ange2ange

Wet Wet Wet

2012-02-19T09:29:00.002+13:00

Typical Vancouver winter weather. (Or fall... or spring, for that matter) Pouring rain.

This week, Big Bear decided that it was time to replace the old copper pipe supplying our house with water. So he enlisted Little Bear to dig a trench to the water main and booked a plumber friend to help him today.

The rain began on Thursday. The trench filled up. Last night, Big Bear rented a pump to keep it... well, dry. But there's no such thing as dry in this weather.

Today, the two bears went outside to start work, but to no avail. They just couldn't keep up with the pounding rain. The project was aborted for today.

Too bad...

The question is, why is Big Bear wearing his old construction hard hat?

Hmmm....

Back to the Nest

2012-02-14T19:26:00.003+13:00

My boy has been far from home this year, trying out his wings and going to school in the land of the cold. (Edmonton is the true Great White North!) He has delved into good cooking, lived on a tight budget, and created a niche for himself in a new city.

His brother misses him.

On Thursday, Little Joe will fly home for nine days. He has been phoning almost every day. For a boy who wants independence, he sure seems to miss us all!

I, for one, am looking forward to getting a great, big hug!

The New Year

2012-02-01T12:07:00.004+13:00

In my classroom this past month, we worked on writing some goals and resolutions for 2012. Of course, the real purpose of the whole thing was to create a super cute bulletin board, inspired by the genius of Clutter-Free Classroom (my fave teacher blog)!

And it is an awfully cute bulletin board, indeed!

I loved reading the earnest thoughts of my friends as they carefully considered the coming year and what is truly important in life.

I think this young man has his priorities straight. He may just be my most favourite student of all.
Smile!

Snow Fell All Over My Hill!

2012-01-30T12:26:00.004+13:00

Well, here I am again, back in the blogging saddle. I'm wiggling around a bit, trying to find a comfy spot while I get settled. It's been such a long time, but I think we need to get back to it!

While it continues to be summer Down Under, here in the Great White North, things have actually been white, in an offandon kind of way. A couple of weeks ago, we were all praying and sitting on the edge of our seats as we received repeated - but poorly timed - snowfalls. But alas, no glorious snow day.

To have a valid snow day, the snow must begin in the middle of the night and continue at least until the start of morning rush hour. The roads need to be just slippery enough to make the school neighbourhood treacherous. (It actually doesn't take much to do that!)

And then, yesterday, I woke up to a vigorous snowfall. It was sticking beautifully to the street and seemed wet enough to be really slippery. The view from my kitchen window showed the neighbour's black roof covered in a pretty white blanket.

But unfortunately, it was Saturday and didn't matter. No school...

And predictably, within a short time, the wet snow changed to rain and washed away all the accumulation.

Sigh.

It was sweet while it lasted.

When will we have a snow day again???

SNOW falls all over NZ!

2011-08-16T12:57:00.001+12:00

Snow seems to be the 'hot topic' at the moment with me! You may have heard of the amazing snowstorm that is hitting NZ at the moment. It is surreal! I have never heard of anything like it...even Auckland hasn't had snow for something like 72 years!!! It has brought much of the country to a standstill. I can just imagine the cold....Kiwi houses are NOTHING like North American houses - they are often uninsulated and rarely have double glazing, have no furnaces, and are not really built to keep in the warmth. For those lucky enough to have hung on to their open fireplaces, I hope you are toasting marshmellows and making the most of this once-in-a-lifetime experience! I wish I was there!!!

Check out this clip on the NZ Herald website. It encapsulates the sheer amazement and delight of such a rare and unusual occurrence…..snow in NZ! I laughed to see how some of the kiwis had dressed….definitely NOT used to weather like this! And some were definitely UNimpressed…hehe. Watch this clip – it’s lovely!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/weather/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503080&gal_cid=1503080&gallery_id=120860

The closest thing to snow in sunny Queensland!

2011-06-01T21:32:00.004+12:00

Yesterday began like any other in the sunshine state. Blue skies, sun, and more sun. It is winter here – the BEST time of the year to be in Queensland! The climate is temperate (although locals may be seen shivering in their fur lined Ug boots, thick jackets, warm scarves, and beanies….but I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s all relative!). And there’s always sun to be had (albeit without it’s usual summer ferocity).

However, just as the school bell rang at the end of the day, the black clouds started to roll in…..and the loud claps of thunder were pretty impressive! It certainly got the attention of parents and students alike!

Within minutes, hail and torrential rain were pelting the Southeastern suburbs….but everywhere else, there were still blue skies and sunshine! Bizarre.

For about 30 minutes, it pelted down. And then the skies dried up. It looked like Queensland had suddenly been transported to the northern hemisphere! Hail lay thick like snow…..in fact, this may be the closest many Queenslanders may ever come to ‘snow’ / ice! And probably the closest Queensland will ever come to looking like a winter wonderland!

Because the ground had been so hot beforehand, as the cold hail evaporated, clouds of mist and steam rose up from the ground. People were outside fascinated with the vapour from their breaths! (Now, I know this is par for the course in the northern hemisphere, but down here, this was like “WOW”!!!”

But good old Queensland…..the sun never stays away for long. Half an hour later, and we were back to the blue skies and a beautiful sunset!

Whoever said we don’t have distinct seasons in the Sunshine State??!

Laughter is the Best Medicine!

2011-05-15T06:27:00.003+12:00

It's been a gloomy week and the weather sure hasn't helped.

I don't know what it is... possibly delayed grieving, maybe an overload of responsibilities and meetings, or it could be the absence of genuine spring weather. Cold and grey. Blech.

Whatever the case, I find myself heaving deep sighs and struggling to smile.

I woke up this morning, a Saturday, and continued the gloomy sighing. Went to the chiropractor. Went shopping and ran into complications. Came home. Sigh again.

And then, it happened. Little Joe turned on The Office, possibly the funniest tv show I know of. And I laughed! Woo hoo!

Gotta love that Dwight!

A Bloody Post - Beware!

2011-04-24T14:09:00.005+12:00

"Mum, get the camera!"

When my Little Bear says these words, I know that something has happened. As a rule, this boy tends to avoid photos. He is particularly uncooperative when I want to take pictures of him. But when something spectacular is going on, he is only too happy to invite me to capture the moment.

Especially when it involves blood.

I have memories of his barnacle cut on the Italian coast. Look at that grin!

His wipeout in the gravel parking lot at school.

The sad tobbogan collision with a tree, resulting in a lost front tooth.

And then I heard those words again today.

"Get the camera!"

Sigh. It was the dirt bike. And his arm. With dirt ground into it.

And the Superman shirt didn't seem to help him at all.

I have this wicked thought. Maybe in the future, I can somehow draw blood when I want to take photos of him.

Do you think it will work?

Trip to the Cabin

2011-04-23T17:12:00.007+12:00

We drove late into the night and arrived at the cabin just after midnight... this morning. Good Friday. And once we built a fire to take the edge off the cold (this is not Cuba!), turned on the electricity and water, unpacked our food boxes, and crawled into chilly beds, we slept verrrryyy well.

It was lovely to wake up to the peace of the mountain, sun shining through the windows and birds twittering in the trees. I could hear the fire crackling in the fireplace and reveled in the loveliness of a holiday. So good!

I love having a musician son who fills my life with good songs. Cory sat on the porch in his pajama pants and no shirt, completely comfortable in the chilly air, and played for us. Tim captured the moment and after working some HDR magic, featured the results on his blog.

Good to be away. Good to have music. Good to be with family. Good Friday.

Warm Memories

2011-04-08T19:00:00.004+12:00

I got home from Cuba on Sunday night, just in time to return to school the next morning.

How was it?? Well, maybe this photo can tell you how it was... mojito in hand, beautiful pool, blue skies, warm weather, and see the bar in the middle of the pool? All inclusive! (I was very moderated, let me tell you. However, it was most enjoyable to wander up and ask for a drink when I was in the mood!)
The beach was gorgeous and the water was a lovely temperature.
Our day in Havana left me hoping for another visit very soon.
Sigh.

I loved it!

Cuba - Si!

2011-03-31T13:09:00.003+13:00

Hola! I'm currently in beautiful Cuba, enjoying the sun with my mum for a week. What a great place to escape to, especially for sun lovers! We spent today touring Havana, an intriguing city of faded glory that makes me want more. I'll have to share the highlights of our trip with you when I get home.

Missing Dad

2011-03-23T15:25:00.005+13:00

Grief is a very odd thing.

One moment I'm just fine, and the next, I am liable to fall apart at the smallest word or thought.

Last week I heard Dad's voice on the voicemail greeting. It was lovely to hear him again, strong and healthy. Today I called, and hearing him almost rendered me a sobbing idiot on the freeway. Bizarre.

One of the memories that repeatedly stabbed my heart when Dad was in hospital over Christmas was how he would double me on his bike. I cherish this photo, and just thinking about it was almost too much for me to handle. Usually, he would have me sit sidesaddle on the crossbar in front of him. I clearly remember the feeling of the gear cables under me and the way his knees would stick out.

And this one is just heartbreaking. He was so young and handsome, and proud of his new baby. That's me, by the way. Kind of cute - look at those rosy cheeks!

I don't know if it's completely normal, but the same memory or thought can simultaneously give me a massive lump in the throat and a smile on my face. Over and over again, I picture myself arriving at my parents house, opening the front door, and hearing a hearty, "Andrea!" with his favourite jazz tunes playing in the background. My dad would greet me as though he'd been hoping to see me all day, and would then hustle me into the kitchen to get a drink or a snack.

It's happening right now - the lump and the smile. And blurry eyes. Such sweetness, mixed with the sadness of never again.
And now I'm really fighting the tears as I think of one day, that day when we'll have a happy grand reunion. I know exactly how he'll sound.

So grateful.

The Party's Over: A Long Recap

2011-03-13T12:39:00.009+13:00

This past week has been a whirlwind.

Last Sunday, after Dad had been at home for a full day, he quietly stopped breathing and stepped into eternity.

I had been at a ladies' spa afternoon and had just left to return to Mum's house when I heard the news. I stopped by the river to text you, Southern Ange, and to reflect on this momentous event. It was a beautiful day and I thought how Dad would have loved the view of the water, the barges, and the late afternoon light.

I'm so, so glad that we had taken Dad home; it would have been horrible to have him die in yukky Surrey Hospital! Instead, it was a lovely time with the sun shining through the windows, the plants all around, the peace and quiet, and the home atmosphere. What a blessing, and now that sun room is even more special to us.

Over the next days, we had so very much to do.

First, we visited the cemetery and chose a plot. We went from there to the funeral home to make all the appropriate arrangements. For me, this was all uncharted territory, and despite the sadness of losing Dad, it was kind of fascinating.

We all went into the casket room and roamed around; this particularly spectacular casket, with its seagulls and "Going Home" on baby blue satin, was morbidly mesmerizing. Please, never choose a tacky casket like this!

I still can't wrap my head around the amount of money you can spend on a box that gets put in the ground. Even more so, a box for burning. It is mandatory to have the body placed in a rigid container before cremation, so we had to choose something. But to spend more than a thousand dollars on a box that will just get burned up... it goes against everything a thrifty Scot believes! I think Dad would be very pleased with our frugal choice, and it was definitely not the seagulls! Blech!

