Now for something really funny...

From Jack Knox in the Times-Colonist today. He really knows how to write humour. What a great way to start my day!

One week down, 51 to go. Let’s peer into the crystal ball and see what 2010 has in store for us:

Jan. 1 — B.C.’s ban on driving while using handheld devices begins.

Jan. 10 — Saanich police report 17 rear-enders caused by drivers surreptitiously texting between their knees.

Feb. 12 — Olympic cauldron is lit.

Feb. 13 — Olympic cauldron is doused by billiondollar 2010 Games security team. Biathletes are disarmed, forced to throw snowballs instead. Figure skaters made to go barefoot. Barack Obama pays surprise visit to Vancouver, is repeatedly waterboarded “just in case.” Global media dub Whistler “Guantanamo North.”

Feb. 22 — Guinness World Records verifies that Warren Beatty slept with 13,000 women. Tiger Woods reclaims amateur status. Jon Gosselin applies for sainthood.

Feb. 28 — Economy collapses. So does the government. Dollar falls and can’t get up. Pine beetle crosses Rockies, develops a taste for wheat. Floods, plague, pestilence, famine, fire, unemployment, drought sweep across nation. Canadian men win Olympic hockey gold. Nation erupts in joy. It’s the best day ever.

or Economy rebounds. Dollar soars like Eddie the Eagle. Pine beetle turns out to be Asian delicacy, sells for $45 a gram. Canada tops Olympic medal standings, but fails to make men’s hockey final, in which U.S. beats Russia 5-3. Nation put on suicide watch. It’s the worst day ever.

March 1 — Prime Minister Stephen Harper dies tragically while attempting to tell a joke.

March 4 — Harper prorogues his own burial, defends decision as “fairly standard procedure.”

March 24 — Tourism Victoria’s annual flower count tallies a record 16 billion. Wait, no, that’s the homeless count.

April 18 — Stephen “Piano Man” Harper wins posthumous Juno for Best New Artist. Ottawa restores federal arts funding.

May 23 — Polar ice cap melts. Inuit take up water skiing. “Jury still out on climate change,” says Canadian government.

June 15 — Earthquake flattens Victoria. Blue bridge is all that’s left standing.

July 1 — B.C. implements HST, angering voters and pushing up cost of items previously exempt from seven per cent provincial sales tax. “If it’s my political funeral, so be it,” says Gordon Campbell.

July 2 — HST adds seven per cent to cost of political funeral.

Aug. 11 — China overtakes Japan as world’s second largest economy. Walmart remains No. 1.

Aug. 23 — Salmon all gone, replaced by mackerel and other warm-water fish. Tofino surfers throw away wetsuits, but are killed by piranhas. “Jury still out on climate change,” says Canadian government.

Sept. 18 — Facebook membership surpasses global population. They all had toast for breakfast, just in case you were dying to know.

Sept. 26 — Locusts wipe out Prairie crops. B.C. forests burn. Hurricanes batter Atlantic Canada. TV meteorologists ditch Environment Canada forecast, read straight from Old Testament instead. “Jury still out on climate change,” says Canadian government.

Oct. 8 — Underwear Bomber scare leads to installation of full-body scanner at Victoria International Airport. Bad news: It’s more Big Brother technology. Good news: Big Brother finds your car keys.

Nov. 19 — Terrorists are caught boarding No. 50 Goldstream bus in Langford. Incident leads to installation of full-body scanners by B.C. Transit, which also tells passengers to leave carry-on baggage at home and arrive three hours early for buses.

Nov. 24 — Oops, the CRD blew the math. Property-tax bills for new sewage system will average $15,000 annually. Residents riot in the streets, except in Uplands, where they hire people from Langford to riot for them.

Dec. 12 — Manitoba mosquitoes spread malaria — in winter. Rideau Canal boils. Mounties trade stetsons for French Foreign Legion kepis.

Saanich Peninsula farmers replace broccoli with coffee plants. “Jury still out on climate change,” says Canadian government, moments before Ottawa is consumed by fire and brimstone from above.


Times Colonist Digital

A great sunrise today

Oscar got lucky and got in early today since I got up to take a photo of this great sunrise.

