Holiday Fun

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I haven't had a chance to share with you about my wonderful Christmas. Christmas Eve started out with a candlelight service at my church, accompanied by the new man in my life. I introduced him to many of my friends there and one couple actually said to him, "You two look good together." Who'da thunk it? *big grin* We opened our gifts to each other and were delighted with them. I cooked a nice dinner for us as I felt it wasn't fair that he should cook and then have to go to work graveyard shift. Normally, he cooks (gourmet, I should add) and I'm just the queen awaiting service. lol

My son-in-law picked me up Christmas Day afternoon and I spent the rest of the day with my two daughters and son-in-law, along with his parents and the two grandchildren. What a wonderful time watching Noah open his gifts. He was even thrilled with his new pyjamas that I gave him - they're WallE pjs that he can wear while he watches his new WallE dvd. He also loved his new doctor kit and the board game Operation - he had to put on his new ID pin and went around checking us out to make sure we're all healthy. Eden loved her musical ball and her soft little barn with four animals that "talk" when you squeeze them. And she looked adorable in her Christmas outfit.

(left: Auntie Jaclyn plays with her niece and nephew)

(right: Jamie with her darling daughter)

Dinner was traditional with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pineapple rice salad and green salad with cranberries and nuts, plus a corn casserole. For dessert, my younger daughter made rum balls from scratch and served them with a bit of vanilla ice-cream. No one here likes Christmas pudding - far too heavy after a big meal. I enjoyed my annual Bailey's on ice before dinner and white wine with dinner. Oh - and we also wore our silly little paper crowns, too. Notice that Jason fell asleep after dinner with his still on.

On Boxing Day, L and I braved the blizzard and drove all the way to Horseshoe Bay to spend time with his best friends and watch the first Junior Hockey League championship game - Canada against *oh jeez, I don't remember!* Too much champagne that night! heh heh Then Saturday we met another of his best friends and wife for lunch - apparently I passed the test. The wife and I hit it off immediately! Then Sunday, L and I went shopping at Toys R Us for Noah's birthday present (he was a New Year's Day baby and is turning 5). After that, we went to a beautiful secluded spot along the river and watched the colours of the sky as the sun went behind the clouds and set. Unfortunately, neither of us had thought to bring our camera but we'll go back another time and get some good shots. And before heading home, we stopped at Speed's Neighbourhood Pub for a drink, sitting at a table overlooking the river with boats all lit up with Christmas lights - very romantic.
Back to reality Monday, and this weekend will be the last one for me to go out and have fun - at least for a while. The big day is next Tuesday, when I'll finally get the surgery to fix my lower spine. I'll be in the hospital for at least 4 days but as soon as I get home, I'll let you all know how much better I already feel - yeah right! heh heh Seriously, though, I can hardly wait until it's all over and on April 6 I'll be able to remove the brace. Life will begin again in earnest that day!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and may 2009 be the best ever!

ABC Wednesday - X is for eXtremely lucky in love

As you can tell, I haven't been online very much lately. That's because all my spare time is spent with my eX-boyfriend who is now my current boyfriend (and I use the term "boy" very loosely). When we were together all those years ago, we were really just kids, even though we were in our early to mid-20s, and we didn't know how to deal with difficulties or intrusions into our relationship. Now with the passage of time and having become mature in body, mind, and spirit, we find that we truly were meant to be together. That "je ne sais quoi" is still there and is even stronger than before. We don't worry about the fact that the hair may be whiter, the skin a bit saggy, and the eyesight weaker. We can see beyond that all the way to the heart and soul. Now that we've been given a second chance at love, we're going to make each day count. Every time we look into each other's eyes, we know how eXtremely lucky we are. As I took this photo, we joked about being at the crossroads of a new life together.
Thanks to Denise Nesbitt for hosting this weekly ABC Wednesday. As we approach the end of the alphabet for the third time, I am hoping that she'll continue to host it because it's fun and challenging to me to try to come up with something unique. Be sure to pop over to the special site for ABC Wednesday to see more photos and stories from people all over the world. You won't be disappointed.