Tim was our director of organization. He carried a black book around with him and wrote everything down as we made arrangements. Where would we have been without him??
The days flew by and every waking moment was spent fielding phone calls for Mum, answering the door, receiving visitors, and doing all those billions of jobs. The people in the church were amazing and brought us lunches and dinners every day! We were all exhausted and I didn't feel that there was any time at all to cry or focus on grief. Until Thursday, when I was actually at home alone to work on my tribute speech. There I was, happily writing away and going through photos, when something clicked inside me. Dad will never meet me at his front door again, enthusiastically calling out my name in welcome as though he had been hoping all day to see me. And down I went. It was probably a good thing to cry and cry.

On Friday, the big day, I was so tired after a late night of last minute planning, but excited to be able to celebrate Dads life. My Uncle Mac had flown in from Ottawa to represent Dad's siblings; it was wonderful to have him there!

The Delta Police Chief (Dad was a volunteer with Delta Police) had decided that an escort was in order , so we drove all the way to the cemetery behind a police car with lights flashing. We went straight through the stop signs with the siren going, and all kinds of vehicles pulled over for us. When we got to the traffic lights, they had blocked the intersection with another police car so we could go right through. Dad would have been in his glory!
It was a cold, blustery day. We stood under the little tent to reflect and bury Dad's ashes and had a piper there. Another detail that Dad would have loved. Pastor Andreas cried with us and preached a marvelous short message about grace.
Tim placed the ashes in the ground; it was very emotional for him.
After the cemetery, we went back to the house with our extended family and had some lunch before the memorial service. And then it was time. The piper was outside the church, piping.

Inside, my three boys were playing piano, guitar, and bass, while photos of Dad were shown on the screen. It was perfect.
Everyone in the sanctuary stood as the family walked down the aisle to the front row. It was so emotional; I couldn't hold back the tears as I walked past the crowd. 422 people had come to honour my humble, unassuming dad!

The music was wonderful. Big Bear played piano and sounded great, as usual. One old friend hadn't noticed the musicians and suddenly recognized the distinctive sound of his playing from years gone by.
The four grandchildren read a wonderful biography that Andrew had written for school back in December, after interviewing Dad about his life. How timely that he was able to do that! They all spoke so well and I was very proud of them.

Tim and I both gave a tribute to Dad. I thought I'd be able to hold myself together, but it didn't turn out that way. However, I thought we both did pretty well. I was so honoured to be able to speak about my wonderful father and my heart was full. It's such a sweet sadness that comes from all the goodness.
The Ironmen's choir that Dad was part of sang Amazing Grace, then the piper led us up the aisle.
After the service, we had a reception and talked with so many people. Mum had a huge lineup of people waiting to speak to her. We finally left the church at 5:20, over four hours after the service began. It was such a good day.

We all had dinner at the local Greek restaurant and toasted Dad.

Today, I have been quiet and stayed at home. I received a lovely flower delivery from you, Southern Ange; what a beautiful treat! Thank you so much for your love, sent all the way from Down Under.

And now we begin the business of living our lives without Dad. I'm not too sure what that will look like, especially for my mum. She told a friend that it will be like going about her life with one hand tied behind her back. They loved each other so deeply.

As for me, I've said before that Dad was my greatest cheerleader. It will be so hard to live with a hole in my heart, but I like to remember that great cloud of witnesses spoken of in Hebrews 12. I think that he's still cheering for me, along with those who have gone before him. It will just be harder to hear his voice.

He lives on in the hearts of all he touched

2011-03-09T01:31:00.001+13:00

Ange of the North, thank you for sharing with us, your dad’s journey over these past few weeks. He was truly a fighter to the end, and a precious, wonderful man!

Although we cannot be there physically with you at this time, our hearts, and thoughts, and prayers go with you and every member of your family.

We ache for you all, having to say ‘goodbye for now’ to someone you dearly love. Cherish those precious memories of your dad – nothing can ever take those away from you. Together we stand with you, looking forward to the day when there will be no more sorrow, no more tears, and only joy that will last forever.

A Notable Day

2011-03-07T07:09:00.005+13:00

Yesterday was a very eventful day. We left Surrey Hospital with Dad for the last time - yay! No more noisy nurses station, no more smelly corridor, no more walking past patients's beds in the hall, no more pushy ladies walking in and demanding meal trays, no more slow elevators, no more paying for parking. And no more monitor - that may be a bit difficult to get used to...

As wonderful as it was to contemplate having Dad at home, it was a process fraught with paperwork, endless arrangements, and possible disasters, so I think we were all sitting on the edge of our figurative seats the whole time.

Before the epic journey began, we needed to be trained. I am pleased to announce that Lea and I can now begin our new nursing careers! We know how to give subcutaneous meds, irrigate catheters, and all sorts of useful things. I gave Dad a dose of morphine before he left the hospital, under the watchful eye of our lovely nurse, Teresita, and passed the test.

I raced back to the house ahead of the ambulance to get the bed ready. And barely made it!
We had two nice paramedics who were very good to Mum on the trip home. And then Dad was settled. It was quiet, peaceful, and quite lovely in the sunroom, where Mum put his new bed. It's too bad that he's not able to enjoy his new digs.
We were well supplied with all kinds of goodies, kindly sent by the nurses at the hospital. Linens, equipment, and meds are all ready and waiting in the living room.
I spent the night here with Mum and after a quiet night, the sun is shining into Dad's room. He's sleeping peacefully after I did my nursey stuff and cleaned him. Thankfully, we'll be getting some visits from a real nurse starting tomorrow.

So, our journey continues. Every day I wake up and wonder what today will bring. I pray for God's grace and perfect timing and for the right people to cross our paths. Most of all, I pray that God will continue to hold Dad and our whole family in his hand.

Friends Bearing Gifts

2011-03-03T19:48:00.001+13:00

I went to school this morning feeling exhausted and discouraged. How long can we live on the edge of our seats like this, always hovering on the verge of a crisis? It's difficult to concentrate on school when I'm always so aware of Dad lying in the hospital, quietly laboring to breathe.

Our hospital room is kind of bleak and filled with icky medical things (that's the technical term). Not the sort of place where you'd really want to hang out day and night. Today, though, we had some welcome visitors who came bearing gifts and brightening things up.

One of Dad's buddies brought vegetables! Imagine that! We've been eating (...bad word...) from the hospital cafeteria for the past couple of weeks; I have no idea when I last ate real vegetables. Along with the veggies came a whole bunch of bottled water, just what we need for hydration. So smart!

And this sweet treasure... Dad's municipal emergency measures volunteer ID card, freshly issued. He has always loved being part of the ham radio club and taking part in emergency preparedness exercises. I know that he would be pleased to get this card.
The best gift, though, was the news that the radio club just voted unanimously to make Dad a lifetime member. I'm so proud of him!
It was a poignant visit. As we sat chatting and chuckling over corny jokes, I looked over at Dad lying there and thought about how he would have enjoyed this time with his friends and the gifts they brought.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hanging On

2011-02-27T09:59:00.001+13:00

On Thursday we were told that Dad was dying and that it was likely he would go within a couple of hours. We said our farewells, laughed and cried, and prepared ourselves to see Dad slip away from us.
He didn't.
On he goes.

Yesterday, we were moved out of the noisy windowless fishbowl in ICU and given a small private room on another floor. With a window!! We have our own washroom - no more leaving the unit for the only shared washroom on the floor! And we even have an extra bed so someone can stay overnight (better than the chair I slept in on Thurs night!).
It's almost like we're staying at the Hyatt! Without the room service and chocolates on the pillow.

So today, with all this privacy, we've brought
music in with us and are singing for Dad. He's kind of a captive audience, not being able to move, but I suspect that he's enjoying it.
If not, he's being awfully gracious about it. Typical Dad!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Today in ICU

2011-02-25T09:58:00.001+13:00

Hospital life can be surreal. We are in a double room with no outside windows, so it could be midnight and blizzarding outside, and we wouldn't be aware of it.
Despite the emotional strain, we are still able to enjoy each other. This morning, we celebrated when Lea rolled up the rim of her Tim Horton's cup (it's a Canadian thing...) and won a doughnut! Too bad it wasn't the car.

Last night we were all here gathered around Dad's bed and had a sweet time singing together. It looked like he was enjoying it deep in the depths of the morphine haze.

I've been more emotional today as Dad labours to breathe. It's not so much sadness though, but rather, a full heart that overflows. I'm so very thankful for the goodness in my life that has come from Dad, and it is making me cry.
What richness I have known. Thank you, God, for this wonderful man!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The View From the Bed

2011-02-19T10:22:00.002+13:00

Here we are, back in the ICU, this time in Surrey. Just a bit closer to home. Same ventilator, same monitors, same sedation, same feelings of sadness and wondering. Different nurses. And not such a nice unit; a shared room, no privacy. At all.
It's kind of frustrating, to say the least.
Back again, walking down the same road.
This is what Dad would see from his bed if he could open his eyes and drag himself back to consciousness.

Legs under the sheet, all wrapped up in air-filled pressure cuffs, with cold feet at the end. And a very dedicated and loving son-in-law who has spent lots of time by his bed. The nurse is just outside the window, always watching (okay, maybe she wasn't there when I took the photo...).
The respirator is hissing and the family on the other side of the room is chattering; there are people in and out all the time.
Back again and not happy about it...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Sweetness

2011-02-15T19:09:00.005+13:00

Happy Valentine's Day!The sugar was everywhere today; in the staffroom, in the classroom, and in the children's valentine bags full of cards and treats. My little students spread the love with enthusiasm and excitement!

And then I trekked out to the hospital. We'd thought we were done with that.

Poor Dad is delirious. He can't put more than a couple of words together, if that. Can't follow instructions or answer questions. Doesn't know where he is. And the doctors can't figure out what's causing it.

His feet hang over the end of the narrow emergency room bed, where he is now spending his second consecutive night and his third in the past week. It's noisy and busy outside the thin curtain. And it's hard to know if the nurses remember to check on him regularly.

But one thing is certain: his sweet smile is better than all the Valentine's Day treats. It lit up the room and crinkled his eyes when I walked in, and every time he woke up from a nap, he shared it with us.

He might not be able to say our names, but I know that he knows, deep down inside.

Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful dad, lying by himself tonight in the ER.

A Long Update on Dad

2011-01-16T18:43:00.007+13:00

It's been such a long time since I last posted! Partly because my new (ish) iPhone has such wonderful photo sharing abilities that I can use on the fly. But since early December, I've been kind of distracted.

I thought I'd give an update on my dad, mostly with photos. There's lots, but I've just picked some that show the progression.
Dec. 5 - As I was just finishing my report cards, Dad was admittted to Delta Hospital with a sinus infection that became septic. In the night, he was transferred to Abbotsford Hospital ICU, the only local unit with a bed.
Within a day, he was put on a medical ward. IV antibiotics, lots of fluids, oxygen. Still smiling and with us.
Dec. 10 - Moved to Stepdown, a level of care just below ICU. Fluid in his lungs. Needed more oxygen. I was so struck by the aging that had happened in just a few days. I had to leave the room to cry for my dad, the one who had always been so strong and who was my best cheerleader.
We all had to mask and gown due to concerns for his super low immunity level. Also, it appeared that he had MRSA, a super bug.
Lots of sleeping. On this occasion, I was alone with him for a couple of hours. I knew that things were bad and I wanted to tell him how I felt, although he wasn't able to hear me. We've always had a really close relationship, and it was a special time, in a funny kind of way.
Dec. 13 - in ICU. Intubated and completely sedated. The doctor made very grim predictions. Concerns about possible pneumonia. Tim and I hardly went to work that week; I had a constant knot in my stomach. As the days went by, we had a number of different diagnoses and began to wonder what was really happening!
This is where my mum has been the entire time, standing in faith and praying.