The cat came back...

We missed our old friend yesterday since he didn't turn up at all. It was a pretty miserable day so perhaps he was cosy and warm or not let out. Jim got so far as to put on his golf sweater. John and Jeanette had invited us to Uplands for dinner so we learned that John and Allen played the full 18 holes, Mo hit one shot and left, and Ed played one hole.

So wintry they're even building igloos!

Maureen sent me this photo taken in the UK.

Just to keep this blog honest...

I guess I figured everyone would get the joke since I did post a photo of myself snuggled up warm with Oscar reading a mystery and eating fudge New Year's Day but it seems a number of people actually thought I was braving the chilly waters of Vesuvius Bay! John has a place on Saltspring and he always takes photos of the plungers and he photoshopped me into one just for fun. He's the one who photoshopped Patty's smart car with petunias for me. Patty got fooled as well and actually had to go out and see her car wasn't painted with petunias! Powerful program this Photoshop...


These are the real people who braved the waters.

Snow covers Britain from head to toe - Telegraph

This is a NASA satellite image of Britain. Worst snowfall in 50 years. Wow.

Snow covers Britain from head to toe - Telegraph

The culprit is surely not this innocent looking wee beast?

Can this really be the federal government?

We went in to get our passports yesterday and didn't have to wait at all...how amazing is that! Plus the new short form that you can fill out online was fabulous because you can repeat a lot of the info that is the same for both. We did have a paper one filled in but had signed a date in Dec when we thought we'd go in but didn't so did the online one. Highly recommended.

Bad Men aka Mad Men

Richard gave us the first season of Mad Men and we enjoyed it immensely...very amusing, perceptive, and true to the times. It was interesting to see things from the past like the Kennedy-Nixon presidential race and rather sad to be reminded of what women my age had to live through in terms of sexual harassment, discrimination, and limited opportunities.



I wonder if Season 2 will see any of these lovelies stop acting like spoiled children and actually grow up...not looking too promising so far.

My hidden talents as a Polar Bear Swimmer....

From my cousin, John. I think he got a great photo of me doing the new year's day plunge into Vesuvius Bay:

Hi Janice,

I manged to get one good picture of you partaking in the new year's day plunge into Vesuvius Bay. The rest were kind of a blur as you moved rather quickly on the way out.

John

Friends

A dear friend brought me this card yesterday.



And inside:

"To Janice,

So for many people, in many different ways, this last decade since the Millenium has been quite the roller coaster ride. We have all been grappling with so many different issues, on so many various levels.
I just hope we can all keep our heads and hearts in the right places, do the right thing and continue a long-lasting friendship that is hopefully deep-rooted enough, so as not to wither.

And may the New Year be kinder and gentler in spirit."

I was very touched by these words and I would say they describe the last couple of recent decades for me. Another dear friend recently commented that my blog seemed to project an ideal life. It isn't my intention and it certainly isn't true. It's more that I try to focus on upbeat things for the most part(...apart from the odd rant!).

I expect this decade will bring many calamities as well but perhaps sprinkled with some joyous occasions and happy experiences for some of us that we all can share in.

What we do have control over is to be "kinder and gentler in spirit" and hang tightly to family and friends.

Remembering the fallen in Afghanistan

For:

Michelle Lang, 34 - Journalist, Calgary Herald.
Lt. Andrew Nuttall, 30, of Victoria.
Pte. Garrett William Chidley, 21, of Langley.
Cpl. Zachery McCormack, 21, of Edmonton.
Sgt. George Mick, 28, of Edmonton.
Sgt. Kirk Taylor, 28, of Yarmouth.

It's a very very sad way for the friends and families of these young people to begin the new year and my heart goes out to them. I hope they will find peace and comfort in knowing they will be fondly remembered by many Canadians.



Michelle Lang on the far right.



Andrew Nuttall on the far left.



Garrett Chidley on the far left.



Zachery McCormack.



Kirk Taylor.



George Mick.

A good start...

