Happy New Year - 2008!!!

My Wish for You in 2008:

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires and may happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words, may 2008 be the best year of your life!!!

Thanks Val, it's a good one.

Hawaii in Photos

This past week has been full of yucky weather, it's either snowed or rained so I've decided I need to post more photos of Hawaii.

Doesn't the word Hawaii just make you think of warm tropical beaches? Beautiful flowers, the sights, the smells.................ahhhh, feels like home to me.


My friend Becky has always been special to me. Becky has lived in Hawaii since she was 15 years old. Her mom and dad are in their 80's and still live in Waikiki. Becky's dog is named Tiger, she rescued him in May so this was the first time that I got to see him.

Becky and I have been friends for 30 years but our Moms had never met so for the first time the 4 of us went out for dinner. We all had a great time.


Ok, back to flowers. I love the poinsiettas and how they grow like hedges there. The first year I lived there the house where I lived had a driveway lined with poinsettas.


An interesting thing we did this visit was go on a tour of Shangra La. It was the home of Doris Duke. She imported things from around the world to make it her very own. You can't photograph inside the home but this is what her back yard looks like.

Another special person in my life is Mrs. A. She was our College Receptionist and she took her job very seriously. Some students were scared of her. Not me, I grew up with a Dutch Mother. Now, all these years later she tells me I've been like a daughter to her.


I keep telling Chris, "You can never take enough pictures of palm trees." Especially with a new camera to try out. I took pics in the sun, and in the shade. Palm trees. I can never get enough.


So there you have it...don't you feel a little better have shared a little of Hawaii with me? Here's a Bird of Paradise just for you.

Yippee Skippee, We're Goin' on a Cruise!

After much deliberation, research and fact-finding, (not mine, Chris's) we've decided what to do for our decade turning birthdays in May. We can't actually be away for our birthdays, mainly because mine falls on Mother's Day and because I was born on Mother's Day it's a really big deal for the Mother. The Dutch Mother.

Soooooooooooooooo.....we're leaving Vancouver on April 24 and flying to San Diego. We spend a couple of days there and then leave San Diego cruising back up to Vancouver with a day in Seattle before we come home.

We're pretty excited!

Christmas 2007 has come and gone. Whew! It was an all right one. Not the best, not the worst I've ever had. But I did get Timmy's so that's always a good thing.





We drove out to Abby on Sunday and picked up my step-dad and took him out for lunch. Ahh, Swiss Chalet Festive Special. It was nice to have Paul out enjoying a meal and time together with my mom. It looks like he will be moving to Victoria in the New Year to be closer to his kids. These decisions aren't the easiest ones to make so we have to trust God that it will be the right one for Paul.

My mom came and spent a couple of days with us. We went out looking at all the Christmas lights one night. Then Chris and I went to Church for a 11 pm Candle light service which was beautiful.

We tried not to over do the presents this year knowing that we've both got big birthdays around the corner.

I did get some interesting things for Christmas, like half a door (Chris got the other half), some mosquito nets for kids in Africa, an electric saw (I am woman, hear me roar) Timmy's (Yahoo) stuff to make me smell good, and a nice sweater to keep me warm when I drive.

Hope you all had a great Christmas and much happiness, peace and joy to you in 2008.

Last night Chris and I were eating at one of our favorite restaurants and talking to the owner as she came by our table to chit chat. She's a really nice person and very easy to engage in conversation. She's recently sold the restaurant and plans on moving to a smaller community to have a better quality of life.

We were sharing that one of the best gifts we had gotten this Christmas were things our friend had chosen for us out of the World Vision Catalogue. I got mosquito nets for kids in Africa and Chris got water for a village.

We are so blessed. About 10 years ago my life was so different. I'd had a serious break down and pretty much lost everything. At that time I reached out to the Salvation Army and asked for help and they gave it to me. I had nothing to give, absolutely nothing except my piano playing on Sunday mornings.

Now I pass the Sally Ann kettles and am reminded of how much those kettles helped me in time of need. I ate many meals at the Soup kitchen and was blessed by the warmth of the people who served. I can't walk past a kettle without plunking in something. It reminds me never to judge people in need. I don't know their stories, they don't know mine.

My life is very different now and I am extremely thankful. I never want to take it for granted.

This One's For You Val

A blonde goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards.

She says to the clerk, "May I have 50 Christmas stamps?"

The clerk says, "What denomination?"

The blonde says, "God help us. Has it come to this?

Give me 6 Catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists.

You gotta love it!

I've Been Tagged

There are supposed to be 8 of each category but I can't come up with that many. Sorry.


