Birthday AGAIN (and Earth Day too)

Not only did I receive a flower delivery to my door but it was delivered by Nancy who sang the Happy Birthday song on my doorstep!  That was a lovely surprise all around.  Thanks Sisses!

And, being such a lovely spring day, we were able to bar-b-que AND eat outside.  The table was set with beautiful hand-made dishes and a tablecloth and napkins from Mexico.  The meal was delicious and it was so nice to eat under the sunny blue blue sky.

After dinner came ... ta daaaaa ... the CAKE.  SR made the cake (gluten free thank you) and Brooke decorated it.  It almost looked too good to eat.

I had lots of help blowing out the candles.  (Thank you for only putting on 12).

Then, more flowers.  "They're PINK", said Alanna excitedly.  A dozen pink roses, so beautiful.  

Thanks to all that wished me a Happy Birthday.  I feel so lucky to have so many friends and such a loving family.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday to Debbie and Me

Happy Birthday to Debbie and Me

Happy Birthday Dear Debbie & Me

Happy Birthday to ....  well you get it.

And Nancy and I are not sleeping at the table.  Just resting our eyes apparently.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday with the kids.  This year the Easter Bunny came and they were thrilled, especially as their eggs were filled with chocolates, something they do not get except on very very special occasions.

They were dressed in their finest.

The weather, although a touch on the cool side, was nice enough to play outside for short periods of time without a coat.  We had a lovely turkey dinner with the family and I met their friends who are new to the territory.  I would say they were from England as they both spoke with English accents, but he was actually raised in Vimy Ridge in northern France; his father was caretaker of the graves there.  And they had a 3 month old baby.  Hard to believe Alanna and Emerson were every that small.  All in all a wonderful Easter.

Facebook

Reading Facebook yesterday and who did I see?  My friend Jean.  Here are the pics and the story that goes with it.

Yukon Conservation Officer Services added 10 new photos.

Yesterday at 4:19pm · 

Yukon Conservation Officer Services was well represented at the Dawson District Renewable Resources Council Biennial Fur Show. Our Trapper Education Instructors spent several hours as judges of pelts submitted for the show (and did a commendable job), our trapline administrator was on hand to answer questions from the public and to support the instructors, and the Dawson District Conservation Officer sealed pelts, answered questions and even participated in the trap setting competition, with a strong showing in second place! Thanks and kudos to the DDRRC for organizing it all and to our partners at the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board and the Yukon Trappers Association for their representation at the show. 

Easter is coming

Easter gifts for the kids.  

April 11 - Snow Snow Go Away!!

Haven't written in a while.  Spring always goes slower than expected.  The weather begins to warm yet the ground is still frozen.  My neighbour and I kind of share a front lawn.  We didn't have much snow this winter UNTIL March, when it snowed almost every day and it really piled up.  I pinched a nerve in my back this winter (it took physio 4 months to discover that was the problem) so I am not shovelling any of this snow.  I decided it must just melt slowly and naturally.  Luckily, my neighbour Sevn has a snow blower and he is blowing away a little every day.  

The photo above was taken tonight.  You can see how high the snow still is compared to River and her dog.  Sevn had the snow blower going again tonight so little by little he will attack the snow still left.

Saturday and Sunday, March 11 & 12

Jenn made a wonderful welcoming sign to greet visitors as they entered her house.

On day one "the girls" drove to Lacombe to watch Dawson play Volleyball.  He is on a provincial league team.  We watched two games ( and I hope he doesn't think we jinxed the team ).  Then it was off to a restaurant, then headed back to Edmonton.  

SR & his family went to he West Edmonton Mall where the kids rode many different rides.  They had a great time there.

Alanna fell in love with (3rd ? 4th? cousin) Dawson.  She entertained him all evening, showing him how she could dance ballet, do yoga, run and jump and even taught him how to drink out of a cup.  She couldn't get enough of him and was by his side as much as possible.

I love this photo not only for the people in it but for the fact that it catches Emerson (in the background) sneaking a jelly bean off the credenza.  

And of course we took family photos.  You can see Alanna still adoringly looking at Dawson.

