Grand Nieces and Nephews, Rain, Happy October

Here are two pictures from my Victoria trip. Ben, Megan and I and Jacob, John and I. As you can see, I had a great time with all the nieces and nephews, and grand niece and grand nephews. I forgot my camera when I went to Lyn and Alan's.

I am happy to be back in my little suite. It does seem very little after the huge space I had in Victoria. Well, it is my home. I came back to three days of rain and the prediction is for continued rain for several days. It is fall, isn't it?

I have been having trouble off and on with my internet connection so a Shaw tech is coming on Monday morning. I hope I am able to upload this post.

I am back to working out at my usual location and plan to get back to dance lessons ASAP. I got myself a new pair of tap shoes, so look out, dance class, here I come!

I hope I get an answer soon to my application for a BC teaching certificate. I am anxious to start applying for a job.

Bye for now. Have a happy October and fall.

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

Dinner, Dinner, Dinner, Across The Universe, Dog Doo

On Saturday I went to Lyn and Alan's for dinner and afterwards his band, The Wharf Street Band had a practice. So it turned out to be dinner and a show! Great fun. I so enjoyed the music. Alan cooked pork with a cinnamon, apple sauce. Very nice. Thanks again for the invite.

On Sunday I went to David and Tena's for dinner. It was a very tasty meal. Tena made rouladen with veggies and mashed potatoes. Great gravy. I did not know how much David had travelled when he was in the air force. He's been to so many places in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Thanks for the great meal and company.

Tonight I go to Noni and John's for dinner. It will be good. John is a great cook. Noni is doing very well after her surgery. She had lost her voice for a few days, but is getting better each day. When I spoke to her on Sunday her voice sounded deep and husky.

I am really enjoying my time with the nieces and nephews. Thanks to all for the hospitality.

Yesterday I went to see two movies: 3:10 to Yuma and Across The Universe. They were both excellent. I loved ATU. It was all based on the Beatles' music. It took me right back to the sixties. With the protests, the Vietnam war, the flower children and the death of Martin Luther King. There were some interesting effects. A sort of acid trip in parts. The actors were great and good singers. I read that Ringo and Paul liked it. Kudos to Julie Taymor. I'll be buying that one when it comes out in video.

I saw a sign on someone's lawn when I was out walking: Here lies the last dog to do his business in my yard. I can sympathize. Some people are always careful to clean up after their dog, others not. I remember one occasion when the Prairie Dog saw a dog owner letting her dog do his thing on the boulevard in front of our house. He ripped open the door and shouted, "DO YOU NEED A BAG?" The startled woman pulled a bag out of her pocket and picked up the leavings. Then she ran off with her dog. We had a neighbour who would walk his dog and carry a little black shovel from a fireplace set. It still had the price tag on it. If that was visible, how much could he have used the shovel? I've been getting my dog fix at Noni's and David's. Each of them has two dogs.

I'll be going back to Vancouver on Thursday. Originally I planned to go back on Saturday, but I decided the ferry would be less full on a week day and since Mother is in the Cridge Centre, she doesn't need me to be here. I will go for dinner with her one last time on Wednesday. I'll be glad to be back in my own little suite. Thanks to G. and C. for letting me stay in their house and use their car.

Bye all.

A dog. I wonder what goes through his mind when he sees us peeing in his water bowl. ~Penny Ward Moser

Winnipegers at the Cridge, Emmys, Funny-coloured Fuzzies

Moving day went without a hitch. Mother is now a resident of the Cridge Centre. It's a lovely place and the staff are helpful and caring. The residents get lunch and dinner provided. The kitchen is managed by a trained chef who believes that they should have two different entrees from which to choose. And the food is good there. I had dinner there on Saturday after moving Mother in. We had pepper steak with rice, squash and broccoli. It was tasty. And the tiramisu I had for dessert was great.

Many of the residents play cards. There is a group that play cribbage, and since that is Mother's game I expect she will probably join up. Mother's neighbour across the hall, Archie, is originally from Winnipeg and apparently there are a few other former Winnipeggers at the Cridge Centre. So Mother is quite happy.

I went there to take her some plastic bags and an over-the-door hook this afternoon and when I left her she was happily planning all the friends and relatives she was going to call. The residents have free long distance calls in North America.

What with the good food, the free long distance calls, free Shaw Cable and internet access, maybe I should move in there! Her suite is even bigger than mine! She has 650 sq. ft. I only have 450 (and I think that's an exaggeration on the part of the building managers). Naw, I really do like my suite and besides, I moved there to be close to darling daughter.

