has bacon and a can of tomatoes in it for extra flavour, plus loads of veggies...potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery and even dsome corn from two cobs I had left over . I roasted up some ribs until the meat dropped off of them.. very yummy.
We did get numerous phone calls that Emil's Uncle George, in Canora Saskatchewan, passed away. He was married to Emil's mom's sister, Sophie. We were sorry to hear the sad newsof his death. He has been fighting cancer for something like 6 years now. He was always the happiest guy when we visited with him. He will be missed by his large family, most of which are in Vancouver...Carl, Brian, Wayne, and Karen ( I think) and then Donna and RoseMarie are on the prairies still. Our hearts go out to all of them.
So today is the day,the carpenters arrive and start in on our little reno job. with luck, their work will be done by the end of the week. They are going to stay in the suite ,as they are from Rossland. Actually it is Ron and Phoebe's grand-daughter's hubby, Jeff.
So that brings you up to date on a few things.

Oh yes, Sonia returned from Costa Rica on Saturday and is back to work this morning... good luck with that part of things.

I missed Lori's birthday...Happy Belated to you! and Lawrence's is coming up on Wednesday and then Kaleigh's at the end of the month... wow!

Now I will try to upload a movie of the dance from our grad reunion. You can click the off button to disable the playlist music while you listen to a 1967 rendition of GLORIA!Then I ought to see if my knee will tolerate a walk. I worked out in my garden yesterday afternoon ,and my knee was howling by the time I came in. A soak in the jacuzzi with filled with muscle soak from 2nd Nature helped immensely.!
Oh yes, Congrats to Lynn for doing the Relay for Life in Warfield over the weekend. I hope she raised her goal amount of pledges.
Have a nice week everyone... My writing might be sporadic or not at all...due to the onset of summer weatehr finally!


"The Creator"