After a few days, the sedation was stopped, but it took another few days for Dad to fully wake up enough to remove the tubes.
Dec. 18 - The tubes had been removed and sedation stopped. He was kind of awake, but pretty delirious, unable to say who or where he was. We had an amazing prayer time with the MacLeans, who stopped in on their way to Mexico (Tim and Lea were supposed to be going with them on a mission trip, but had to cancel).
Dec. 22 - in a chair! The smallest things were really exciting! Our mandate, now that he could swallow, was to get him eating. He was SO thin!
The amazing sling that got him between chair and bed. He was far too weak to stand or even roll over on his own! An hour in the chair was exhausting and he was still delirious. Some of the things he said were hilarious, while others were just odd.
Dec. 24 - Dad's first time out of the unit! We felt like dancing, but he was exhausted. At that time, we had to cart around a big oxygen tank with us.
Christmas Day - Dad was pretty aware, which was wonderful! We all had Christmas dinner in the hospital cafeteria. I don't recommend it. He ate a few tiny bites, but was developing huge canker sores in his mouth, which made eating excruciating. He wasn't talking much, either.
Christmas, hospital style! I spent a total of two hours shopping this year. Somehow, it just wasn't important. We did, however, spend the day together, and even sang carols in the hospital room. That evening after we'd left, one of the nurses told my mum that they had never had a family like ours on the unit. Makes me wonder why not...
New Year's Eve - although Dad was still having lots of trouble with eating and was pretty gloomy, he still gave us big smiles.
Jan. 15 - Dad stood up without help for the first time! It was another exciting milestone!
This was tonight, as we said goodbye. What a long way Dad has come in the six weeks he's been in the hospital! He has been as low as anyone can be, but is pulling through, and will be discharged soon. At this time, we're not sure if he'll go directly home when he's finished with the IV antibiotics, or if he'll be transferred to a hospital close to home for more rehab. Mum is anxious to be back home (she has been staying with a wonderful friend in Abbotsford, who has looked after her so well)! He is able to walk with a walker for balance and is working with the physio to rebuild his strength.

We have learned a few things through this journey:

Nurses are amazing! They have the ability to make everything better!
The best doctors are those who show that they truly care, are able to think outside the box, and can say that they don't know, if they don't.
Every doctor seems to have a different opinion!
God holds our lives in his hands and is the only one who knows.
Going to the hospital every day when someone you love is critically ill is super intense and absolutely exhausting!
It turned out that we didn't have to spend $9 each day for parking. There's a weekly rate that only worked out to $5 a day! Always check the "more" button on the pay station machine.
Even when we're completely stressed and exhausted, it is still possible to smile together.
We may have been alone in the hospital room, but many, many people were praying for us!
Hospital food is truly disgusting.
Family is precious.

Thank you so much for holding us up in prayer. December was an exhausting, intense month, but we were all together in it. I feel deeply grateful for the way Dad has returned to us after he was so close to death. I know that this has all been easier to get through because of the strong support of other people, because of our love for each other, and because my mum is SO amazing!

The journey isn't over yet, though. Over the past year, Dad has been treated for T-cell Lymphoma (which is why his immune system was so hammered). The chemo didn't quite do the trick, and there are no treatments left for him. I don't know exactly what lies down the road for us, but I do know that we'll walk through it together with God.

Totally and utterly besotted…

2011-01-09T21:34:00.002+13:00

We are in love! All of us.

(This is our dear friends' doggy, and we think she is gorgeous!)

What a cute fluffball!

2011

2011-01-01T18:06:00.001+13:00

From one of the first countries in the world to see in 2011…

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!!!

Wet ‘n Wild

2010-12-06T00:50:00.001+13:00

If you ever happen around these parts, it is likely that you may want to visit some of the theme parks…..especially if you’ve got a few of those errant childhood streaks still hankering to be unleashed. For the locals, there are great deals to be had on annual passes….kinda like the amazing season deals you can get to ski in the Northern Hemisphere.

Being the sunshine state that it is here, some of the most popular theme parks are of course, the waterparks. Many schools utitlise these parks for their end of year outings.

Our school ends its year, a week before most of the other private schools, and 2 weeks before the public schools. This gives us time to get to popular venues before the Holiday Crowd descends over the summer break. So, on the spur of the moment last week, on a cloudy but humid day, we braved Wet ‘n Wild….. Queenslanders tend to stay away when conditions are less than optimum ie. when its not sunny with clear skies, so on a cloudy day, we were hoping for shorter queues. A cunning plan, you see!

If you are an adrenaline junky, then this is the place for you!

This, I believe, is lil L hurtling down the Mach5 ! If you tend to only wear teeny weeny, skimpy swimming outfits, then this is possibly NOT the ride you should go on……and another free word of warning – on this particular ride, you need to cross your legs….unless you are partial to serious wedgies!

The Black Hole was a favourite….a long, wet ride in the pitch black darkness…until you get spat out into the light again.

With the lure of waterfun such as the Kamikaze, Tornado, Aquaracer, The Whirlpool, Mammoth Falls, Aqualoop, Sidewinder, Surfrider, River Rapids, Calypso Beach etc,it’s a venue that one can easily find something to suit one’s station in life…

…even if it is just sitting at the manmade beach, watching the giant waves or catching a “Dive ‘n Movie”!

The Verdict

2010-11-26T03:58:00.003+13:00

Disappointment...

The snow is currently falling hard, but it didn't start early enough.

It looks like Ill have to navigate traffic and crawl all the way to school with the other suckers. And I'm sure that the area around the school will be horrible!

Oh well...

Will it or Won't it?

2010-11-25T17:52:00.003+13:00

Snow is on everyone's minds tonight!

The forecast is calling for 5-10cm, but the big question is, will it fall hard and fast enough? And at just the right time?

In the best possible world, the snowfall would begin sometime after midnight, and would hit its peak by about 6am. And then, just maybe, we would have a snow day!

Hurray!

But I don't really think it will turn out that way...

The alternative is that the snow will start in the morning and we'll drive to school as it just gets going. The streets around the school, in their little micro climate, will be treacherous and slippery, but there won't be quite enough to call it a snow day. The phones will ring constantly with parents asking, "Is there school today? I didn't see anything on the website." (Which would clearly indicate that, yes, there is school today.) And then, some time later in the morning or afternoon, the whole thing will change to rain and create a sloppy mess on the roads.

Blech!

A picture paints a thousand words…

2010-11-14T19:49:00.004+13:00

Life’s a bit like that…

(That was four thousand words.....)

More Fall Changes

2010-11-11T15:41:00.003+13:00

Oh, how things can change quickly.

Here is the school field (I just love the tree at the bottom of the field!) about three weeks ago. It was a beautiful day!
And here is the same spot today. The gorgeous tree is more difficult to spot, as it is all bare. How did those leaves fall so quickly?? Well, I guess that's why we call the season 'fall'!

Can you see some snow on the mountains? They were so beautiful this morning, with a dusting of powdered sugar. Mmmm! This is the kind of day that makes me like the season!
We had our school Remembrance Day assembly this morning and watched a video about a Canadian nurse serving in World War I. I cried.
Tomorrow, I will go with my dad to the cenotaph ceremony. We will listen to the speeches, watch the veterans carry flags and lay wreaths, listen to the Last Post and Reveille, and spend a minute in silence to remember.

And, of course, we will wear our poppies.
Never forget.

Fall Delights

2010-11-08T15:20:00.002+13:00

We are deep into the season, and are always grateful for a dry, pleasant day! The trees are at different points in the leaf-losing process, some completely bare and others still green and leafy. The boys and I took a little walk to the park this afternoon. I had to do quite a bit of coercing...This was my favourite photo. It captures their personalities very nicely!
After the delights of the park ("Hurry up, mum, I have to leave!"), we came home and enjoyed a wonderful Face Time call with my niece, my dad, and other assorted family members. Do you remember wondering if, one day, we'd be able to see each other on phone calls? Well, now we can!

I love my iPhone!
The most delightful part of the day was the time change. We put our clocks back last night, and had an extra hour to relax this morning! Which means that, although from now until March, I'll be driving home in the dark, at least I'll be leaving for school in the light for a while longer!

Solomon, the wise one

2010-11-07T01:15:00.004+13:00

Our friendly neighbourhood lizard has now been named.

The boys called him “Solomon” because he seems so 'wise' (entrepreneurial? opportunistic?)….especially when it comes to getting people to feed him!

The boys were on the computer the other day, when there was a banging on the glass door next to them…..surprised, they looked up to discover Solomon trying to get their attention.

We appear to have become like a “Drive Thru” or “Takeaway” service.
Or perhaps Lizards are like Cats, and consider Humans their personal slaves.
Whatever the case, it was very clear what Solomon was wanting.

I’m sure if we listened hard enough, we would’ve heard an “Oi !!!”….

He's putting on a bit of weight!
Maybe Solomon is actually a Selena....

Or maybe.....he's just very clever at getting what he wants!

Halloween

2010-11-01T16:15:00.003+13:00

It's October 31, the night when children dress up and take home impossibly huge amounts of candy.

For weeks, stores have been flogging large packages of chocolate bars, tacky pre-made costumes, and horrible decorations. Houses have sprouted huge cobwebs, graveyards, and ghosts hanging from trees. (That's the part I really dislike.) We're modeling a strange kind of hospitality...

I, however, carved three sweet pumpkins. They are currently glowing on my front step.
I did my part to support the fake chocolate industry. After I bought 100 little bars for the 30 or so kids who usually show up, Big Bear decided (completely in character) that more is better, so now we have 150.
Now, at 8:20 pm, the visitors have trickled to an end and we're left with more than half of what we bought. Uh oh! Who will eat all that chocolate?

We had quite a few little customers, most looking cute in their costumes, though a few were positively ghoulish. It was fun to welcome them and to send them off with treats.
And then, off they trotted to their waiting parents.

The fireworks are now banging away and the older kids are roaming about, looking for more serious excitement. And we have a huge bowl of chocolate to deal with.

No rest for the weary!

Weekend song

2010-10-25T13:36:00.002+13:00

Don’t you love weekends?

I do.

Especially if the weather is perfect.

Our weekend was full …

music, sport, open homes, driving, friends, eating, chores, shopping, work, church, movies, and most importantly,

enjoying being with each other and ‘laxing out.

Relaxing this weekend included

being in, on, or around water, making silly faces, and playing with all sorts of cameras!

Good weekends help with the week ahead -
they put a song in your heart!

Fridays...

2010-10-23T00:44:00.002+13:00

...are for Comfort Food !

Bring on the weekend !

Dry washing, sun, and green grass

2010-10-13T13:10:00.002+13:00

I’m always amazed at how quickly the water disappears around these parts!

Pleased to say….SUMMER is back on track again……for now at least!

Storm Season

2010-10-11T23:48:00.007+13:00

Ange of the North, I wish you and your family, a

VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

What a superb tradition Thanksgiving is. I have such fond memories of being invited to join with a beautiful Canadian family and their extended family members, around a scrumptious roasted turkey dinner….lights, warmth, chatter, good food, great company, lots to be thankful about! I only wish we had something like it here. We could always do with reminders to be more thankful!
(Incidentally, it was also the first time I had ever tasted Spaghetti Squash!)….

There is one thing that Queenslanders are particularly grateful for, and that is RAIN!
I realise, this may perhaps be a difficult concept for Vancouverites to comprehend!
Because it doesn’t rain here for any great length of time, when Storm Season arrives, the wild weather and rain it brings, is a time of celebration….kinda! Also, the drought here 3 years ago made people much more appreciative of any downpours especially close to the onset of summer. Today, we awoke to water cascading off the roof and gurgling down into the gutters and watertanks. Don’t you love lying in bed and listening to the sound of the rain and wind and thunder outside, whilst you’re snuggled beneath your warm sheets and doona…..This is the sight that greeted us when we finally made it out from under our cosy beds -

Yes, this was the view from our back lawn.