I would say the first day of the new year and the new decade began very well. I began reading one of my Christmas books, "Death at La Fenice" by Donna Leon. Wow, a new (to me) mystery writer who I am liking very much and she's written a big whack of these mysteries so lots to enjoy. And they take place in Venice...what a bonus! I think anyone who has been to Venice just loves just about anything that takes place in Venice. Such a magical place...even though it was cold, raining, and St. Mark's was flooding...nothing can spoil Venice.

One of the things Ian gave us for Christmas was lots of this wonderful fudge from Tim Horton's. This will have to be a Christmas tradition...thanks, Ian.

So, eating fudge, discovering a new mystery writer, reading about Venice...and of course Oscar in my lap. Does it get any better than this?











And of course Oscar got to be with his favourite buddy...

Happy New Year!

All the best to my readers in 2010!

Lots of fun and laughter

We had a super time with Derek and Mary and Tim last night. It was so great to see Tim looking so well and out of that horrible back pain he has been suffering.

Jim ordered a coq au vin and I must say it turned out well even if I do say so myself!


Of course, Mary and Jim look ok, but I think my coq au vin is the star of the photo...oh...and did I mention I got a hole in one the year before last in Palm Springs and that Jim has never got a hole in one...



Derek just congratulated me on my hole in one...and the coq au vin.



Tim and Mary admiring my coq au vin and complimenting me on my hole in one...
(P.S. I guess you can tell this was running joke for the evening!)

Now family tradition

My cousin John and Carol usually try to join us for lunch a few days after Christmas while they are relaxing on Saltspring. A family joke now is party hats are mandatory so I saved him one from our Christmas celebration. John brought some crackers but lo and behold no hats! John, I found the hats folded up at the bottom of the box. I've put them away for next year.

Lots of fun as usual and we learned about how they sent photos over the wire in the dark ages. John was a professional photographer so we took advantage of getting him to take a photo of Jim and I. Best one so far this season, of course.





Carol and John.



Jim and I making a big bang.



I think Richard and Carol made the most noise.



John and his party hat.



Oscar making his rounds.



Oscar resting in the sun after all the visiting and excitement.

Christmas at Kate and Jean's

We had a super time at Kate and Jean's for Christmas dinner...thank you so much!

It's become quite a tradition with the two families now and along with Derek and Mary, Jean's sister, Marna, and Derek's mom, Nin, joined us as well as Ian and we three. So ten for dinner and the two dogs made for a lively group.

It is a small world since Ian and Nin realized they were on the Aquitania together. Ian would have only been about 5 years old and Nin was coming out to meet Andy in B.C. She was a war bride just like Jim's mom was. Ian joked that he was the little guy that kicked her in the shins...Nin said she owes him one now!


Nin



Nin singing a Chelsea football song...what fun!



Richard helping with the crackers.



Derek and Ian. Ian got the best sock award for the evening...



It wouldn't be Christmas without the dogs, Holly and Ian.



Mary and Kate.



Jean kept a roaring fire going all evening...a real Yukon girl.



Richard, Kate, and Jim.



Nin, Marna, and Jean enjoying their crackers.



Everyone showing off their finger puppets.

A good time is had by all

Jim decided to give Richard his kilt outfit since it's a bit tight on him and not that comfortable and also his tux which he doesn't wear anymore. The kilt is special because Bill Thomas gave it to him and Susan Carr knit the socks...they will all be in good hands. The tux got bought because of that stint Jim did at Royal Roads Military College and had to go to a few black tie events. The military doesn't let you choose what you wear...

We also gave Richard our old picnic basket and the old red check tablecloth...stains and all. Richard has a lot of fond memories of picnics with this old basket and it took me a while to find it but I did.

The turkey in a box turned out pretty well and Jim and Richard did any work there was to be done. Next year Richard is taking charge of the Christmas Eve turkey dinner or it might be a brined roast chicken. Anything I don't have to do any work for will be great!


He looks like a real Scot don't you think?



My Dad's violin is the perfect prop.







I love seeing men in the kitchen...not a common site around here but Jim is making brunch as I post.







Oscar got very comfy with Richard this morning.



Only Elaine could find such a perfect gift for me...bright colours and cats!



Jim got some real finds for my books this year.