4 passions in my life:

1. My love for God
2. My love for my family
3. My love for my partner
4. My love for beauty around me and especially in Hawaii


4 things to do before I die:

1. Write a book
2. Go sky diving
3. Live at the beach
4. Go back to Holland and stay for a year


4 things I often say:

1. Are you new?
2. Put yer big girl panties on and deal with it.
3. Yes I am a rockstar.
4. Where do you want to eat?

4 books I read recently:

1. Something about a beach house, can't remember the title.
2. Behaving Badly
3. Me and Marley
4. Tenderfoot Trail

8 songs that mean something to me:

1. Great Is Thy Faithfulness
2. Because He Lives
3. Your Faithfulness
4. How Great Thou Art

4 qualities I look for in a friend:

1. Humour
2. Sarcasm
3. Loyalty
4. Integrity

Merry Christmas 2007

2007 was a year full of blessings and challenges. I was blessed with not one but two trips to Hawaii. The first one was in January with Chris when we were able to spend 10 days in Honolulu staying at my friend Becky's place. What a great blessing that was to swim in her pool on the 37th floor and zoom around town in her sporty little car. Amazing. We had a fabulous time and enjoyed great weather and good times as Chris got to meet some of my Hawaiian friends.

We still spend a lot of time up at our cottage and this summer we put on a new roof which was an experience all by itself. What's that old song, "Through many dangers, toils and snares..." When it was all said and done we could say "We did it!" Yeah for us!


Our pets are always a great source of entertainment and joy around our house. "The Boys" celebrated their first Birthday on Canada Day! They've grown into calm, cool characters who each have their own unique personality and though they're brothers they are quite different from each other. We love them and are glad to have them around.




Maggie's still the #1 Dogger and continues to challenge us with her issues but loves us just the same when we "don't get her". She's a great dog.



I enjoyed a great trip to Oregon in August visiting friends in Springfield and then heading to the coast and spending time in Seaside, one of my very favorite places to hang out and watch the surf.

It was challenging this year to see my step-father's health really decline and go to the point of having him admitted into a care facility. It's not easy watching anybody grow old and dementia setting in. My mom has had a hard time adjusting to the changes so hopefully in the new year things will bring a more positive outlook.

My mom gave up driving this year so now I'm the owner of the "bird". I added Hawaiian seat covers to it to make it mine, you know, so it wouldn't look like the little old lady car it used to.

Speaking of Mom, we took a spontaneous trip to Hawaii in December and had a great time. We stayed at a quiet little hotel that we've stayed in before and really enjoyed ourselves. The weather was a bit iffy sometimes and we did have some rain but nothing like our previous trip. I got a little more sun this time and we really enjoyed just going for walks, people watching, meals out with dear friends and just hanging out together.



Chris and I are both very thankful for the jobs we have and feel very blessed as we go into another new year. Merry Christmas to you and all of God's richest blessings in 2008.

VW John

It's hard to believe that it is 3 years since my brother John passed away. I really miss the guy, his big hardy laugh, his caring for his little sister, his love for his kids, his admiration for his church and most of all, his devotion to the Lord. Since his death I've been able to read some of his journals and see his heart cry to the Lord. He just wanted to serve the Lord with all that he had, his heart's desire was to walk close with the Lord and in the end the Lord just called him home.



John lived his life with passion. He had faced his illness head on a long time ago and accepted the fact that he wouldn't live a long life. He knew that he wouldn't live to grow old so he made the most of every day that he had.



His life changed when his wife left him during the biggest challenge of his life, a kidney transplant. The years following were very different for John in many ways. He couldn't work at a regular job because he was ill so much.


So he made the most of the days he could work and began restoring old VW's. It grew to be lucrative for him. The most fun for John was finding an old Bug someone had abandoned and restoring it to show room condition.





Isn't that how God works with us, He takes us as we are, diamonds in the rough and works out the dents and smoothes the rough patches and shines us all up pretty again.

John's life was full of people who crossed his path. Some of them were real characters. VW fans can be an interesting bunch. At his Memorial Service there were a few groups of people: Family, Church family, Former co-workers, and VW guys. After the service they gathered together and did a "cruise-by" in John's honour. He would've been proud.

Here's to you John. You were a great brother and I miss you lots.

You Don't Have to be Blonde

These Contractors are installing the steel pillars in concrete to stop vehicles from parking on the pavement outside a Sports Bar downtown. They are now in the process of cleaning up at the end of the day and anxious to go home.

Have a great day.

Dad

Today marks 18 years since my dad passed away. When I think about all the things that have happened since that time I can hardly believe it. My dad never got to see some of the highlights of my life and that makes me feel sad.

Life goes on and sometimes the hurt of losing someone comes rushing back. Grief hits me in waves. It's been a long time now and I don't often cry anymore but every once in awhile tears well up when I'm reminded of a story, a song, something that reminds me of him.