You can tell that people here just aren’t used to a lot of rain. I overheard a news reporter interviewing people on the streets about how they were faring with the wet weather (big news!), and was amazed to hear some of the comments, including a lady who said that she is NEVER, EVER going to wear ‘suede shoes’ again when it rains!!!! Like, helloooo!!!!

Our pool - full to the brim!

People were out in their droves with their cameras, taking photos of the water in the wet (um....me included!). And everywhere (schools, malls, like everywhere!), people were talking about the rain....(or even blogging about it)!

The raging river that you can see here (above and below) is usually a beautiful green parkland! And that is a bridge you can see, almost totally submerged. About 250mm of rain has fallen in the past 24hrs in some of the worst affected areas. 3 years ago, our main water reservoirs were at danger levels, being less than 16% full......today, they are all full, and reservoirs are having to release water at regular intervals!

Do teachers over there get worried when it is a windy school day? I remember kids going uncontrollably spack at school on windy days….here I reckon the rain has the same effect! All the kids at school were SO excited/excitable!! My boys definitely couldn’t wait to get to school to see how it had fared with the flash floods….and to enjoy the prospect of rain all day.....wet weather lunchtimes....mega puddles to splash in......colourful umbrellas to destroy.....slippery wet concrete to skid on......noisy, revved up kids.....muddy patches.....water, water everywhere!

I guess the soccer goal is at least still visible. Not too bad considering!
(And thus was born the sport of waterpolo….?!)

Imagine being the unlucky teacher on duty today!
Imagine how many kids there were, that were tempted to check out the raging streams…

Imagine!.....I'm sure you can! :)

Thankful it's Done!

2010-10-11T05:54:00.004+13:00

What a week it was.

I knew from the get-go that it would be intense, but catching a nasty cold on Tuesday made it all the more exciting!

The culminating event (after numerous evening meetings) was to be the huge enormous two-day teachers' convention, at which I was scheduled to present two different workshops. On Wednesday I realized that I'd forgotten to bring home a whole bunch of things that I'd be needing in both workshops. And, of course, I felt absolutely rotten. Oh, and I hadn't finished preparing the second workshop. Why did I ever agree to do this???

How does one predict how many people will show up in a workshop? How many copies of the handouts will be required? Nobody wants to be vain and make 100 copies, wasting reams of paper, but it's not cool to underestimate and be short. I was in a quandary, but finally decided on 20 copies. Conservative, yet realistic. And how many people came? 50! I was kind of overwhelmed as they just kept coming in, and we had to get more chairs and somebody ran to make more copies of the handout.

I was exhausted after teaching teachers for 75 minutes with a yukky cold, but felt that it had gone well. Whew!

But the week was not over yet! Little Bear and I still had a very long drive ahead of us. We left Surrey just after 1pm and had a lovely trip to Christina Lake, where the rest of the family awaited us. We chatted about music, relationships, and all kinds of interesting topics, and listened to all our fave songs. And in just 6 1/2 hours, we were there - record time!
This is what we drove up to. It was a wonderful bonfire, and such a relief to sit and relax after a very intense week. Today, I'll be roasting a turkey.

Thanksgiving weekend at the cabin is a cozy, lovely time. Even in the pouring, dripping rain. And even with ten people sharing a small space (five of whom are large, noisy offspring!). The technology is everywhere - four laptops, multiple smart phones, ipods, and PS3.

Wish you were here!

Summer Daze

2010-10-06T16:38:00.005+13:00

I’m not sure where Spring went, but Summer has officially hit Down Under.

There are a few clues to why this may be so....

The 27degC temps yesterday could be a giveaway.

Or the fact that it suddenly feels too hot to be wearing jeans (naturally, I will be holding out as long as possible before donning shorts, since it doesn’t feel ‘right’ to be wearing shorts at the start of October...and there’s the fact that I’ve just gone and bought a swag of new jeans with all the recent sales!).

Then, there’s the fact that Mango and Lychees are starting to appear in the supermarkets. Strawberries and Grapes have been out for weeks. And Melons and Pineapples are getting cheaper all the time. Fresh, tender asparagus shoots are particularly tasty at the moment...and it looks like Sweetcorn is vying for space on the barbie again. Oh, it’s all good!

The sun is getting up far too early these days, and waking all the birds and wildlife up, way before I’m ready! I guess God knew what He was doing when He didn’t create me as a Kookaburra. Those early worms would’ve been happy at least....

Most significantly, our lizard population seems to have rematerialised, larger and 'chirrupier' than before. Thanks to our latest vizzies, A&T for the use of their photos, since I’ve been a bit lax with my camera lately.

This is our friendly Eastern Water Dragon who climbs (& falls out of) trees in the neighbour’s garden; sits in our pots or poses beautifully amongst our weeds; gives me a fright when he comes to say hello as I’m hanging out the washing; and tries to fit through the gap in our neighbour-on-the-other-side’s fence....but doesn’t realise that he’s getting a wee bit chubby, and gave himself a bit of a scare yesterday when he nearly got stuck! He has also taken a liking to swimming in our pool....guess that's what a WATER lizard might do well after all!

Then there’s the lizard in our letterbox, and the lizard who rides the awning up and down each night, and the lizards who fall off the automatic garage door as it rolls up, and the lizards who stick onto our windows & roof at night and make me want to wear a hat when I take the rubbish out (just in case they lose their sucky-ability as I’m walking underneath them!).

Oh, it’s all fun and games, now that Summer is here!

Just Married!

2010-10-04T18:19:00.005+13:00

The highlight of my weekend was Sheri and David's wedding.Sheri, a grade two teacher at my school, is creative, earthy, and sweet. The wedding was a lovely reflection of her personality - and his, too. Not elegant or sophisticated, but simple, joyful, casual, and beautiful. (The prelude music was Hoppipola by Sigur Ros - very cool!)
After it was all over, Sheri, David, and about 40 of their funky friends rode off to the reception on bicycles.
It was a perfect early fall day, just right for a bike ride with good friends.
I believe the happy couple is on their way to the Oregon coast for a honeymoon. Couldn't be better! (But I hope they go by car!)

Oh where, oh where have the holidays gone…?!

2010-10-02T20:29:00.004+13:00

The last term of the 2010 school year is nearly upon us!

Bye bye holidays

Aaaaaaargh! The end is nigh.

That Wascally Wabbit

2010-09-27T15:54:00.002+13:00

Lately, we've been noticing the cutest little grey bunny hanging out in our neighbourhood. He shows up and nibbles in our rapidly-declining garden, then hops on over to someone else's yard to sample the delights of their garden. One of our neighbourhood dogs has had the most wonderful pursuits, but the rabbit always seems to get away.

I worry for the little fellow; there are hungry coyotes, as well as dogs, in the area (see my old post here), and winter weather is on its way. Where does he live? Will he survive?

Hopefully, he'll make like Bugs and foil all the dastardly plans for wabbit stew!

Glass Flowers

2010-09-25T18:52:00.010+12:00

So today, the boys and I were chatting about friendships and those sorts of things......as one does over a leisurely lunch during the holidays.

One thing led to another, and the boys decided that we should write a poem about friendship. So we have.

And then E decided that we should call it “Glass Flower”. So we did.

We took some photos, and E worked his magic with some photos for me. So here they are.

I hope you’ll enjoy the little artistic foray (& hopefully it makes sense......albeit in an artyfarty kind of way! Be very relieved.....my original poem was called ‘The Mysterious Bellybutton Fluff’....the boys vetoed that little piece of inspiration. They said that from the title alone, the poem was doomed..!!)

Glass Flower

Fragile beauty, delicate attraction

Song without words

Your very presence takes the tear

And moulds it to your will.

With your warm golden flecks

You reflect life and health and vitality

Prismic splendour

You cut through the dross

All who see you, reach out

Hoping.

Those who have ever held you

Remember.

To experience you is to live

But for many

Your intricate loveliness is unbearable

Your colours are too bright

The light comes, the light goes

Hues waft, but never settle

Your visage is fleeting

A hint of something more

The diamond edge

Cuts too deeply

Jagged petals, ragged buds

A million dreams

Shards in the universe

All together alone

Dance for Fall!

2010-09-23T15:14:00.003+12:00

In a few short hours, summer will officially end and fall will take over.

I'm not really a fall kind of person. Summer is my gig, as you know; I love sunshine, blue skies, and light till 10pm. I intensely dislike being cold. However, there is something to be said for autumn.

The colours, the crisp sunny days with a tang of something in the air, swishing through dry leaves... it's pretty nice when it happens.

The reality, however, is frequent grey skies and rain. And it has already begun.

But today was gorgeous. Like a last hurrah for summer and a warm, friendly welcome to fall.

Although I took this photo in August (yes, it's the Oregon coast again), it makes me think of a cool, damp, private celebration. Just right for the season! So join me as I - figuratively - dance for fall and get enthusiastic about it. Maybe I'll talk myself into getting excited!

(Except I won't look much like that cute dancing girl in the photo. How about we pretend that's me...???)

(Are you happy, Christine?)

Distant Memories

2010-09-20T16:13:00.002+12:00

Just one month ago, I was on holiday.

Sigh...

It was really beautiful.

We camped on the Oregon coast, right by the beach, in our old favourite Nehalem Bay State Park. Did I mention that we were by the ocean??

It wasn't warm; in fact, the day we arrived, the temperature on the coast was 20 degrees cooler than it was inland! But the salt air, the sand, and the waves made up for having to wear jackets.
Now that school has started and life is wild and crazy again, I would really like to be back there.

It nourishes my soul.

Toowoomba

2010-09-06T13:13:00.002+12:00

K was invited to be a guest speaker at a conference in Toowoomba.

His loyal entourage decided to accompany him to this city which sprawls over the top of a mountain range, 700m above sea level.

Toowoomba is known as the Garden City of Queensland.

If you look at its Civic Calendar for the year, the first thing you notice, is that most of the major events in this city revolve around the various floral blooms and flowering seasons. It is also one of the few, if not The Only Region in Queensland which can legitimately claim to have FOUR seasons in the year with different seasonal floral attributes ! (OK, so the rest of Queensland claims to have seasons, but in truth, the weather in Qld is beautiful all year round with a slightly cooler patch in the middle named winter; or if you prefer, the weather is beautfiul all year round with a hotter patch at one end ie. summer!).

And annually, the city hosts a huge Festival of Flowers on the last weekend of September (1 month into Spring). Whilst we were there, there were already flowers galore everywhere, with much evidence of more good things to come in the next 2 weeks leading up to the Flower Fest.

I wasparticularly impressed that my two boys were so obviously taken by all the beautiful flowers everywhere. They were just happy looking at flowers and more flowers! (I don’t remember being so enamoured by flowers as a child…even tho as a girl, the stereotype says that I should’ve been! There’s hope for my kids!!).

Toowoomba has the feel of a country town about it, though there are about 100,000 residents there, with more in the surrounding districts. The main street has a quaint mixture of beautiful old buildings mixed with the new. And the shops are also an interesting fusion of ye olde worlde country versus hip! Built up high, there are many amazing views to be had over the Lockyer Valley and beyond. Many residents of Toowoomba are farmers from the Darling Downs who have made their millions and have now retired to the higher ground, buying up exclusive acreage on the ridge with views forever.

