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Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Looking Back.....
I see that it's almost a year since I last posted something - definitely a case of being over the hill, with time going more quickly..... It seems that a quick overview of 2013 is all I'm going to be able to manage, before the ball in Time Square falls and another year begins......so this is where you have to hold onto your hat, as I whistle through some of the highlights of the past twelve months!!
2013 was the year for a number of firsts, with the months of February and July vying with each other - I'll let you be the judge as to which took top spot! On Friday, February 8, I became Great Granny (GG) when little Finn Daniel James Reed was born to Roxanna, in Cambridge, Ontario. He weighed in at almost 7lb and was 20 inches long. Roxanna is a wonderful mom to her baby son! I didn't meet Finn until he was more than three months old, by which time he had grown and changed a lot. Grandpa Doug, Grandma Elaine and Uncles Tony and Alex were obviously enjoying their new roles - as of course was Roxanna!
For a memorable week in February, Sue Dierks - who was visiting from Amherst, Massachusetts - another friend from here and I decided to take a winter break - to Las Vegas!! None of us had been before and it wasn't on our respective bucket lists, but the price was right and it made a great jumping off spot (?!) to visit the Grand Canyon. The weather was warm and sunny, and the Grand Canyon was as dramatic as we had been led to believe... Also accompanying us on this adventure was wee Roberta, an English relative of Flat Stanley. Roberta was the travel buddy of my 9 year-old great niece, Lily, who sent her to visit Grauntie Di (GD) who in turn made sure that she had some interesting adventures, which she recounted in the journal, which was her constant companion. She needed some help with her journalling, from GD and other new friends she made - but by the time she left to return to England, her journal was full of pictures and tales to share with Lily and her classmates....
Since moving to the new condo in early 2012, it didn't take me long to realize that it wasn't quite the place for me, so I had been looking around at possible alternatives. Despite the fact that the real estate market had been, and still is pretty slow, I decided to list the condo in the spring....and miraculously, in June, it sold!! I was then able to move in mid-July, to Summergate Village, not far from downtown Sidney. I am very happy to say that I am no longer a condo owner, but have my own four walls, front door and carport! Summergate is a 55+ community, comprised of some 225+ manufactured homes, each located in well-tended, peaceful, park-like surroundings, as well as a clubhouse, swimming pool and other recreational facilities. Since moving here, I feel as though I'm on vacation, especially as the lawn-mowing etc. is not the responsibility of the individual owners!
Just ten days after my move, which went very smoothly, thanks to a number of wonderful friends with trucks, showing up to move the smaller stuff, on Tuesday, July 30, I reached that three-score-years-and-ten milestone, which was well-celebrated, thanks to more wonderful friends! In honour of the occasion, my hairdresser friend even gave me purple hair! On THE day I was taken on a mystery bus trip, which brought us to beautiful Butchart Gardens, where I was treated, by these same friends, to the very fancy Afternoon Tea served there. I think we were rather a raucous bunch...but a good time was definitely had by all at our table, anyway!
Another visit from Sue, one from Sarah - we first met on the train coming across Canada in 1968, when we had both just emigrated from England! - a number of other day trips and outings, as well as several more BIG birthday celebrations, filled my social calendar, until it was time to get down to the business of preparing to have the kitchen renovated.... I really had no idea how much would be involved, but I have learned a lot and I am now happy to report that the end is almost in sight. I am delighted with the transformation! Now preparing to get started on the bathroom(s) renos, while I'm on a roll - and the handyman is available!!
This Christmas, I had received a very kind invitation from the family in Cambridge, ON, to join them all to celebrate. It would have been very special to be there, particularly as it was Finn's first Christmas......but the weather didn't co-operate! A severe ice storm caused flights to be delayed and cancelled, and brought down trees and power lines, causing wide-spread power outages, which affected Doug and Co. Fortunately, they had a generator, which provided some power to enable things to function to a degree, then on Christmas morning, hydro was restored to them - in good time to roast the turkey! - but there were many others who were not so fortunate..... Once again, my friends rallied around, with invitations to various festive gatherings and thanks to a friend's son, I am now on Skype, so I enjoyed watching Finn tucking into his Boxing Day supper, with great gusto, as fast as Roxanna could spoon the turkey, mashed potatoes and turnips into his mouth.... He is obviously thriving!! I am hoping to make it to Ontario to help to celebrate Finn's first birthday....
There is much more I could relate, but now I'll try to post some pictures, which will tell their own story. I certainly have much for which to thank God, not least of which is you, my family and friends, so I'll close by wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2014, hoping that our paths may perhaps cross this coming year. 2013 was a year when I did NOT make a trip to the UK- I can't remember when that last happened....but I am hoping to make it to the GRAND REUNION on June 21,2014, at The Abbey!!