We all need to hold the ones close to us that we love. Tell them that you love them often. My dad always told me how much he loved me. I grew up thinking that all kids had dads like mine. I know now how wrong I was but it makes me appreciate him more.

God bless all the dads in the world. I hope kids everywhere are blessed with one like mine. He was a great one.

Apparently I've Been Doing It Wrong All This Time

who knew???????????????

Never Enough Palm Trees

We had a great week in Hawaii...just got back this morning. It rained a little here and there and a couple of times it rained a whole lot but the other times were sunny and good sun tanning weather. We did a lot of walking and bus riding and eating and laughing and visiting with friends. It was a really nice time.

One of the fun things was looking at all the Christmas ornaments and decorations around town. There were lots of big Christmas trees all decorated on the streets.

I had forgotten that the poinsettas grow like hedges there and people line their driveways with rows of them at Christmas time. They also grow to be very large and often different shades of red.

We had a lot of fun people watching and just taking our time sitting and eating by the beach. I told my mom that we need to do this every year until she can't do it anymore. She still walks faster than I do...will I ever keep up with her?

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

Alooooooooooooooooooohaaaa!!! Leaving for a week in Hawaii..........Please pray that the weather will be good! My mom's willing to give it another try after the disastrous weather we had last year so I'm hopin'!!!

I'll Tell You a Secret

ok, big news....i don't like vegetables very much. at all. i think it started when at the age of 6 i was forced to eat green beans. i used to count them in an effort to make it easier to eliminate them. yuck.

i still shudder at the thought of slimy green beans looking at me, taunting me. i got this email from a friend. i love her but really, veggies?
ha! anyways...here are some of the pics...they look better than they taste. no matter how you dress them up, they're still veggies.

God Says "Have a Great Day!"

Only in Canada

you gotta love it...................it's been cold and windy around here the past few weeks. sure am looking forward to more of this instead............

Quote by Maya Angelou

People will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget

how you made them feel.

Sunny Days and 'birds

Recently my mom's come to the decision to give up her license and car. She's enjoyed 18 years of driving herself around, being completely independant and enjoying the freedom of still owning her own car even after she married Paul.

My mom got her license at the age of 63. One fine Spring morning she got up and announced to my dad that she was going to learn to drive. My dad thought she was crazy. Here they were in their retirement years and my dad drove them everywhere. Growing up my mom had always taken a bus or walked to wherever she needed to go. At night my Dad drove her.

No. She was going to learn to drive and that was it. So she signed up for driving lessons. Her Instructor was oh, about 30 years younger than her but they got along famously.

At that time we had recreational property in the U.S. It was a very winding hilly road from our RV to town, a 4 mile road that dipped and hung over cliffs, that took people's breaths away that were seasoned drivers. My mom decided it'd be a good place to practice her driving skills. And yes, she only had a Learner's license but told the local Sheriff what she was doing and he said it was ok. True story.

By November of that year it was time to take the big test. She was all practiced up. She breezed through the test and the Examiner told her she wasn't allowed to give perfect scores but if she could she would. My mom was an ACE driver.

3 Weeks later on December 12, 1989 my dad unexpectedly passed away. Isn't God amazing at how he takes care of all the details in our lives? Now my mom was on her own and away she went driving my dad's car.

About 5 years later she decided it was time to get a new car. So she hopped over to the Dealership and bought herself a brand spankin' new Sunbird. A little sporty for an old lady but for the past 13 years she's been screaming around town in it.

Now it's mine. So on the weekend we went and did the paperwork and brought the baby home. I went for a drive on Sunday to my fave place, White Rock and took some photos with my new camera.

Go Mama Go. She's still the power walking queen of the 'hood. I hope she keeps that up for a long time to come.

In Memory of Kit

It's been 4 years now since Kit passed away. Hard to believe, I don't know where the time goes.

After he was gone and we went through his stuff (which was interesting) his mom told me to pick something out for myself to remember Kit. I took a few things, mainly just things that I had given him, but the one thing I wanted was his boots. Kit lived and worked in his boots. He was never a slippers and housecoat kind of guy. He always wore work boots because he was a working kind of guy.

I took them home and put some tiny little hens and chicks in them...they've done rather well don't you think?

I miss Kit and still never pass a work crew on the highway wearing bright orange vests without thinking of a little man who always wore a safety vest. He was a great guy and taught me some valuable lessons in life.

Here's to you Bud.

Happy Hallowe'en!