ABC Wednesday - W is for Wassail

Wassail is a hot, spiced punch associated with Christmas. While the beverage typically served as "wassail" at modern holiday feasts with a medieval theme most closely resembles mulled cider, historical wassail was completely different, more likely to be mulled beer or mead. Sugar, ale, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon would be placed in a bowl, heated, and topped with slices of toast as sops. This drink would be the equivalent to beer or wine in many of the more prominent and better-known cultures of today. People drank it at parties and it was the main ale of the day. "Come butler, come fill us a bowl of the best/... please god send our master a good cask of ale..." sang throughout the towns of the germanic nations, sending good luck to even one's own master in the new year.
For recipes, click here. I couldn't believe how many recipes there are on the internet but frankly, I still prefer my traditional dark rum and coke (with a twist of lime) on Christmas Eve.
So I'm raising my cup to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

We still have snow snow and more snow! It's snowing as I write this and the roads are absolutely treacherous now. But Friday afternoon was so sunny and beautiful that we went for a walk along the river, boots crunching in the frozen snow. No one else was around and it was almost eerie being able to hear our own footsteps. We saw tracks from rabbits and birds and some other animal that had dragged its tail in the snow. The light was beautiful with the setting sun peeking through the trees to create magnificent reflections in icy spots.
Back in the cosy warmth of my place, I was treated like a princess with gifts of flowers, champagne, bubble bath, and a scrumptious dinner of shrimp and clam sauce over spaghetti accompanied by a tasty merlot. Oh yes, for an added treat I received a giant bottle of window washer fluid and a special type of antifreeze for the gas in my car.
The roads were clear on Saturday, so I headed up the mountain to my sister's for our annual pre-Christmas luncheon. She's the real cook of the family and always treats us to some special homemade soup. This year it was chock full of vegies and clams. Also provided were pate, smoked salmon spread, a variety of specialty crackers and a fabulous sourdough from Cobbs Bakery. Dessert was her own baking - "from scratch" lemon squares and brownies. I was so full I didn't make my mother's famous mac & cheese for L and me until 9:00 pm that night.
Now I'm waiting for a call from my daughter who accidently cut off the tip of her finger just after L left to go to work. I skidded and slid my way over to her place and took her to Emergency at the local hospital - an absolute zoo tonight! There were already two trauma cases (heart attacks) being taken care of and the waiting room was packed! So...here I wait and pray that I'll be able to get her home at whatever time she calls.
It's a winter wonderland out there and it can be fun and romantic but also a very dangerous place to be out in a car. Enjoy the photos (click to enlarge) and please send some good vibes for my daughter. Thanks!
Update: Daughter isn't in pain anymore but she's having to be very careful not to bump her finger on anything. And my road is being plowed so I can get my car out. I'll have to be very careful driving, though!

Iced Lotusland

The city of Vancouver is nicknamed "Lotusland" because of its remarkable beauty and its remarkable weather patterns that keep the city and the surrounding areas very temperate. It seldoms goes below 8 or 9 degrees Celsius or in the 40s Fahrenheit.

However, *sigh,* we are currently experiencing extremely unusual weather in that it's very cold (below zero C) and it's been snowing since around midnight last night. It snowed last Saturday and that snow had not had a chance to dissipate so this snowfall is on top of that. I phoned the school early this morning to check if it was open - it was, so I gingerly made my way over - but their Christmas concert this evening will probably be cancelled. Weather reports predict it's going to continue to snow until Friday when the sun will shine for two days before another snowfall on Sunday. But our two days of sunshine will be in the minus 17C range and if it's windy, it'll feel more like in the minus 20-30C range. Yikes!

I know that lots of people like snow for Christmas, but when it snows in Vancouver everything stops. People stay home instead of driving to work. The transit system slows down to a crawl and schools close. Snow brings an inordinate amount of stress to workers, parents who need to find alternate daycare for their kids, and seniors who can't get out for groceries. I hate going out in it for fear of falling and making things even worse for my poor back (which is SO looking forward to getting fixed in less 3 weeks).

Ah well, I'll stay inside and look out at the pure white of the neighbourhood. I'll make myself some hot chocolate, put on some music, and read my book. Then I'll snuggle down in my flannel sheets and try to dream of a warm beach somewhere.