And the food is fabulous – fresh farm produce with good country portions!

In fact, one of the more notable, award winning restaurants from Qld, is in Toowoomba. The “Weis Restaurant” boasts a huge seafood/steak buffet every day.

We were advised, that if you are ever given a choice of chicken or beef in Toowoomba, choose the BEEF! My favourite cut of steak – eye fillet – was the HUGEST eye fillet I have ever laid my teeth into. And cooked to perfection! They grow ‘em big down there!

But what is also amazing, is that high up here, hundreds of miles away from the ocean, is a restaurant providing the most amazing, fresh seafood buffet surpassing many of the seafood establishments closer to the Coast. And to top it all off, you have that laidback, friendly, good old country service that is often lacking in the bigger cities…..

Here’s hoping K has to speak at another conference soon!

SINGAPORE GIRL...what a great way to fly!

2010-08-25T17:01:00.009+12:00

The famous Singapore Merlion

It has been a MONTH since we returned from SINGAPORE! (It feels like term has just begun, we’re just getting into the swing of things, I’m just catching my breath, and getting the hang of it all…..and then my sons tell me that there are only 3 weeks left of term 3 !!! Egads.)

Our time in SINGAPORE was amazing! In all respects.

In truth, I don’t know quite where to begin, so I think this post will be a RANDOM TUMBLE of thoughts with no real order or sequence.

Numero Uno Highlight had to be meeting up with family and relatives and friends from all around the globe. What a wonderful thing to belong to a large, extended family! What a buzz to see everyone again! And linked with this, was the unbelievable hospitality of all our hosts. If you’ve never experienced true ASIAN HOSPITALITY before, I suggest you get to know some Asian people – it’s full on, ‘no holds barred’ generosity, lavish kindness, and everything laid on for you! Seriously amazing! We were looked after 24/7, chauffeured, escorted to places, fed only the best food, waited on, entertained, and totally and utterly spoilt! Seeing a country this way does give one a totally biased and skewed view of it …. In the most positive way of course!

Public Transport is SO cheap, so efficient, and so accessible! And housing is SO expensive!!! It all stands to reason naturally, with the country being so small in landmass and yet having to house a population of about 5million people. We were impressed with how clean, modern, efficient, safe, and well set out, all the Mass Rapid Transit stations were. Nothing at all like the dirty, rundown, dingy train stations around these parts!

And we loved the super fast escalators that can travel several storeys in length/height. It’s very cool cos these escalators are specially designed to SPEED UP as more people climb on board. At peak hours, you really have to watch your footing as you ZOOM on and off these escalators…it made me feel like I was being spat out at the top of the escalator at high speed sometimes! And just to give you a comparison of transport costs, our taxi to the airport here in Oz cost us about $45. In Singapore, a similar distance cost us about $12 (less in Australian dollars if you take into account the exchange rate). Hmmm.

Singaporeans have a love affair with FOOD. It’s true.

In fact, it is a well established (semi serious) joke, that EATING is Singapore’s National Sport.

And when you can get the MOST DELICIOUS food EVERYWHERE, 24-hrs of the day, and for such a reasonable price, it’s not hard to see why the Singaporeans live to eat! Singapore truly is the GOURMET CAPITAL of the world. Here you can get food from every country in the world, or any particular style you desire. And the local cuisine is so varied, that you could spend years here and never have to repeat a meal! The hygiene standards of the local hawker centres are now closely monitored by the Singapore Govt and this is quite possibly the only Asian country in the world where you can eat out everywhere and not expect to get Delhi Belly.

Hmmmm.....obviously an acquired taste!

Even better is the fact that you can feast like a king on a pauper’s budget! One night, my parents bought a plate (large servings only of course, here!) of fried Kway Teow noodles, and a plate of garlic vegetables for dinner. The total meal which amply fed both of them, cost Sg$ 3.50!

We ate and ate and ate. My boys tried everything at least once. E’s favourite breakfast soon became Fish Head Curry with Roti Prata!!! Not bad for a Weetbix boy :). I was so proud of them. They ate anything and everything, but they especially loved the traditional Chicken Rice. And we indulged in all the local tropical fruit. My favourites were mango, rambutan, and mangosteen. Yum! It was such a treat to have freshly squeezed fruit juices available everywhere.

Mangosteen

Just as well we have a good appetite because our relatives and friends fed us from the time we woke up till the time we dropped into bed each night! And it was SOOOOOOOO gooooooood!!! The memory (& expanded girth) live on….

Shopping too, is incredible in Singapore. The variety is overwhelming!

I used to be a shopper once upon a time, but am no longer! However, I still can’t believe that we went to Singapore and I actually got NO shopping done!!!! Unbelievable! I wondered, if this was because I didn't think there would be anything that would fit me (given that the shops all stock the petite Asian sizes).... I was reassured (sort of!) when I came across this sign -

Actually, the lack of shopping was because we were so busy that I just didn’t get the chance to go shopping at all…..

However, having wonderful relatives ‘in the business’ meant that K & the boys managed to put in their order for certain technological /electronic items and got all their dreams fulfilled! You can certainly get some pretty good deals for technology and electronics in Singapore. I’m sure you could probably get a good deal on almost anything there (except for cars, houses, and land!). But it definitely helps to have local knowledge and help!

ION - One of the many large shopping centres on Orchard Road

Singaporeans work very hard. The children study hard and there is little time for play. Unfortunately.

However, achievement is lauded and rewarded. There isn’t the same “Tall Poppy Syndrome” that undermines society Down Under. That is a good thing.

And people seem to work and stay up till all hours, and then get up early. Nobody seemed to need as much sleep as we did! No wonder they get so much done!!!

It is a highly ordered society.

Advertisement on a train window

Ask any Singaporean and they will candidly admit that whilst they may grumble about the control the Govt has over its people, they nonetheless recognise that the Govt is also very smart and business savvy, and is doing a lot of good for the country. When I think of the lack of confidence in the Govt here in Australia, particularly with the recent federal elections and our present hung parliament, I think politicians here could borrow a page out of Singapore’s book.

Sign @ a train station. Durians are odiferous fruit whose 'fragrance' can be smelt hundreds of metres away!

We were really impressed with the initiatives the Singaporean Govt has taken to protect its people in the future.

Whilst tourists are encouraged to visit the latest Casino recently built on the island, locals are dissuaded by having a large fee slapped on them if they enter the casino. Very smart move!

The country is growing – literally! Though just a small island, the Govt is actively reclaiming land to meet population growth and the ensuing accommodation demands.

Singapore has no natural resources, so the Govt supplements its income via its Tourism, Technology, Business, and Knowledge resources.

“Doctor Fish” Spa – these fish nibble the dead skin cells on your feet, leaving them exfoliated, soft, and…

Water is a problem for a country without natural springs, so the Govt has actively implemented a very clever desalination system and water treatment systems that will see reservoirs being supplied and maintained in the years ahead.

High rise living

The weather in Singapore at this time of the year is hot and extremely humid. We were unashamedly indulgent and zealous followers of the aircon! At times, we all resembled drippy soggy tissues. Make that BLOTCHY, RED, drippy, soggy tissues! However, heat aside, that didn’t stop us visiting the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari, the Jurong Bird Park, the Science Centre, Sentosa Island & Universal Studios (not recommended if you’ve ever been to Disneyland), taking a trip on a bumboat, Little India, and Chinatown, and numerous other fascinating tourist and off the beaten track venues.

Mudskipper

Monitor lizard just casually wandering around

We even made the trip across the Causeway to Malaysia, where a whole different world awaited us! It was a fascinating and enlightening trip.

Typical Malaysian Kampung

We were fortunate to have wonderful accommodation at the behest of our relatives, and it was great to get to meet up with some of their friends. People definitely make a place come alive - they are what makes a holiday so special!

Futuristic toilet.

Much of Singapore is extremely modern. However, the Singapore Govt is now trying to restore some of the heritage places that are so much a part of the country’s history. The evidence of Colonialism is everywhere, lending itself to some of the beautiful architecture from a gracious era. I love the diversity of new and old.

And I particularly loved the multiculturalism.

I was so chuffed when I discovered one day (whilst languishing in a public toilet, and eavesdropping on a conversation outside my cubicle) that I could understand a conversation between a member of the public and the cleaner– she spoke a mixture of Hokkien dialect, Malay, and some Mandarin. All in the same conversation. With some “Singlish” thrown in for good measure! It was so cool.

The Squat Toilet

And I loved, loved, LOVED our stay in a 6-star hotel.

Singapore’s hotels are some of the finest in the world.

If you enjoy good customer service, luxury, quality lodgings, and those extra special touches, then Singapore is the place to find it.

The boys were treated like royalty, and nothing was too much of a problem.

Our rooms were cleaned and serviced twice a day. Anything used or removed, was replaced. Towels, plush bathrobes, bath and bedside mats, slippers, pens, notepaper, postcards, sewing kits, shoe cleaners, combs, shaving packs, quality soaps and creams, chocolates, water, a vast array of toiletries and complimentary articles etc. And each night before bed, we would have a ‘turn down’ service – slippers would be placed on an fresh white mat beside each bed, the corners of the sheets turned down, the curtains drawn, the TV cabinet opened and playing, the lights turned on low, chocolates and water, and a bookmark on each pillow! That’s the life for me!!!

Well, I think that should do it in a nutshell. In short, the trip of a lifetime!

Singapore - it's truly a fabulous, fascinating, buzzy kinda place! Go visit - you won't regret it!

2010-08-15T18:11:00.002+12:00

Big Bear has been working super hard all summer! It began in mid-June, when we took down our old (25 years?) above-ground pool that was in grave danger of spewing forth all its water. Since school ended, he toiled practically every day to prepare the base, install proper drainage, remove all the soil that had piled up around the pool walls, build a retaining wall, and assemble a brand new pool. I had foolishly estimated it would take a week or two, but it was far more than that!

Yesterday, we declared the new pool finished, if a little chilly, and Big Bear took the first inaugural plunge. There he is, splashing down!

And now that the pool is done and the weather is nice and hot, we're off to the Oregon coast.

I'll update you when we get back.

xox

The Starry Night

2010-08-14T06:19:00.003+12:00

Coalmont again.

One nice thing about being far from the city is the night sky. You can actually see the stars!

I love taking these long exposure shots. Up here in the northern hemisphere, the Northern Star (Polaris) is in the centre of the circles. I would have taken a few shots and merged them on photoshop, but this one alone finished my battery. And, of course, I forgot to bring the charger.
On a clear night, the stars pretty much make up for the absence of cell coverage. And no Starbucks, of course!

Marriage Therapy

2010-08-13T17:13:00.003+12:00

Home again!

Big Bear and I just got home from a few days in Coalmont.

We stayed in our old camper (I would call it one star heritage accommodation), which is living out its golden years in peace and quiet, traveling no more. (I pondered this and thought of your six star hotel and of Anita S, who only stays in places with lobbies. Where did I go wrong??)
The purpose of this trip was to bond together on the ATV. Really, it was for Big Bear to show me all the amazing places he has traveled on his motorcycle. And let me tell you, they were amazing!

We spent a couple of days driving around in the mountains on logging roads and old tracks. You'd be very proud of me.

(Here I am. Do you like my new super-cool helmet?)

Now that we have spent time together on the ATV, our marriage has been truly sealed in Heaven. (This is not meant to be offensive to my Mormon friends.) We have shared the ultimate in wedded adventures, and this has catapulted our relationship to the.... I'm at a loss as to where it is now. Somewhere very high up.

And high up is where we were in this photo!