You know you are too old to Trick or Treat when:

10. You get winded from knocking on the door.

9. You have to have another kid chew the candy for you.

8. You ask for high fiber candy only.

7. When someone drops a candy bar in your bag, you lose your balance and fall over.

6. People say: "Great Boris Karloff Mask,"
And you're not wearing a mask.

5. When the door opens you yell, "Trick or ."
And can't remember the rest.


4. By the end of the night, you have a bag full of restraining orders.

3. You have to carefully choose a costume that won't dislodge your hairpiece.


2. You're the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker.

And the number one reason Seniors should not go Trick Or Treating...
*
*
*
1. You keep having to go home to pee.


No matter, have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN anyway.

Get Outta Town

It's been a wet, miserable week and I am sooooooooooo looking forward to a week's vacation. I love taking short vacations every few months and I especially love going to the beach.

This past week I had a few reminders of how blessed I am. I hope I never take things for granted. I am so thankful for good health and God's blessings on my life. I have had my challenges in the past and have learned from them.

Friday night I picked up a bus load of Hallowe'en dancers - full of excitement still buzzing from the fun they'd had at their dance. I know this group well and have driven them home many times. One of them, S. is a social butterfly and always fills me in on the latest scoop around town in the land of people with disabilities. She's also told me she doesn't have seizures anymore and has repeated that to me many times.

Friday night S. was on my bus with her friends and had a seizure. I felt so bad for her but was so impressed with her friends on the bus who all encouraged her. I was thankful for the training I've had working with people who have seizures, it came in handy.

I love working with people who give you directions to their home like "my house is the one with all the trees in front" or "you know where I live right?" When I tell them I do they tell me "that's good because I don't".

Have a good week, peace out cub scout.

Hawaii

Just made reservations for our next trip to Hawaii. My mom and I are going for a week the end of November, can I hear an Aloooooooohaaaaaaa?????????????????
Yippee!!! Looking forward to drinking Blue Hawaiians, eating coconut shrimp and listening to some slack key guitar at my fave place on the beach, The Shore bird.

Hopefully we'll have great weather this time. Here's to good times and great memories!

Joke of the Week

----- The Psychiatrist and Proctologist...

Two doctors, a psychiatrist and a proctologist, opened an office in a small town and put up a sign reading: "Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones: Hysterias and Posteriors." The town council was not happy with the sign, so the doctors changed it to read, "Schizoids and Hemorrhoids."

This was not acceptable either, so in an effort to satisfy the council, they changed the sign to "Catatonics and High Colonics." No go.

Next, they tried "Manic Depressives and Anal Retentives." Thumbs down again.

Then came "Minds and Behinds." Still no good.

Another attempt resulted in "Lost Souls and Butt Holes." Unacceptable again!

So they tried "Analysis and Anal Cysts." Not a chance. "Nuts and Butts?" No way. "Freaks and Cheeks?" Still no go. "Loons and Moons?" Forget it.

Almost at their wit's end, the doctors finally came up with: "Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones, Odds and Ends."

Everyone loved it.

Have A Happy Fall!

Being a good person is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all of the yucky stuff -- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a bright new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.

Hawaii No Ka Oi

This week has been full of thunder storms, rain and lots of cloudy weather mixed with a little bit of sunshine. It's weeks like these I miss living in the tropics. Although the last trip my mom and I took in Feb'06 it rained continuously on Oahu we still have hopes of going back and trying one more time.

My mom is losing her eyesight and she'd really like to SEE Hawaii one more time. Who knows....another trip might happen this winter. Because of my step-father being in a care facility and my mom taking care of him daily it's hard to plan anything. He may get moved to a place closer to his own family and then my mom will be on her own again. We may just get to Hawaii again.

This weekend is my College/Church Reunion of my Hawaii days at International College and Church. I went to a similar reunion in October '05. I didn't feel the same call to go to this one, it's held in New Mexico. A lot cheaper than Hawaii and easier to get to for most of the folks attending. My thoughts are with them.

I guess it's a time of reminiscing and reflecting on days gone by. I love Hawaii and the island lifestyle. I love watching "Dog the Bounty Hunter" because it shows real life in Hawaii. Yet the years go by and my life is good.

It's a Guy Thang

We're off to the cottage for the weekend...........lots of deer along the way. Maybe an elk?

Seeya next week!

Good Times

Friday night we went to a fancy dancy restaurant and celebrated our friend Diana's birthday. It was a great night of wonderful food, good wine, and great friends.

Every course was brought out to us and explained because quite frankly, we wouldn't know what the heck we were getting otherwise.

Only in Canada can you go to a French Restaurant, be served by a Chinese server with a strong accent (I didn't get half of what he said) and get strong Dutch coffee with your dessert.

Like Chris always says...."Canada cuisine is 'fusion fare'. No, people, it's POT LUCK!!!" (You have to hear it in person to get the full impact).

I hope this next year is much better for Diana...she had a horrible fall last year crushing her right wrist/arm and still needs a lot of healing.
Here's to you Diana,
Cheers!