2013 was the year for a number of firsts, with the months of February and July vying with each other - I'll let you be the judge as to which took top spot! On Friday, February 8, I became Great Granny (GG) when little Finn Daniel James Reed was born to Roxanna, in Cambridge, Ontario. He weighed in at almost 7lb and was 20 inches long. Roxanna is a wonderful mom to her baby son! I didn't meet Finn until he was more than three months old, by which time he had grown and changed a lot. Grandpa Doug, Grandma Elaine and Uncles Tony and Alex were obviously enjoying their new roles - as of course was Roxanna!
For a memorable week in February, Sue Dierks - who was visiting from Amherst, Massachusetts - another friend from here and I decided to take a winter break - to Las Vegas!! None of us had been before and it wasn't on our respective bucket lists, but the price was right and it made a great jumping off spot (?!) to visit the Grand Canyon. The weather was warm and sunny, and the Grand Canyon was as dramatic as we had been led to believe... Also accompanying us on this adventure was wee Roberta, an English relative of Flat Stanley. Roberta was the travel buddy of my 9 year-old great niece, Lily, who sent her to visit Grauntie Di (GD) who in turn made sure that she had some interesting adventures, which she recounted in the journal, which was her constant companion. She needed some help with her journalling, from GD and other new friends she made - but by the time she left to return to England, her journal was full of pictures and tales to share with Lily and her classmates....
Since moving to the new condo in early 2012, it didn't take me long to realize that it wasn't quite the place for me, so I had been looking around at possible alternatives. Despite the fact that the real estate market had been, and still is pretty slow, I decided to list the condo in the spring....and miraculously, in June, it sold!! I was then able to move in mid-July, to Summergate Village, not far from downtown Sidney. I am very happy to say that I am no longer a condo owner, but have my own four walls, front door and carport! Summergate is a 55+ community, comprised of some 225+ manufactured homes, each located in well-tended, peaceful, park-like surroundings, as well as a clubhouse, swimming pool and other recreational facilities. Since moving here, I feel as though I'm on vacation, especially as the lawn-mowing etc. is not the responsibility of the individual owners!
Just ten days after my move, which went very smoothly, thanks to a number of wonderful friends with trucks, showing up to move the smaller stuff, on Tuesday, July 30, I reached that three-score-years-and-ten milestone, which was well-celebrated, thanks to more wonderful friends! In honour of the occasion, my hairdresser friend even gave me purple hair! On THE day I was taken on a mystery bus trip, which brought us to beautiful Butchart Gardens, where I was treated, by these same friends, to the very fancy Afternoon Tea served there. I think we were rather a raucous bunch...but a good time was definitely had by all at our table, anyway!
Another visit from Sue, one from Sarah - we first met on the train coming across Canada in 1968, when we had both just emigrated from England! - a number of other day trips and outings, as well as several more BIG birthday celebrations, filled my social calendar, until it was time to get down to the business of preparing to have the kitchen renovated.... I really had no idea how much would be involved, but I have learned a lot and I am now happy to report that the end is almost in sight. I am delighted with the transformation! Now preparing to get started on the bathroom(s) renos, while I'm on a roll - and the handyman is available!!
This Christmas, I had received a very kind invitation from the family in Cambridge, ON, to join them all to celebrate. It would have been very special to be there, particularly as it was Finn's first Christmas......but the weather didn't co-operate! A severe ice storm caused flights to be delayed and cancelled, and brought down trees and power lines, causing wide-spread power outages, which affected Doug and Co. Fortunately, they had a generator, which provided some power to enable things to function to a degree, then on Christmas morning, hydro was restored to them - in good time to roast the turkey! - but there were many others who were not so fortunate..... Once again, my friends rallied around, with invitations to various festive gatherings and thanks to a friend's son, I am now on Skype, so I enjoyed watching Finn tucking into his Boxing Day supper, with great gusto, as fast as Roxanna could spoon the turkey, mashed potatoes and turnips into his mouth.... He is obviously thriving!! I am hoping to make it to Ontario to help to celebrate Finn's first birthday....
There is much more I could relate, but now I'll try to post some pictures, which will tell their own story. I certainly have much for which to thank God, not least of which is you, my family and friends, so I'll close by wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2014, hoping that our paths may perhaps cross this coming year. 2013 was a year when I did NOT make a trip to the UK- I can't remember when that last happened....but I am hoping to make it to the GRAND REUNION on June 21,2014, at The Abbey!!
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