Watched the Emmy Awards last night...TV giving itself a huge pat on the back. I watched because I'm a sucker for red carpet fashions and jewels and hairdoes, and shoes. Apparently the gimmicks the producers tried didn't work too well. The ratings were down.

The round stage: James Spader said he got the worst seat in the house (behind all the presentations). Well, with that round stage I don't think anybody had a good seat. I missed the intro with the cartoons from Family Guy singing. By all accounts I didn't miss much. I hated that stand-up comedy routine by what's his name, the unfunny comic. All he did was spit out toxic comments about his employers, the producers of the show. And another vapid acceptance speech from Sally Field. Pretty much a waste of three hours. Maybe next year I'll just watch the red carpet show and skip the awards.

Probably the most interesting comment was from the Saturday night part of the show, the "creative" awards. (Aren't acting, writing and directing creative?) It'll never be shown on prime time TV, though. Kathy Griffen said: “A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus.” Then she made an off-colour remark. The old atheist Prairie Dog would have been chuckling.

Tomorrow is "clean out the fridge" day. There are some funny-coloured fuzzies growing in there. It's time to wipe them out before they come spilling out to swallow me up and take over the world.

Tata...and take care...and PEACE.

How can you put on a meaningful drama when, every fifteen minutes, proceedings are interrupted by twelve dancing rabbits with toilet paper? ~Rod Serling, quoted in Submitted for Your Approval, Public Broadcasting Station, 1995

Il Terrazo, Zen Martinis, Retoxing, D Q, BB8

My darling daughter and son-in-law were here on Monday. We went to dinner at Il Terrazo. This was on the recommendation of niece Noni and it was a fine restaurant and a lovely meal. Then we went for a bar crawl. No much doing in the bars on a Monday night. All the sensible people were at home sleeping. Next day was hangover day. It was not pleasant. You'd think by the time I reached 60 I'd know by now...I think next time it'll just be Zen martinis.

On my actual birthday, yesterday, I spent a very quiet day. I went for a workout, roasted a chicken for supper, bought myself a new book: George, Eric and Me by Pattie Boyd. Great trashy read! The stars were retoxing even then! Nothing new under the sun, Lindsay and Brittany.

I treated myself to a sundae at Dairy Queen. Very nice. I had a phone call from my sister. Very, very nice. And my daughter. Very, very, very nice!

Mother is getting ready for the big move on Saturday. She had me packing a few boxes today. Niece Noni is having surgery today. If I don't hear from John or Lyn by this evening I will call to get the scoop. She is scheduled to go home tomorrow. Hopefully I can get out there to see her within a few days.

How are you doing Char? I think about you every time I watch Big Brother. It'll be down to the final two tonight. Who will win? Shouts out to Jack and boys, too. Even Gary hasn't been blogging very much although he has a good excuse.

Zen martini: A martini with no vermouth at all. And no gin, either. ~P.J. O'Rourke

Moving, Moving, Moving, Camping and Cruising

I have been busy in Victoria. Mother is moving into her new suite on Saturday. Niece Lyn and nephew David will be helping with that. A friend has lent his truck and trailer. I anticipate that it will go smoothly.

I went to visit niece Noni on Saturday. She and John and Jacob were cleaning and packing stuff to take to storage. They are decluttering in preparation for marketing their house. Been there, done that last spring. Isn't it amazing how much stuff one accumulates over the years!

They have bought a house in the Courtney/Comox area. I've seen pictures and it looks great. Lots of yard, enough bathrooms so that they each get their own (Noni is ecstatic about that). There is even a little shed which they plan to convert to a clubhouse for Jacob. They are moving up there the beginning of November.

I have been going for workouts every other day. I am so lucky to have found a gym that belongs to the same organization as my gym in Vancouver and they are letting me use this gym for ....nothing! It's great. I can go there as often as I like and not have to spend money on it. One of the members said that when he goes to Vancouver, my gym makes visitors pay ten dollars a visit. Not really fair, is it? I would speak to them, but I doubt it would do any good.

I went to see the movie, "Stardust." It is a fantasy about a boy who sets off on a quest to find a fallen star. Very enjoyable - just the kind of movie I love, good escapist fare.

I am also taking long walks. I went along one side of the gorge and up the other side. I was only accosted once by a street person asking for a handout. The weather has been gorgeous here. Sun, sun and more sun. But I'm not complaining. I'm loving it.