I don't think I realized what was going on in the photo until I posted it.  I think I was concentrating on the smiles in the very back row and didn't realize that Emerson was having some sort of incident, which may be the lack of a small car which his father seems to have found and will soon solve the worry on his face.  Notice Alanna still gazing at Dawson.  Oh well, the back row looks happy.

Edmonton: March 10

At Whitehorse Airport waiting to board the plane to Edmonton.  The flight arrived into Edmonton around 9:30 PM, past the kids bedtime so they were a bit out of sorts (to say the least) by the time we arrived at the rental.  On a brighter side the rental was great.  It was right by Whyte Ave and only about 7 minutes to cousin Jenn's house (if you didn't go through the Second Cup drive-through every time we drove over there).

Used an Air BnB in Edmonton.  This was most of the main floor of the semi detached house.  The 3 bedrooms were on the second floor and conveniently included a washer and dryer which came in handy.

And a view from the living room looking through the dining room into the kitchen.  The house was great.  The weather was COLD.  It was around -15 to -20 during the night and day.  It snowed quite a bit on day two.

Saturday Continued

Then it was to Gramma's house.  They do things here that they don't do at home, for example, being a bridge.

And Emerson is totally into the small cars and trains.  Alanna was more interested in the He-Man figurines but she was partial to the Porsche as well.

Yup, lining up those trains is fun.   We had a good time together.  They even napped, something I have tried unsuccessfully to do with them in the past and failed.  I guess the camera was pulled out when Alanna was still sleeping as I don't seem to have Gramma's House pictures of her here.

The Big Colon

The other half of the floor was taken up with a huge Colon... gross!  It is National Colon Cancer Awareness month so we got to walk through a huge colon.  We saw Polyps, Crohn's Disease, and Cancer as we walked through the large colon.  Fun!!

Saturday Morning

 Saturday.  The kids were coming to spend the day at my house but first they went to the Canada Games Centre.  They arrived there early so there were only two other small children there in the play area when I arrived around 9:30 AM (I think it really opens around 10).  Emerson loves the riding toy.  So does Alanna  but she will only ride the PINK and PURPLE one.  There were about 5 other blue ones free but the other small person there was riding "her" riding toy so she took up a PINK ball throwing toy instead.

You can see by her clothes what her favourite colour is.  When she was an infant she made the cutest little noise that sounded like she was saying "Ning!"  So her nickname became Ning.  She is now called Pink Ning.  You can see why.

It's a great space for the kids to run around and play.  They have fun playing with their parents as well.

I loved watching them play with the BIG BALL.

On the way out we all stopped to watch the soccer game going on.

More Rendezvous

Here are a few pics, courtesy of Brooke, taken during Rendezvous.  Unfortunately this is when I still was not feeling too well so I didn't join them, but it looks like they had a grand time.

Dadda and Emerson.  Note his moustache.

And I missed Gran but she spent time with the kids which I'm sure is what she came north to do.  Note the beautiful hair pieces on the ladies!

Due to a number of reasons, my annual Oscas' Party was cancelled this year.  But I didn't spend it alone as in came some of my favourite people with pizza.  This was a perfect ending to the Rendezvous weekend.  And in case you didn't hear, Best Picture this year is:  LA LA LAND... OH, WAIT A MINUTE, THAT IS WRONG.  THE BEST PICTURE IS  M O O N L I G H T.  It is a Steve Harvey thing happening all over again.

Rendezvous 2017

Unfortunately I was feeling under the weather, so shied away from attending the events this year.  Did feel better today though so went down to my two favourite events - the craft fair (so many moose hide and fur crafts made by the first nations people -- a dying art) and the snow sculptures.  Above is Clara Jules, the mayor of Teslin (two hours east of Whitehorse).  I talked to her quite a bit.  She was saying that a lynx hide is going for $4,000.00 this year.  She almost talked me into buying the mitts you see in the centre of the picture.  These are fox fur, original price $450 and I could walk away with them for $350.  Boy was I tempted, they were so well made.    The hats, from left to right are wolverine, lynx and fox.  You wouldn't get cold in any of her products.