On Wednesday, I got to experience the famous (at least in my house) Whipsaw trail. Picture a narrow dirt road that goes up and down steep hills. Pour lots of water on it, creating mud ponds and bogs. Then dump lots and lots of rocks of all sizes along the length of the trail. Make 'em sharp and pointy. Can you picture it? That's the Whipsaw. Four wheelers love it!

(We almost had to use the winch to get over this rocky patch, but BB, in all his ingenuity, made it!)

Our handy dandy GPS helped keep us pointed in the right direction as we tried to make our way across the mountains to a particular lake. We looked for trails and went by trial and error, and in the end, we found the right one.

I am convinced that if Big Bear had been born a couple hundred years ago, he would have been an explorer and searched for the famed Northwest Passage. (It's a Canadian thing...) He loves exploring, and was very excited when we were successful. He has the most amazing sense of direction.
Now that our big adventure is over, my arms are sore and tired. It's a lot of work being an explorer on an ATV!

Time to Relax

2010-08-07T16:20:00.003+12:00

We just spent two lovely, peaceful days on Pitt Lake (one of the world's largest tidal lakes) with friends, Erin and Greg. They came to pick us up in their boat and took us to their sweet cottage on the shore.

Big Bear worked on his water skiing.
We ate well, looking over the water.
Greg and Big Bear fixed the dock.
And we made good use of the comfortable chairs.
It was extreme relaxation. This is what summer is all about.

Aahhhhhh!

Morbid Thoughts

2010-08-04T11:44:00.004+12:00

My friend, Kristal is developing an interesting habit: she calls me whenever someone dies.

Kristal is not just calling for sympathy and a hug. Oh no, she has a very particular agenda.

Kristal lost her mum last year, and now her mother-in-law, Ellen, has passed away. Kristal looked after her until the last little bit, when she went into a hospice. She was so aware of giving Ellen her dignity, even at the end, when she had to change the bed multiple times each day. Finally, Kristal had to call an ambulance to have Ellen moved to the hospice. Firefighters showed up, too, and helped to carry her out (she was quite heavy). It was a sad time; everyone knew that Ellen was leaving for good, and would be dying very soon. But even then, Kristal was thinking about dignity and infused humour into the situation by asking the firefighters to take off their shirts so Ellen could admire their physique! And Ellen actually had a good laugh, despite the difficulty she was experiencing.

Within 24 hours, she had passed away.

(Ellen in her younger days)

So, the reason why Kristal calls me at such times is that I seem to be the slideshow maker. I did a slideshow for her mum's funeral, and have just finished Ellen's. I never met her, but after all the hours I've spent with her, I feel that I'd know her anywhere. From little girl to young woman to elderly lady, I've seen all the photos.

When I pass away (such a morbid thing to ponder...), who will make my funeral slideshow? How will they find all the important photos? Who will scan the old prints? Will they know that the good ones from my childhood are all in a box? And that others are mixed together somewhere else? (Oh dear, I really need to organize my cluttered life!) What songs will they use? What kinds of captions will they put on the photos?

Sigh. It's not too fun to think about, but there's one really important thing to know. I do not want to be buried in a huge enormous cemetery with manicured lawns; a quiet little country graveyard is just perfect for me. And I've always thought that a beautiful coffin is a waste of money. A basic plywood box will work just fine. But by then, I don't think I'll really care.

I don't make a habit of obsessing like this, but I'm sure you can understand...

Like a broken record

2010-08-03T01:26:00.003+12:00

I'm back! But this is not a post about our trip away.....not yet!

Life has a way of interrupting my thoughts...

Teachers, Parents, Adults are forever telling kids not to run on concrete.

Cos they KNOW that (amongst other things) a smile like this one -

Can quickly turn into one like this -

Requiring modern medicine, hours of expert dentistry, and plenty of disposable income.

The good news however, is that the unsightly consequence of a moment’s indiscretion with concrete can be partially fixed…….

Supaglue and #8 wire…no chewing for 6 weeks….and many prayers!

Amazing!

Call Me a Fan

2010-07-30T06:26:00.004+12:00

"How about you going to buy milk? And a coffee for me?"

Big Bear's request this morning was accompanied by pleading eyes , which, along with his constant hard work at home over the past three weeks, softened my normally stony heart. So I popped off in my one-year-old car (Happy Birthday, sweet Rogue!) to Safeway.

The milk quickly became a little more. I couldn't resist the large container of local blueberries. They would definitely require cream. If I wanted to bake a pie-type thing with those blueberries, I'd be needing more butter. And that to-die-for potato salad with green olives that I had last night came from the Fine Cooking magazine - got to get that. Oh, speaking of potato salad, we're out of mayo...

After buying my "milk", I lugged the three bags over to the conveniently located in-house Starbucks. One grande decaf americano misto for the Bear, and a chai tea (hold the milk) for me. No thanks, no tray; I can carry it all.

I was fine across the parking lot, unlocked the car without a problem, and even started to open the door. But it was then that disaster struck.

The grande decaf americano misto tottered, then did a delicate swan dive onto the pavement, splattering my car door and even my shirt in the process.

(the remains of the coffee)

I said a bad word, loaded the rest of my treasures into the car, and went back to Starbucks. After all, this coffee was the real reason I'd been asked to go out (the milk was obviously a smokescreen).
And those lovely baristas in Starbucks no only commiserated with me and made a new cup, they didn't charge me for it!

Now I have never been a real live coffee drinker; I just dabble in lattes and frappucinos. But there's something about Starbucks. The atmosphere, the clean and creative graphics (I always look forward to their Christmas designs), the upbeat employees, the fact that you can sit for hours in comfie chairs with one cheap cup of tea, the free drinks, it all comes together for me. They've really got a good thing going, and I'm an unashamed sucker for it!

A Mystery Partially Solved

2010-07-27T07:06:00.004+12:00

Give a boy a shovel and a mysterious buried object, and guess what will happen?

He will dig!

Several years ago, I discovered something strange buried in a garden bed. What was it? First I thought it might be an old oil tank, but the neighbours told me the house was never heated with oil. Then I wondered if it was some old hazardous waste.

As I have been in a ruthless state of mind recently and ripping apart all kinds of beds (garden), I decided it was time for this one to go.

My nephew, Liam, came over today with his friend, James. And I handed them each a shovel. What a loving auntie I am!

The boys set to work with excitement and ripped apart the wooden sides. As they began to dig, they quickly decided that the mysterious object was a hot tub.
And they were right! It even has a little light in it! But can you imagine wanting a hot tub this small?? And why was it buried in my garden?
When Big Bear and his bro came to see it, they immediately knew that it was a demo.

Know-it-alls.

But it still doesn't explain why it was in my garden.
I listened to Liam and James as they dug; they were telling each other how fun this was. Next time I ask my boys to dig, maybe I should tell them there's something buried.

And now, I am taking my little garden elves out to lunch!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-07-23T13:13:00.004+12:00

I had a lovely, low-key birthday yesterday.

I took a stack of books out of the library, bought a sweet cake at the bakery, had dim sum with Big Bear, went shopping for a birthday present (the leather Pandora necklace with two beads), had my parents over for dinner, and was generally pleased with the day.

The only thing I didn't do was to meet Tim 'n' Lea at the beach for fireworks. So sad... but in the end, the weather clouded over and wasn't nearly so nice.

And the last thing I did before turning out my light was to have a delightful phone conversation.

Thanks for topping off a lovely day!

Five Things

2010-07-18T15:04:00.011+12:00

Yay, summer has arrived! Everyone is very

happy, especially as the summer weather really took its sweet time to get here. Nevertheless, here we are. And I can't seem to figure out the formatting of these photos. They're supposed to be beside each other...

Anyway. Here are five things that I have enjoyed so far.

1. Little Bear and I went to see Charlie Winston in concert. It was his first time in Vancouver, and we thoroughly enjoyed him! I am still a little amazed, though, that a young man would be willing to go to a concert with his mother! I'm sure that people thought I was a cougar. Hee hee!

2. I spent the day with a group of teachers at a leadership course, telling my "leadership story" and giving my meager input. Later, we all drove up to Mount Baker (this was across the border, in the US) and had some fun in the snow. It was spectacular, as you can see!

3. My dad had his last chemo treatment and we decided to have a party to celebrate life! We hired a jazz trio, who performed on Tim 'n' Lea's deck overlooking the ocean, and surprised him with dinner, friends, and music. It was one of those magical evenings that we won't forget.

4. My lovely colleague, Hannah got married last weekend. She's one of those people who thinks of the details that wouldn't ever occur to me, and it was very evident in her wedding. It was a lovely wedding, but honestly, I have no idea how she was able to plan so much, so soon after school ended! I really hope they will have a restful honeymoon, as I think they spent the past week at family dinners and gatherings.

5. Big Bear and I went camping for three days at my very favourite place, Point Roberts. It's a tiny little bit of the USA that is only accessible through Canada. Best of all, it's on the ocean!
After two stormy nights, the weather brightened up and I drank in the sunshine. This is what I love; everything is blue! I really do think that I was meant to live on the beach. The sound, the smell, the feel of the breeze (and the sun!), the colours... it's all part of the ocean package.
And now it is finally time for my garden to get straightened out. The resident weeds must think that they have free rein to grow as much as they want. Now that school is out, though, it's reckoning time.

Life is good.

Musical Talent

2010-07-03T11:08:00.007+12:00

Southern Ange, I am always so impressed by the musical talents of your amazing boys. So focused, so skilled, so... civilized! And the beautiful music that just flows from their fingers...

I have wished and wished that I, too, had an impressive video to post that would show my sons' amazing talents. And now I do!

Little Bear, as part of an application for a TV show called Wipeout Canada (can't you just picture it...?), created a music video with Little Joe and a couple of friends. And just for you, here it is!

(I sure hope there aren't more of those difficulties with accessing Youtube from Down Under.)

("It's ripping time" is the phrase he chose to be his signature motto for the show. Should he be chosen. And for some reason, they asked if he believed in life on other planets. Hmmm...)

I'm so proud!

Sigh.

(The side of the video is partly cut off on the blog, but if you double click on it, you'll see the whole thing. More quality viewing pleasure for you!)

A Tribute

2010-06-26T05:39:00.004+12:00

It is the last day of school. For the students, that is... I will be held prisoner for some time yet.

I thought I'd share with you some treasured memories from my class this year.

Sigh.

1. The conversation:

Me: Is there anything you need to tell me about?

J: Ummm.... I told someone to be quiet.

Me: Anything else?

J: I kicked J's foot.

Me. Anything else?

J: Ummm... I threw rocks.

I think I will use this strategy more often; it seems to be quite illuminating!

2. The illustration

3. The apology
4. The confession - what I heard from Little C was: "I was practicing my pitching by throwing rocks and one of them accidentally hit B when he walked in front of it."

5. The scene: I walk in the room in the middle of recess. Shocked, guilty faces stare at me. These boys should be outside, but they've been in the classroom throwing scissors!

Poor old J had to spend the rest of recess holding my hand outside.
This was just a taste of the lovely souvenir letters I have from this year. I will treasure them forever.

I think that I will even miss these boys!

PS. to Joshua Bell - Violin Virtuoso Extraordinaire

2010-06-25T15:27:00.005+12:00

To those who picked up on it, yes, this is THE Joshua Bell who performed at the underground station in NY. Having just played a few nights earlier to a sellout ticket paying audience, JB swops venues and attire, to play as an unknown entity in the Metro. It is a fascinating experiment and comment, on the contextual recognition of beauty (amongst other things) - and well worth a read. Here's the link. Thanks for the reminder, Karen!