Here are a few shots of my neighbourhood and garden. I must say I think the heather looks rather pretty peeking out from under the fallen snow. (Click to enlarge)

ABC Wednesday - V is for Virgin Mary

I think it's appropriate at this time of year to point out the true meaning of Christmas. These days, we're living in a world where Christmas is about the tree, Santa Claus, gifts, and the turkey dinner. However, Christmas is not about the tree, Santa Claus, gifts, and the turkey dinner.

Through immaculate conception, a baby was born to the Virgin Mary. His name was Jesus.

CHRISTmas...celebrating the birth of God's son to the Virgin Mary.

Jesus is the reason for the season.

Above right is a photo I took through a jeweler's window in Taormina, Sicily, back in 2006 when I was visiting there. (Click to enlarge) It was the most beautiful nativity I'd ever seen and just had to capture it with my camera.

When my older daughter was 2 years old, I bought a little nativity scene at the old Woodward's store in downtown Vancouver. (Anyone in Canada remember Woodward's?) It cost $26.00 and I was afraid to tell my husband how expensive it was. I'd always lift my daughters up to see the baby Jesus every night before they went to bed and made sure that they understood that Christmas was a birthday party for Jesus.

Of course, Santa did come to our house and always left lovely gifts for everyone under our beautifully decorated tree. And we always have a great turkey dinner, too. I hope that however you celebrate the CHRISTmas season you will all have a wonderful and memorable time.

Do you have a nativity scene that you display every Christmas? I'd love to hear about your special traditions for this season.

Coming Up for Air

I just had a glorious weekend and I know now L's a keeper. He cooks, cleans up as he goes, gives great back rubs, and holds me up when we're out walking in the snow. Friday night, after a Christmas concert, I was treated to homemade Italian spaghetti sauce over spaghetti with a fresh baguette to dip in the extra sauce. L put all the leftover sauce (five large containers) in the freezer for me to use when I come home from the hospital and totally cleaned the kitchen for me.
Saturday we took a drive down to Centennial Beach, mainly to go for a brisk walk, but it was SO cold and windy that we ended up driving around Tsawwassen and Ladner looking at the sights. Then we had an early dinner at a local Japanese restaurant where L got me to try raw tuna! I didn't want to disappoint, so I tasted it, but frankly it tasted like nothing to me. I didn't care for the texture so I don't think I'd order it for myself. I did enjoy the raw salmon, though. After dinner, we watched a movie, "Black Book," that I'd already seen but just knew he's like - he did. It started to snow while we were watching the movie, so we decided to go for a walk in the snow - so romantic - to check out the Christmas lights on a neighbouring street. When we came back, we watched 2 episodes of Boston Legal from Season 2. L had not followed the show when it was on TV, so is now renting all the episodes. He roars with laughter at Denny Crane.
So then today, he took me out for Chinese food and I sampled "hot and sour soup" which was something new to me - it sure would clear the sinuses if you had a bad cold! Also, after our beef and vegetables in black bean sauce, we had fun reading our fortunes to each other, adding "in bed" at the end of the fortune. No late night tonight as L has to be at work by 10 pm but there's always next weekend.

Who says there's no romance after age 60?

ABC Wednesday - U is for Unforgettable

To understand why this song means so much to me, you have to read the previous few posts. It is unbelieveable to me that an unforgettable romance can become fresh and new again - and perhaps even better.

There's nothing sexier than a man in the kitchen...

I've heard it said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomache. However, I can guarantee that it's also one of the best way to a woman's heart. Friday night, after the movie "Australia," (which, by the way I thoroughly enjoyed) we came back to my place and L cooked dinner for us. Oh my gosh! It was so much fun to just sit back with my glass of Shiraz and watch him go at it. He was having a lot of fun, too, guaranteeing that I was going to go out of my mind after tasting it all. All I had to do was set the table ( I threw two place mats on the table and a knife and fork each and we carried our wine glasses in when dinner was served.)

So what was so good? Well, saliva is building up just from the memory! We had rack of lamb - done in his own, made-from-scratch marinade. He did roasted potatoes with some sort of whatsit drizzled on top (oh yes, extra virgin olive oil) and spices, and asparagus sauteed in the frying pan with butter, freshly chopped garlic and ginger and a drizzle of lemon juice. He also made a great salad, but we didn't even get to that.