There is a street person here in Victoria who is suing the city for not allowing him to sleep in parks. He claims the law banning people from camping in city parks is unconstitutional! Against his human rights! He should be allowed to sleep anywhere he wants, including private property!!!!! What next. Will they be demanding that restaurants feed them? That retail stores must give them clothes? That citizens should be forced to let them take a shower if they come knocking on the door?

I'm reading Gary's blog and they are enjoying Italy. I am mighty envious. Take lots of pictures, Gary. Then I can live the cruise too.

A shout hello to niece Charlene. I watched Big Brother last night. It's down to the final four. Dick and Danielle, a father and daughter, Zach and Jameka. Who do you think will win?

My darling daughter and her husband are en route from Vancouver as I write. Better get back to my laundry.

Tata....and take care...and PEACE.

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Lagoon, New House, Blood Test, Jewellry, Baking

Hello everyone. Not much news here. See Gary's blog for first posting on the cruise. I am sending Gary an email to his gmail address. I'm pretty sure he can access his gmail from anywhere. There's some information from the council.

We went for a drive on Monday to see the lagoon and dropped in on David and Tena to see their new house. It's very nice - big back yard, pool, hardwood floors, fireplace, neat little kitchen with glass doors on the cupboards. I can see them re-decorating and making it their own. Well, Tena, maybe. I think David would be just as happy to let her do it. He likes his computer time. The two dogs, Zach and Tyson are very friendly, big, and intelligent. David already has them trained not to go into the living room by just putting a piece of cardboard across the door! Those dogs could easily knock over the cardboard, but they hate noise, it seems, so it's an effective deterent.

Tuesday, Nana and I went to take her for her blood test and, not knowing where I was going, I followed her into the clinic instead of the lab. The receptionist soon figured out what we really wanted and directed us to the lab. Three doors down in the mall.

Yesterday Nana and I went to a jeweller's to get her watch band made smaller and to put special attachments on her rings which were loose and she was afraid they would fall off her fingers. It's always a big production when she goes anywhere. She can't walk far unless she has a shopping cart on which to lean. Then we had trouble finding the elevator in Zeller's. Then we didn't know how to get from Zeller's to the mall. Luckily the jeweller was close to Zeller's.

She thought the jeweller was taking way too long with such simple jobs and she told me she, "...doesn't trust anyone." I think she was worried that he might take off with her rings, or change the stones or something. All jobs were completed without mishap and she was glad to get done jobs that she had been wanting done for some time.

Next we had to find a dollar store so she could buy me a birthday card. Then she sent me into a hairdressing salon to inquire about prices for the different services and whether they set hair using rollers. None of this new-fangled curling iron stuff for her!

She sure is keeping me busy. Well, it's keeping me off the streets! You never know what kind of trouble you are going to get into in a strange city.

Today I made some almond haystacks and later I plan to make some biscotti. Gotta keep busy. Maybe I can outrun my sixtieth.

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the hell she is. ~Ellen DeGeneres

Chez Ousey, Tim Horton, Substituting Redux, Sixty

Hello Everyone in blogland. I am now in Victoria, chez Gary and Carolyn. Great hotel, but I have to do the cooking. I don't mind, though.

I am here to keep Nana company. She will be moving into a seniors' place by September 15. Everything has been arranged with niece Lyn and some friends. I will just have to help with the packing and unpacking. I am so envious. Nana's apartment is bigger than mine! Mine is 450 sq. feet and hers is 650 sq. feet! Well, who'd a thunkit. I do like my apartment though.

Anyway, I have already been to the grocery store to stock up on some things I like. And this morning I went for a long walk to the nearest Tim Horton's. They have the best coffee. No, I was good this time - didn't have a donut or a muffin. I wish there was a T. H. closer to my place in Vancouver. Oh well, can't have everything, I guess.

I am looking forward to seeing all the nieces and nephews and their children. Although, so many of the children are moving out, going to school, etc. I plan to spend as much time as possible visiting with them.

My wonderful daughter will be coming here for a couple of days. Looking forward to that. Anyone know any good restaurants in Victoria? We will probably go out for dinner. Someone's birthday coming up. Sixty! Hard to believe. I have applied for and will be receiving Canada Pension. Whoopie! That'll just barely keep me out of the poorhouse.

I have started the process of applying for my BC teaching credential. I think I will have to do some substituting. Otherwise I will have to give up all luxuries. Can't have that!

Bye for now. Bon voyage to Gary and Carolyn on their Meditteranean cruise.

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart. ~Author Unknown