Joshua Bell - Violin Virtuoso Extraordinaire!

2010-06-23T00:49:00.017+12:00

I mentioned Joshua Bell in my last post. My son LOVES Joshua Bell’s violin playing. He loves the way JB FEELS the music. If you go to Joshua Bell’s website you can read all about the phenomenal accolades this amazing violinist has received. All for good reason. NOBODY plays that violin like he does. Absolutely gorgeous music!

So it was incredible to discover that Joshua Bell was going to be in town around E’s birthday. Naturally, we bought tickets - a special surprise 13^th birthday present for E. In the weeks preceding E’s actual birthday, he would try to guess what presents he was going to get…..ipod?... technological gizmos?....ipod?.... and more technological gizmos? But never once did he even come close to expecting that he’d be able to see Joshua Bell live in concert! And get to shake his hand AND have a photo with Joshua Bell AND have Joshua scrawl all over E’s programme and CD! Unbelievable!

Despite arriving home only hours after a 3 day gruelling boot camp (where he and his group hauled a 4.5ton truck about 800m, crawled through thick black freezing chest-high mud, and didn’t get much sleep at all), E still had the energy to see Joshua Bell in concert later that night. I wondered if he’d fall asleep like the snorer a few seats down from us, but he sat absolutely mesmerised throughout Joshua’s amazingly beautiful, clear renditions of Mozart and Beethoven. It really was the most beautiful violin playing I have ever come across. You can read all about it here from someone else who thought the same!

And the next day, inspired by hearing and meeting Joshua Bell, E produced his own wonderful violin playing for a soiree he performed at. We tried to put an audiolink here, but the system aint playing ball for us tonight....will try again another day, sorry!

It made me think about all those who excel in their field of enterprise (sport, arts, music, whatever) and the hugely important role they play in inspiring the young people of today. It only takes a moment to smile, chat a bit, and shake someone’s hand, and to do what you do well, but it can inspire a young ‘un to rise above the ordinary and to reach for the stars.

Way to go, Joshua Bell!

Sweet Teens

2010-06-18T16:25:00.002+12:00

Ange Of The North, that was a GREAT idea to procure a set of those banners! Well done. And I guess you’ve hit on a lucrative fundraising puller too (for future fundraising ventures!)….BTW I still couldn’t open those music links, though I did find them via other channels. They were great. Poignant words.

We are winding down to the last week of school before the 2^nd term holidays. E has just taken part in a Business venture for school. The various business groups quickly realized that FOOD was just about the only realistic income-producing item of sale at a Secondary School Business Market Day, with candy being very high up the list of saleable items !! So true.

Sherbet for sale at the Business Market, packaging designed by E

Speaking of candy, we were amazed the other day to discover a HUGE package of chocolate had been posted to us from a very generous and kind friend. All nut free for my nut –allergic lads! We have trouble getting nut free choc Down Under, so my boys don’t usually get to eat a lot of this essential food group! Do you remember that box of about 40 Mars bars we purchased the last time we were in Canada? Well, we only just finished the last bar a few months ago. It had lasted us nearly 3 years with careful management. So the boys’ eyes boggled as they surveyed the ‘almost lifetime supply’ of chocolate, that they could imagine sitting very nicely down in their welcoming tummies.

However, not a single bar has been eaten yet, because the males of this household have been more intrigued by working out such things as how much surface area the chocolate would cover, and how much it all weighed, and what towering configurations they could build with so many chocolate bars! What a thoughtful and generous friend to remember the boys. And my wonderful mother-in-law (who just happened to have been attending a scrapbooking and craft conference here that day) whipped up a plate with the appropriate stenciling! I had to take a photo for you….

And I should alert you to the fact that I am now a mother of a teenager. Yep. Growing those white hairs so that I can look the part. My teen, E, is presently at camp, but will return in time to attend a concert of his violin hero – Joshua Bell! The concert tickets were a present for turning the big 13! E also has a jazz soiree to perform at on Monday so I’m hoping that the former event will inspire and rub off on the latter….though Joshua Bell is more classical than jazz. Beautiful violinist though if you’re into that sort of thing.

I have been musing about kids growing up. The transition to ‘mom of teen’ has likely triggered some sort of chemical catalyst in my brain. Anyway, one thing led to another, and the conversation in the car yesterday morning, turned to ‘laziness’ and what one should do about it. In a moment of profound insight, lil L (who is 4 years away from the teen thing) proclaimed, “You can chuck it in the bin or you can put it on the mantelpiece!” E and I observed a moment’s preponderance before making our highly intelligent response…”Eh what???!”. “Well…,” said lil L, “laziness is like a candle. You can either put it out….or you can keep it going!” and then a moment later, “Mum, can you please teach me about time management? I want to learn all about how to do it well early on, so that I don’t have to get stressed about it when I need to know about it!” Blow me away. Now all I need is for my little Philosopher to put all his deep insights into practice…..and those teen years should be fun!.....right?

A Glorious Vision

2010-06-17T16:04:00.003+12:00

Way back in February, back when Vancouver was gripped by Olympic euphoria and happy, anthem-singing crowds roamed the streets, I had a vision. A noble, grand vision which was finally fulfilled today!

I was completely taken by the Olympic graphics that filled the city. On the main routes, each light post had street banners that echoed the cool blue and green design that was everywhere. Oh, how I loved those graphics! And then, the idea came to me: our school needed to get our hands on a pair of those street banners!

But how?

After asking, wondering and searching, I finally found the answer. The city was planning to donate the banners to a charitable organization to raise funds for the Haiti earthquake relief. Cool!

We ordered ours right away.

And time marched on...

Last Thursday, our banners finally arrived. They're exactly like the ones in the picture - hooray! And now that we had them, it was time to actually raise the money.

Today, we had an electronic lunch. For a $3.00 donation, students were allowed to use electronic devices at lunch time only. I have yet to count the money, but we more than reached our goal. And hanging in the foyer were our glorious banners!

I was tempted to pull out my own iPod and catch some Broken Bells at lunch time. But I had forgotten my $3.00.

Oh well.

Back in the Saddle

2010-06-14T15:45:00.006+12:00

Well, the Prodigal Blogger has returned.

It has been quite a long time since I showed my face around here! (Not that you'll be seeing my face today...)

It's not that my heart wasn't yearning to tap away on the keyboard and share the latest with you. On the contrary, I was burning to be back.

Really, it's been all about school. And photos, of course. What I mean is that I was working on the school yearbook (once I finished Ellen's slide show - which should have been an ominous warning to me about the propensity of certain teachers to not pass on the photos I had repeatedly begged for...).

This is where I lived for weeks. Every waking moment.

Summer has been far, far away. The weather has been disappointingly chilly and damp - until yesterday. Yay! Home on a sunny, warm Saturday, and the yearbook was finished! I weeded my garden for the first time this season and as a result, have been hobbling around today, twinging in places I didn't think could twinge. It was quite interesting being on the worship team at church this morning and suddenly getting these intense nervy spasm things in muscles crucial for standing!

Today, we (figuratively) pulled out the old pool and the old rotten half of the deck. It's all ready to replace, now; I hope we get the new pool installed before summer really kicks in!
If you're anything like me, certain songs and albums are forever linked with times of my life. For example, I always think of you, Southern Ange, in relation to the Eagles. Just because we watched their live DVD together. Coldplay reminds me of the time I took a summer course and listened to nothing but them as I wrote papers. This late spring will always be flavoured by two CDs I bought last month and have greatly enjoyed; I'd like to share with you a song from each one. Or you can listen to all of them on their My Space pages!

Broken Bells just released their album in December and I am so taken with them. They have a slightly edgy sound, not top 40 teenybopper pop material. My favourite song on the disc is "The Ghost Inside". My other current flame is Owl City, a very different band - actually a guy who makes much of the music by himself and who has an upbeat, electronica/dance sound and fun, clever lyrics. I love "Meteor Shower" - so short, but says so much (it's not on the My Space page, but check out "Fireflies").

So, that's it in a nutshell. I have a very short window of time before I have to hibernate again and write report cards. We have just two more weeks with students, then another week of cleaning, reports, meetings, and other wonderful stuff. And then, freedom!

xox

SYDNEY

2010-06-09T23:28:00.007+12:00

I love SYDNEY.

It holds many wonderful memories of visits from days gone by.

The thing that I love BEST about Sydney, is that there is always a bustle happening.

I wouldn't want to live here permanently, but as a visiting destination, it's TOPS!

Sydney is a veritable mixing pot in so many ways - a hodgepodge conglomeration of all sorts of things!

I really like the mix of old vs new;

traditional vs modern;

quaint...

vs glam;

conservative...

vs avant garde.

The people are a fascinating bunch to watch!

The standard of driving has to be experienced to be believed (suggest you don't venture near Sydney if you have neck problems.....or if you do, then fasten your seatbelt securely, close your eyes, block your ears, and hope for the best!).

This method of transportation however, looked much less frenetic and far more pleasant...

Naturally, gourmet experiences abound and the standard is topnotch.

I have now discovered a new 'fave' chocolatier -

My one real regret being, that I didn't make the most of the opportunity to load my suitcases up to the gunnels with this fabulous chocolate!

Instead, I kept outta trouble and busy, visitng some other iconic Sydney venues...

Paddy's Markets

The Sydney Opera House

The Rocks

And of course...the highlight of this trip

A fitting celebration to the preceding years of hard work

And a night to remember!

Pomp and Circumstance

2010-05-28T23:48:00.002+12:00

K’s handsome, brand new gown arrived by courier today. It really is an impressive piece of craftsmanship, worthy of the years of academic slog it represents.

All the lads had to try it on. Some had to stand on stools - on account of being more vertically challenged than others! But all enjoyed the feeling of pomp and academic pride it exuded.

Somehow, when wearing the cloak, it served to make the wearer lift their head high, nose pointing to the clouds, chin jutting out. Kind of like Batman with a bad case of whiplash.

I will spare you the photos of the gown in consort with Spongebob Squarepants pyjamas! Pure blooded Academics may find such a sight too sacrilegious to contend with!

However, I do wonder whether some day, this beautifully crafted academic gown might be relegated to a nothing more than a magnificent superhero dressup….

Maybe next weekend?!

Long Live the Queen!

2010-05-26T15:14:00.004+12:00

I fully support Queen Victoria.

I love her so much that I gladly celebrate her birthday! And I'm particularly grateful that the government of Canada encourages me to celebrate by giving me a holiday Monday somewhere around May 24 each year!

Yesterday, we feted Victoria by spending the day at Whistler. It's always a fun place to be.

We shared a wonderful lunch with Barb and Larry on a patio (steamed mussels, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, sticky chili chicken, satays, and foie gras poutine) as we watched the world walk by. The boarders are always most picturesque!
The youth in Whistler are largely derived from other countries; every other restaurant and shop employee has an accent. Lots of Aussies! When they're not working, they're skiing and riding down the mountain.

Yesterday was the last day to ski and board, but it's just the beginning of the season for bikers.

Every pub had its "parking lot" outside for skis, boards, and bikes; as the afternoon turned into evening, the action revved up and snowboards were even hanging in the trees. Everyone (under 25) was networking with drinks and getting extremely loud. I don't think I'd have the energy... Good thing I'm old!

There was a bike wash station at the bottom of the chairlift, and every second chair was outfitted to carry bikes.
It was fun to have a day away - a little teaser for summer break.

Happy birthday, Vicky, and may you have many more!

An ode to weekends and breakfasts!