L loves to cook and watches all the cooking shows, including "Restaurant Makeover" on TV. I think that's just perfect as I hate to cook but love all the home renovations and interior design shows. Naturally, I showed him my appreciation for the movie and dinner and told him he's welcome to cook for me any time.

He did remind me, though, that I made my mother's recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese for him years ago, and he'd love it if I made it for him again. So I guess it's my turn next.

Oh, L cleaned everything up, too.

Life is Good

It's a beautiful sunny day and I've put up a few Christmas decorations and started to wrap parcels. Tomorrow evening I have a date to see "Australia" and go to dinner afterwards with my old/new fiance. Life has not been this good for a long time, so I'm simply savouring every moment. Right now I'm happy. Life is good.

ABC Wednesday - T is for Tractors, Totems, Trees, and Tugboats

To start off today, I'm bringing you T is for tractors, both old and new. On the left, is an antique tractor I found at the side of the road along an old farm road and on the right is a newer version that was on display during Rivermania last summer. (click to enlarge) Ladner was created as a fishing village but then developed as a center for farming as well.

You'll also see totem poles in Ladner. There are a few outside of the village's museum in honour of the First Nations people of the area. For thousands of years First Nations people lived along the Fraser River, turning to the sea and the river for salmon and shellfish, the mainstay of their diet.

Finally, T is for trees and tugboats because fishing and forestry are two major industries in this area on the western coast of Canada.

What a Wonderful World

Yesterday my friend L picked me up at noon for our day's outing. We headed for Lynn Canyon deep in the North Shore mountains. When the park officially opened in 1912 it was only 12 acres in size, but now there are 617 acres of hiking trails. We crossed the suspension bridge (scary!) and followed the Baden Powell trail through second growth forest in a drizzling rain. Most of the oldest trees are 80 to 100 years old and you can see evidence of logging in many large stumps, complete with springboard notches. (see photo at right) Cliff jumping is popular with Lynn Valley youth in the summer. The series of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis both use the area for filming.







Over the suspension bridge we continued through the forest and along the boardwalk. But it wasn't long before we were wending our way through tree roots and pine needles that were strewn in the path. Finally, we reached a steep set of stairs that wound down to a viewing area to the twin falls. Because it was very wet, the stairs were quite slick so I had to be very careful not to fall. L was very kind and made sure I was okay. We continued on to another bridge, this one a regular solid one, and I took a few shots of the rapids far below. Because of the rain, I was holding an umbrella in one hand and my camera in the other. So my photos aren't very clear, but I still think you can get an idea of what this rainforest is like. (photo below)





The view was wonderful and L pointed out the spot where even he would leap from cliff to cliff in the "old days." We continued on to another bridge, this one a regular solid one, and I took a few shots of the rapids far below.

L had totally forgotten about all the stairs and was really worried when suddenly we were faced with the steep climb back up. But we made it, both of us a bit puffed from the exertion.

Part 2 of our afternoon's excursion was a drive over to Horseshoe Bay to meet his best friend and wife. Wonderful people and very happy to meet me. We chatted over wine and admired the view over the bay where the ferries go in and out to the Gulf Islands.

On the way home, we were listening to one of L's cd's and Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" came on. I couldn't help but think that it truly is a wonderful world when one can reconnect with a lost love and realise that things just might (and probably will) work out this time around.

Well, I know you're all just dying for details, but all I will say is that we had a lovely dinner at my place and spent the evening snuggling by the fire getting to know each other again. Both of us admitted that we're scared to death because it's been so long since we've been with anyone, let alone each other. So, we're going to take things slowly - but we both know this is "right." This afternoon he called to thank me for a wonderful evening and said he'd cook for me next Friday night. *sigh* What a wonderful world.

