Christmas 2015

My second Christmas in the condo!  I decided that there is room for a small tree so that's what I got.  It is rather small but looks pretty good now that it is dressed.  Kevin and I took that trip down memory lane as we decorated.

The hearth looks festive as well.

Finally being retired, I have joined a couple of things and expanded my volunteer work to include helping out at the well baby clinic and most important of all - turned that alarm clock off!  Well, I do have to use it on occasion.

One thing that I discovered is that the trek to the shortest day seemed much better than in past years because I try to get out every day during daylight hours.

Two couples I have known for many years have moved into condos here making more friends who live here.

Now on to 2016.

Birthday/Retirement Party at Lakeside Park

Birthday/Retirement Party

This is the beautiful painting that I received from co-workers for part of my retirement present.

This is the loot that I received on my birthday August 19 and then there was the party on August 29.  Wanda and Hezz and Gord and Deanne and Liam and Lara and Kevin and Tina came.  Sure missed my big house but we managed.  Thankfully Gord and Deanne brought their travel trailer and stayed out at Kokanee.  More photos below.

https://goo.gl/photos/j5UMoi2kBfaJiEZTA

Retirement Party photos

I survived!

And last, but not least for tonight, I walked up Gyro Park hill and it didn't kill me, yet!  I didn't walk all the way up to the hospital but up to Morgan St then along Douglas Rd to Queen Elizabeth Park and back along High St.  I haven't walked along there for a very long time - like when I was going to high school!  Some of the gardens are exactly the same and others are very creative.  I wish I had taken the camera so that I could post more mediocre photos here.

Nelson construction

It seems hard to reconcile the cranes amongst the trees in downtown Nelson but that condo development is going ahead.  When the new Emergency ward at the hospital was constructed there were cranes involved and I saw them every day but these ones downtown seem so much more intrusive.

Furniture

My new hide-a-bed arrived along with a reclining armchair and my living room now looks much better than it did when it was furnished with lawn chairs.  Now just to hang the art.  And the cushion that Marilyn made and sent for Christmas is just perfect on the couch.

My view is just gorgeous!

I have been taking so many photos - pretty well one each morning because the view is just beyond words!  And the scenery makes my photos look pretty good.  The ornamental cherry tree just outside my balcony really helps and the lake is like glass just after the sun starts to shine on it.

Easter vacation

Great vacation!

Good Friday found me driving to Victoria following an invitation from Kevin and Tina.  They have a lovely apartment and they have decorated it so nicely - mostly Tina's ideas with a helping of Kevin's muscles.  The weather was the usual - lovely.  So we walked on the West Bay Walkway and the Ogden Point Breakwater, ate at Il Terrazzo, an Italian restaurant with no spaghetti or lasagne on the menu!  Good food.

And oh yes, I bought a new car.  My last car was dirt colored (that's what I requested when going to the dealer).  They don't have that color any more so this time my car color is called brown sugar.  There isn't a whole lot of difference in the color which suits me just fine as this one should hide the dirt reasonably well too.

Kevin took some things to Victoria when he was here in the fall - thank heavens!  And here he is with one of his treasures.

Since returning home I put in my application for old age pension!!!!!  A few years ago I didn't think I'd live long enough, now I think that I had better collect for many, many years.  And that same few  years ago I wasn't overly thrilled about retiring but just before Easter I put in my letter.  If things go the way I am planning, I will be finished work by Labor Day.  Now I am gathering a list of things that I will do once retired.

I have set the alarm once more and head off to work in the AM.  Not counting sleeps yet.

Couch is finally here!

Despite my best worrying that it wouldn't fit through the door to the condo, or that it wouldn't fit in the den, my hide-a-bed has arrived and those great guys from Home Goods took it into the den to show me that it would fit, then brought it into the living room so that I will be able to put the lawn chairs in the basement.  In the process they took off the outside door and the den door, put them back on and were in and out in under thirty minutes!  The couch came with cushions but I think that I like the one Marilyn sent more.

Christmas 2014

Here is our cosy Christmas in my condo.  My couch still hasn't arrived so the lawn chairs/folding chairs/rug were our choices of seats.  There is enough room for all ten of us at the table, just no room for extra food so I set up a couple of TV trays in the corner for bowls once we were finished passing everything around.  It seems that there was enough space for dancing while the smokers were outside!