2010-05-23T19:50:00.004+12:00

Don’t you love the weekends

Don’t you love the food

Don’t you love to sit and ‘lax

Don’t it feel so good…

Love to brew my coffee

Love to steep my tea

Love to munch on muesli

Heaped with fruit for me!

I just love the let up

I just love to chat

I just love to cogitate

Time for this and that…

[Gotta share my breakfast with you – this was a GREAT concoction!!!]

Toasted muesli, rolled oats, & boysenberry cornflakes, piled high with dried blueberries, cranberries, sultanas, coconut, and FRESH fruit - honeydew melon, apples, peaches, grapes, raspberries, bananas, kiwifruit….and finally, dollops of creamy yoghurt! MMMMMmmmmmmm!

Oink....

A Day to Celebrate

2010-05-20T16:30:00.005+12:00

We just celebrated a milestone birthday at school: Ellen turned 50!

The staff had a potluck lunch, and at the end of the day, the whole school turned out for a surprise assembly. (A marvelous little actress was sent to interrupt our meeting to frantically report the PE teacher unconscious in the gym. Ellen wasn't sure she was for real, but the fake tears were quite convincing! When we arrived in the gym, everyone was waiting with the surprise.)

I had put together a slideshow that we played for Ellen; I'm pretty certain that our normally stoic principal even shed some tears!

I'm so glad the day went well and that she was surprised. I've laid awake planning and plotting, wondering how it would all come together. And I uncharacteristically put a Rod Stewart song into the slideshow. I really don't like Rod Stewart (especially in leopardskin tights), but the song was just right!

You can see the slideshow here. If you feel like listening to Rod...

Eccentricity

2010-05-18T17:00:00.002+12:00

How I love interesting people.

I particularly love that my boys are not ordinary.

How many mums come home to find their boy smoking a corncob pipe and reading Milton?
No sir, he's no ordinary boy!

Groundhog Day

2010-05-13T00:00:00.004+12:00

Ange of the North, it sounds like your May Ants are like that Groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil – you know, the groundhog that traditionally emerges from his hideyhole in Pennsylvania to do his annual weather forecast of Spring being on its way….maybe the Canadians could have May Ants instead….

I would be totally distracted too if I had all those crawlies zipping around my feet whilst I was a potential sitting target in class! And I would have my feet on my desk!

However, I am reassured that your ants and spiders look a lot more ‘refined’ and ‘genteel’ than the stock Down Under. Actually, the ants and spiders in NZ are similar to the ones in your photos, but it is the ones here in Australia that are sensational in size, colouring, and CHOMP. I have discovered, that everything of that ilk, BITES here. Even the wee black ants that seem so innocuous….I have learnt to keep my feet moving, especially when hanging out the washing on the line. Green ants, red ants, sugar ants, bull ants, wee innocuous black ants, fire ants etc etc etc. They all bite. I think someone should tell them to pick on things their own size!

This is a sugar ant I think. It was hoofing around in our garden with some bull ants and green ants. I haven’t yet been bitten by a sugar ant, but I still have the scars to show from my green ant bites!

And this was the spider that caught my eye, not so far away from the sugar ant. I had to go inside to research this one on Google…..only to discover that I’d photographed it’s underside! It’s topside was even more spectacular but unfortunately, none of my photos were adequate. It was also the first time that I have ever been squirted at by a spider! Enough of a warning shot of silk to scare my camera away….This is the female of the species and it was about 10x larger than the male. She guarded the centre of the web, whilst he scurried off to the edges. We named them, “Samson & Delilah”…

This was Samson. He was wee and nondescript compared to his flashier partner. These spiders are some sort of Ariope. And since we are showcasing our vibrant garden wildlife, here is one more of our resident Golden Orb spider who has spread her enormous intricate web out the front of our house. Like her supplies?! Last night, E came in from the dark outside, pulling silvery strands off himself and muttering something about walking into a spider’s web….then I heard him say with disgust, “UGH! It’s a pantry!!” BLERRKKKKK....

And one might well think it was Spring here too with the noticeable abundance of caterpillars we have observed in our garden. The monarch caterpillar is easily recognisable (well, I think it is a monarch, though there are so many species here I could well be barking up the wrong tree on that one!) :

This caterpillar was VERY hungry indeed and reminded us all of the children’s book – The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Can’t remember who the author was, but they must’ve had some of these in their garden! This particular caterpillar was a very chubby module, and managed to gobble up the entire plant overnight!

And the boys weren’t keen to share their pool with this one…..it looked distinctly unfriendly! And since we’re in Australia-the-land-of-chompy-wildlife-exotica, it was probably a wise choice!

Whoops. I think you got me on a bit of a roll there with the garden wildlife! I’m looking forward to reading your upcoming post about the ‘really really bad part’ of the Education funding furore. I can’t confess to knowing much about this issue, so it’s great to have the insight of one who’s truly embroiled in it and up with the play! So enlighten us….please.

Distractions

2010-05-12T04:08:00.002+12:00

It's really and truly spring in Vancouver! I'm not talking about shivery early spring when the blossoms come out but the temperatures say it's still winter. I mean SPRING!

I'm waking up to hear birds singing. Love it.

It's time to put out the annuals in my garden (but that never gets done until school lets up).

And the ants are here!
Every May, the ants arrive at school and come into my classroom.

How do they know it's May? Do they have little ant calendars?

I tell my students it's because they want to learn how to read.
And then this morning, they brought a spider friend with them (not quite as spectacular as the Aussie spiders, but still, a spider!).

Nobody can focus with all these insects wandering around the classroom.
So distracting!

Happy Mothers’ Day

2010-05-09T23:05:00.002+12:00

It’s that day again Down Under.

I’m presuming that it is the same Up There too…? I love Mothers’ Day.

Firstly, because I feel like I can “legitimately” have a ‘day off’ and get spoilt rotten! Princess for a day…..I have some wonderful lads who DO make me feel quite special!

And secondly, because it is an opportunity to focus on some incredibly wonderful people who shape our families and our world.

I lay in bed this morning (listening to my lovely family preparing breakfast in bed for me!), thinking about my mom who is the most dedicated, loving, and sacrificial woman. She would do and give anything for her family, and continues to be an amazing and accepting mother through the thick and thin. And from what I remember of my grandma, she was the same. It’s an incredible legacy that has far reaching benefits beyond one’s immediate family!

And then I thought about the amazing mothers I have had the privilege of meeting over my life’s journey. Many of them have inspired me at some time and in some way to be a better mom. And all of them exhibit a love and a selflessness for their families that is often beyond the ken. To all you wonderful, beautiful mothers out there, I hope you have a truly special day however you choose to spend it.

Enjoy every moment of time spent with your families;

celebrate the privilege of Motherhood!

A VERY HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY TO YOU!

More on Education

2010-05-06T14:41:00.005+12:00

Well, my last post didn't seem to be very controversial; so little dialogue and discussion! You must be waiting with baited breath to see what I say next. Or maybe it's just not a big deal outside my little world.

OK. Onward.

So, I was talking about independent schools in BC and the controversy over government funding.

Every year, schools are ranked according to their scores on standardized testing (after a number of mysterious adjustments that have to do with numbers of boys and girls and other factors), and results published in the newspaper. Scores of parents look for the highest scoring schools and start plotting to send their children to those hallowed halls of learning, so that they can be smart, too. Others take a quick peek and roll their eyes violently at the predictability of it all. How could it be? The top performers are all independent schools - specifically, prep schools!

Everyone loves to hate those exclusive "private" schools. They're the first thing that comes up in the debate about government funding. Members of the BC Teachers' Federation (some of them) start to froth at the mouth when they think about all those wealthy families sending their darling cherubs to schools that can cherry pick the brainiest and send the mediocre ones packing. No special needs students. Nothing but the best.

If all that public money was put back into public education, it would solve many problems. Those wealthy families, one opinion piece opined, can afford to pay the full ride; take away their funding!

But the real thorn in their flesh, the true cause of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth isn't really the small number of prep schools that receive funding. It's the religious schools! Gasp!

Here's where it gets really ugly.

According to a vocal number of British Columbians, public money has no place in the religious arena. Therefore, yank the funding away from all those schools that teach that there is one way to God. Better still, anything connected to faith. That would include Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, Christians, and even worse, those Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints who still teach that polygamy is cool.

In a tolerant, multi-cultural society like Canada, the worst sin is to say that your own God is the only one. And then get government money to help you teach kids.

What do you think now?

Next time I'll tell you about the really really bad part of it.

On Education

2010-05-04T14:14:00.003+12:00

Southern Ange, school is on my mind again; could it be because I spend all my time there?

Controversy seems to be dogging my footsteps this week. Not my personal footsteps, but it's everywhere I look. The current issue is government funding of private education. Care to dive into it with me?

Since 1977, the BC government has been partially funding independent schools. Currently, schools are eligible to received up to 50% of the per-pupil operating costs given to public schools (capital costs are not provided). Schools must go through a rigorous inspection process, employ only certified teachers, and follow the BC curriculum in order to qualify for funding. Only 35% is given to schools who exceed the operating costs per pupil; this would be university prep schools that offer many extra programs and classes.

Public schools are currently facing huge financial constraints due to declining student populations, increased demands from the ministry of education, and... I don't know what else. It sounds pretty bleak. The Vancouver school district has an $18 million shortfall, and 190 teachers are being laid off. Programs such as music are being cut.
And now, the big question: if public education is being threatened by a huge lack of money, should the government cut all funding to independent schools and redirect it to public school districts? Is it right that the province should subsidize the tuition of exclusive, often faith-based schools with public money?

What happens Down Under, SA? And visitors, how about where you live?

Opinions, please! Leave your comments; a little discussion is always welcome!

I'll follow up tomorrow.

Ocean ruminations

2010-05-03T20:57:00.001+12:00

What a great week you’ve had at school Ange of the North! I would have LOVED to have cruised your corridors – those photos made me feel rather nostalgic! Ocean Week sounded like huge fun and I’m sure the kids learnt a lot! My family enjoyed watching the cool video clip you posted. I had no idea octopi could camouflage themselves so effectively!

I know you’ve finished the week now, but due to a lack of recent photo taking and lack of headspace to ponder the deeper questions of life, I thought I’d share a few ocean-type photos with you…from our trip earlier this year to the Sunshine Coast’s Underwater World.

A very cool waterdragon-type seahorse! Isn’t it quaint!

Jaws

Brightly coloured coral etc.

Giant Ray

Baby shark growing in a simulated embryo…it was very cool!

And finally, I feel you need a photo of the ocean just to finish off!

A Salty Week

2010-05-02T11:03:00.004+12:00

Here's a non-controversial topic. A happy change from my last two posts...

Southern Ange, I miss your presence at school. We just had the big primary theme week, with an ocean focus. The hallway was all dressed up in blue paper (don't tell the fire marshall!), with ocean creatures swimming everywhere. The regular schedule was suspended and we all participated in oceanic activities, with children in multi-grade groups. Had you been here, you could have been one of the faithful mums helping out all week (except your kids are too old now). And you could have gone out for tea with Angela and her cronies!

Everything went swimmingly.

The children brought beach pails to carry all their supplies and decorated them with foam stickers. At each workshop they went to, they received a tag to hang from the handle. It was very cute. Lots of fun, too!
And what's more, they all learned a lot!

So did their teachers. We could sit you down and tell you all about the ocean zones, different kinds of sea life (love those bio-luminescent creatures!), tides, and the plastic that floats in the Pacific. It's an amazing part of creation.

Here's a cool video to watch that highlights just a few astounding creatures and the ways they adapt to their environment - the octopus at the end is the best!