Butterflies

So as you probably surmised from my previous post, I have reconnected with my old former fiance. As things do happen, we ended up going our separate ways, but now are starting to date again after spending four hours together last Saturday catching up. We've talked on the phone this week for hours, too, and that's why there has been no time for blogging.
Tomorrow, we're going on a photo safari up the mountain to Lynn Valley to see the waterfall. One problem - it's going to be raining and I have no rain gear. But he said he has extra Gortex jackets and will bring one for me to wear. Now he's 6'3" and I'm 5'7" so I'm sure I'll have to fold the sleeves up several times so as not to drag them in the mud. L very kindly inquired as to whether I could walk that far since I told him I have to have back surgery in January. I figure it's a good way to get a back rub outta him later. Right?
Anyway, in anticipation of him coming back for dinner afterwards, I've cleaned the house from top to bottom - dusting, swiffering, vacuuming (hoovering for my Brit friends), polished mirrors, cleaned the toilets and sinks, cleaned up my office in case we want to upload our photos, baked cookies, shopped for chipotle citrus marinated chicken breasts and have all the vegies ready to roast. I even bought him some beer that is cooling nicely in the fridge. All the candle holders have new tealites in them and there's a log in the fireplace just waiting to be lit.
This dating business is hard work and I'm wondering if it's worth it. Well, no I do think it's worth it. How do I know? Because I've had butterflies in my tummy all week waiting for Saturday to come. Wish us luck and stay tuned.

Young Love Reunited

Apparently, researchers say that the rekindling of young love after many years apart is the key to long-lasting wedded bliss. People who rekindled youthful romances at least five years after they had split up had a 76% chance of staying together, compared with a 40% chance of successful marriage in the rest of the population. The study is the first done on people reunited with a lost lover after years apart.

And it was not just the nostalgia of ageing that made people look for their first love. Older couples attributed their success to having re-found their soulmates and to increased maturity. Researchers found the most common reason for the initial romance breaking up was parental disapproval, accounting for 25% of cases.

One professor said, "The couples' first love had endured throughout their many years apart, and in the case of widows and widowers, often through very happy intervening marriages. However, given the high rate of extramarital affairs, married people should be cautioned not to contact a lost love."

I think there just might be something in this. Because I'm feeling 35 years younger these days!

Robin's Retirement

Last night I attended my sister's surprise retirement party. Although she's been on disability for the past 8 years because of a heart problem, her two sons organized a spectacular party for her at one of Vancouver's premier spots, the Sequoia Grill in Stanley Park. Sheltered amidst giant cedars and overlooking Burrard Inlet, this is a favourite for locals and tourists alike. As a matter of fact, nephew #2 was married on the lawns overlooking the water before we retired to the Conservatory for the reception. Last night, the party was at the opposite end to the Conservatory, in another idyllic area, complete with roaring fireplace, magnificent chandeliers, and a half-glass ceiling with windows overlooking a garden thick with palm trees and hydrangeas. The perfect venue for this surprise party.

Everyone was there early, ready to yell "Surprise!" when she entered, on the pretext that her son and daughter-in-law were taking her to dinner before attending a charity function. She truly had no idea what was going on and the look on her face was priceless when she realised what was happening. I don't know who started, but suddenly we all burst into song "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow," ending with applause.
Overwhelmed though she was, Robin graciously went around the room greeting each guest so it was quite a while before we settled down to a dinner of medium-rare steak, whipped potatoes, and asparagus spears. It didn't matter, though, because we were all having a wonderful time drinking wine, Caesars, spirits - whatever we wanted from the full bar provided by my nephews. Dessert was the most phenomenal cake that was decorated with a hospital bed, complete with patient, syringes, stethoscope, and other sundry nursing equipment. And standing tall on the cake was a photo of Robin on the night of her graduation from Vancouver General Hospital's School of Nursing in 1965. Robin received her Registered Nurses Diploma then and her career was spent mostly at this same hospital. After graduation, she went on to further education to become a specialist in the operating rooms. She was well known at VGH as she was on transplant teams and assisted during many difficult and dangerous surguries.

For the past 8 years, Robin has been on disability because of a bad heart (cardiomyopathy) and it was a very frightening and difficult time when she had to start taking medication for it. They caused a lot of side effects that were finally overcome after several years. Then when this problem seemed to be, well if not cured then at least controlled, she found out she had breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy in April of 2006. She's having the final touch-up on her reconstruction in January. So she's been through some pretty hard times over the past several years.