I also purchased Chaga tea.  Rich in antioxidants, vitamins and with great healing powers, chaga, a mushroom found in the northern hemisphere on wild birch trees, tastes good, reduces cholesterol and is excellent for the skin.  I may just be a new person after a few cups.

I loved Mexico's snow sculpture.  They build a wall and had people destroy it.  "Never again walls between people and nations".  

This one had Sourdough Sam on one side and was interactive on the other side - just slide your body into the people indentations.  Fun!

Loved this one as well.  There was so much involved in this story.

And a couple more above.  There were a lot of interactive sculptures this year.  I loved that the kids especially got involved in walking though and sliding down sculptures.  Glad I wasn't there for the voting as I wouldn't know which I liked the best.

February 24 ... movies

I'm sick!  I've had a cold for 2 months now.  Sometimes I have a sore throat then it goes away and I feel fine; then I have a cough, then it goes away and I feel fine; then I have ...  well you get the picture.  So I felt absolutely healthy since last Wednesday.  Hooray, I am finally fit.  Not so fast.  On Tuesday I started to get a head cold and by Wednesday I was flat on my back.  I slept for 24 hours.  I awoke this morning and I was able to get out of bed.  My headache was gone, my cough was better, my fever had subsided, my achy body felt stronger.  I think I am on the mend once again although my nose is still bothering me but as the rest of my body seems to be working fine I won't complain.  I am still taking it easy today (and feeling a bit sorry for myself) so this afternoon I streamed a movie.  The one I wanted "Jackie" was not yet available on Apple TV nor was "Fences" so I had two to choose from and I chose Manchester By the Sea. (Now I wish I had chosen Hacksaw Ridge).

In the first 20 minutes I discovered I didn't like nor had any sympathy for the main actor "Lee" then I met his nephew "Patrick".  I didn't like him either.  And so far the story was boring.  Now I have a two hour plus movie with two characters who are not high on my like list.  And the movie went downhill from there.  Yes bad things kept happening  but I didn't care as I didn't like the people.  I cannot believe that Casey Affleck is nominated for Academy Award.  If downcast and glum for two hours is a desired quality for an actor then I guess he should win.  And if grey and boring is a desired quality for best picture, then this one should win.  I didn't wear a watch but I kept pausing it to see how much time was left (always too much for comfort).  I give this movie 1 out of 5 stars, and that is being generous.

Now, having watched an awful movie, I do have to say the other day I watched one that I thoroughly enjoyed even though I didn't quite understand it.  It was a movie I needed to watch with someone who could answer all the questions I had.  Luckily, SR watched it and I dined with him a few days later.  He got it!  And he explained it to me.  Then I really liked it.  And this movie was "Arrival".

Firstly, it is an area I find interesting.  Secondly, I have heard a lot of linguists talking on the radio about how true to life many parts of this movie are.  Amy Adams is an excellent actress and played the part well.  Even though I left the movie with many questions, I liked it.  When discussing the movie with SR and putting the floating pieces of the puzzle in place I really liked it.  An interesting premise and well done.  I never did pause the movie (i.e. look at my watch).  I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.  I would have given it 5 if they made it easier for me to understand.

It is February once again.  Boy, it keeps coming faster and faster each year.  Two birthdays to celebrate, so here we are at the Goldminer's Daughter.  The food was excellent, prices were good, and company was fun.  What else could we ask for!  And Happy Birthday to E.... & Nancy!

Stuck in the house for two days with this Blooming' Cold!!  So went out tonight for some food.  Coming out of Super Store, had stop for fire engines with their lights flashing and sirens going full blast.  When I went to turn onto my small street, there were the fire engines.  First I hoped it wasn't my house as they were pretty close (3 houses away it turned out) and I had to back up an use the other entrance to my street.  This was taken from my driveway.  No hoses out so don't know what the call was about.  They soon departed.

Oh yeah, you probably noticed I changed my main Photo.  I am tired of winter - it is hot then cold then hot then cold (it's no wonder everyone is sick).  I began looking for some pictures of Greece to remind people what beautiful weather looked like then came across The Hungarians ... taken at the Hungarian Day Festivities in Ancaster around about August if memory serves me well. So there you are - summer!