King's restaurant is closing!

Dad used to have coffee every day at King's with Maudie and Larry Johnson and many others over the years.  Each day they would buy a couple of scratch tickets and enjoy each others' company.  So when I heard that the restaurant was closing I thought that we should honor Dad's memory.  Jimmy wore Dad's SSR hat, adjusted to Dad's head size not Jimmy's, we all took some scratch tickets and I took the photo of Mom and Dad.  Jim and Kim won back their ticket investment, Lor went bust, I won some - just enough to buy a 6/49 ticket - exactly what Dad would have done!

Birthdays and Farewell Dinner

We haven't been together for very many birthdays recently so we sang to everyone!  Diarmid has now returned to Australia and stopped by to add his voice and smile and humor.

Christmas in Victoria

I spent Christmas with Kevin in Victoria.  The weather was the best that I have ever encountered for the holiday season and Victoria really sparkled in the sunshine with the warm temperatures.  When we went to the Ogden Point Breakwater on Boxing Day I saw some people with ice cream cones and decided to join them.  I have never had an ice cream cone on Boxing Day before!  But it was 10 degrees and the sunset was just amazing so we had our ice creams as we walked along the breakwater.
The crowds and the traffic made me realize just how happy I am to be from a small town where the store clerks greet me by name.  Each day once I was tired of shopping we went for a walk on a lovely beach.  The wind stayed away.  The ocean was almost still when we went for our walk on Christmas Day.  Aubrey came for a visit and joined us on the beach.  One photo was taken at Beaver Lake of a tree stump with branches growing out of the top.  The water was so still that the photo almost looks alien!

Click on the link below to see some photos.

https://plus.google.com/photos/113073139514467568732/albums/5970502899620042225?authkey=CJzNiqz-5oGjfQ

Diarmid has returned!

Diarmid has moved back to Canada.  Jenn and kids are coming once things are settled.  Diarmid came to visit for two very short days but the weather was so incredibly beautiful that many photos happened.

Thanksgiving 2013

We had lots of fun this past weekend with Wanda and Hezz, Gord and Deanne and family and Kevin coming to visit.  Adele and Steve and Casey hosted Thanksgiving dinner and we explored much of the countryside.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hike to Pulpit Rock

http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Pulpit-Rock-near-Nelson-BC-1275

In a moment of insanity I agreed to hike up to Pulpit Rock with Annette, Betty and Cheryl.  Our goal was to hike up to the Flagpole and have a photo taken with the flag.  When we parked at the bottom of the trail I was enthusiastic.  The approach to the trail was a bit daunting and I almost quit before ever setting foot on the bottom stair!  But decided that was premature and repeated the whine about 500 feet further along.  Then determination kicked in and I decided to give an honest effort, frequent whining notwithstanding!  Annette and Betty soon were dispatched on their own - they could have done the trip twice during the length of time that it took for Cheryl (bless her heart) and I to reach Pulpit.  When we finally reached Pulpit there was no longer any consideration of further climbing in me.  Cheryl stayed with me, Annette and Betty hiked on to the Flagpole.  While we rested our eyes and hearts were being filled with the amazing sights of the lake and the fall colors of the nearby forest and Nelson and the mountains and the sky. 
The hike down is far easier except for the complaining from my knee!  Many volunteers have made the trail so much better over the years.  After my last hike up there about ten years ago I thought that I would not be doing that again.  Now I wonder if I am yet done wirh that trail!
 

 

 

Summer 2013

We have been invaded by wild turkeys!  Too early for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  This was taken from inside my front door.



Kevin came to help me clear out the basement before moving.  He found a few things of his, much went to a church garage sale and some went to the dump.  One day we took some time off and went to the Pilot Bay lighthouse.  Short drive, short hike, gorgeous view. 

 

Kevin on the deck of the lighthouse with the ferry in the background.

Kevin and I on the Osprey, looking at the Balfour and incidentally the gorgeous lake towards Kaslo.

Waiting for the Osprey to land at Kootenay Bay to bring us back home.

The box of Star Wars stuff that went to a good home in Calgary.  The box had arrived at this house containing a bathroom vanity top.