Usually, when one retires, the "office" arranges a party of sorts, everyone celebrates and the retiree goes on with life. Robin hasn't worked at the hospital for 8 years, so her sons got on the phone and called up all her friends, most of whom she worked with and/or have become their "Aunties." After dinner, several special friends spoke about how they knew Robin and related some funny and some touching stories. Gifts were given and received with laughs, grins, and hugs - and a few tears. In honour of my sister, who gave over 40 years towards the care of the people of our fair province, here are some photos from last night's extravaganza.

Schmoozing and boozing!

With sons Graeme (left) and Aaron.

Cake and flowers! You HAVE to enlarge this to see the detail on the cake!

89-year-old former colleague presents Robin with her "biggie" prezzie, an amythest bracelet. She got to choose from three different styles.

Barb giving everyone a chuckle.

Di really got everyone going with her speech!

My D#2 came but D#1 was so disappointed that both her little ones came down sick so she had to stay home with them. Daddy works the late shift.

And finally, a standing ovation for all these nurses.

Life Speed

Have you ever laid in bed late at night unable to sleep and your mind starts to wander? Well, of course you have! So you'll understand the process I went through last night after eating a tad bit too much chocolate. The body was highly caffeinated and caused a whirlwind of memories to flood into my already overactive mind.

I started thinking about girlfriends I've had over my lifetime, girlfriends that I never see anymore, girlfriends I never hear from anymore, girlfriends I never see or hear from at Christmas anymore, girlfriends who are probably grandmothers like me now...

It's true how, as you grow older, the seasons fly by at a rate that seems to surpass the speed of light. It seems like only yesterday that I was maid of honour to Di on her wedding day in October of 1970. She moved away to Winnipeg, then to Red Deer, and finally to Fredericton and the friendship has dwindled away to the occasional email.

It doesn't seem that long ago that another friend shared the process of first pregnancies with me through the summer of 1976. We both had daughters and shared the first few years of their lives together. Now I don't even know where she lives.

Then Margaret came into my life. She lived behind me across the fence and had three children roughly the same ages as my two. What a wonderful woman she was as she took care of my two when I was called in to substitute teach. She was a second mother to my little girls until I realised that I wanted to be the only mother they had, so quit working altogether. We kept in touch even when she moved to another community, but the friendship gradually faded away.

Colleen accepted me into her home when another acquaintance invited me to their weekly Bible study. After lots of coffee visits, we became quite close, and she and her husband were the ones I called when my husband was found dead early one August morning in 1992. Our children are all grown up now and her life revolves around her husband and other activities.

One friend named Linda came into my life as a result of our both becoming single again and we hit it off. But over the years, I found her to be controling, obsessive, and paranoid. Although I felt sorry for her and her circumstances, she was dragging me down, so I finally stopped all contact.

Another Linda was a co-worker and we'd make dinner for each other once in a while and share stories about our kids and our past marriages. When I moved on to go back to teaching, we stopped seeing each other so often.

My friend Kathy (with a K) is the first of my friends to die. That sounds so blunt - maybe I should say she "passed away" or "was called home to the Lord." But cancer ate away at her for almost 20 years and that insidious disease won the battle.

It's not as if I stopped liking these women or that they stopped liking me. I think our lives change and evolve as our circumstances change. We make friends according to what's going on in our lives at the time. When we're newly married, we socialize with other newly marrieds. When we have children, our lives revolve around our children and so we meet other parents who are going through similar circumstances. School, soccer practise, dance recitals, skating and swimming lessons find parents sitting in the stands or on the sidelines and we get to talking.

Friendships come and go as our children grow, and we move along with them until one day they've moved along right out of the house. We become grandparents and talk to others about the grandchildren. Gone are the Jane Fonda days of "feel the burn!" We have to find new activities that suit our aging bodies, activities like gentle fit, water aerobics, and walking.

Tomorrow my grandchildren will be getting married and having their own children. I must admit that I look forward to that time and pray God that I experience it in relatively good health, both in body and mind.

And then in light speed, I'll see that golden glow and my parents, my husband, Kathy, and others will welcome me to my new home.

And a new life will begin.

Life speed............with Cathy, Josie, Jane, Suzanne, Eileen, Irene, Joan, 2 Wendys, 3 Marions, Ruth, and all you blogger girlfriends that I hereby dub "Blogette Buddies."