Rainy days in Vancouver

We went into Vancouver this Thursday to Saturday to get our Nexus pass and have some R & R especially for Jim who has had a hellish term. Don and Elaine were able to join us which was terrific as it was their first little jaunt since their extremely hellish year. We decided to stay at the Granville Island Hotel and we both got view suites so it was fun even in the rain watching all the False Creek action and being on Granville Island. We all had a super dinner in the Dockside Restaurant there the first night then we had dinner with Richard and Claudia in the Brewpub side the next night...very cosy in there with the fireplace and wood panelling.

And a bonus was Roger and Kerry were in town in their new condo so we saw them for lunch before heading home on Saturday. We just loved their condo and I'll post photos tomorrow.


View from our room.


The kayakers and Canada geese seem to be having a race here.


Claudia and Richard joining us in the Brewpub.


The Curlings engaged in the very serious business of getting saucage and pates at that great place in the market.


Don and Elaine were well prepared for the weather with their so'westers. I love this Ocean Cement display.


The painted cement trucks seem to be a new thing or perhaps I've just not noticed.


This was a neat display the Emily Carr students had done. I'm always interested in these mini structures.


This one was made into a living space for one person but other ones were made into office spaces, etc.



Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow shall stop them....

Will the hilarity ever end?

Reading the the Globe and Mail today that Palin spent much more than $150 grand on her clothes and even bought a Louis Vuitton bag for her daughter. Teaching great values there when people are losing their homes, pensions, jobs, and going bankrupt because of medical bills.

Seems the McCain insiders are out to get her for the expenses and for incredible gaps of knowledge...like thinking Africa was a country and not realizing it is a continent and not knowing the nations involved in NAFTA...wow. And this is who they picked to be a heartbeat away from president of the US!

Apparently lawyers are already on their way to snatch back the clothes...seems she sat around in a towel while meeting high ranking Republicans so doesn't sound like she needs them anyway. It would be a nice gesture to auction them off and give the proceeds to an African relief fund.

For the young man in Houston

In 2004 we had dinner at a restaurant in downtown Houston and were served by a young man who was very interested in the fact we were Canadians as he was so ashamed of his country that he wished he could immigrate to Canada. He had to fight back the tears as he spoke to us.

I hope his is celebrating this wonderful historic victory tonight and his tears will be of pride and joy for the future of his country.

A heart felt congratulations to the citizens of America for this wonderful election outcome tonight.

This Election Will Change the World - Christiane Amanpour

In the Field: Hear from CNN reporters across the globe Blog Archive - This election will change the world � - Blogs from CNN.com

Will the world change today?

We were listening to the French philosopher, Bernard-Henri Levy, on BBC World News yesterday and it was interesting to hear him say that there will be a world euphoria of hope and a sea change for the better if Obama wins today. He tends to be very anti-American so to hear him have hope for how the US could influence the world positively is somewhat surprising. I think he's right. How refreshing if the progressive thinkers in the US gain power.

Perhaps the world will catch a break today.

McCain pokes fun at campaign in 'SNL' visit - CNN.com

I find the appearances of the main candidates on Saturday Night Live pretty interesting. Did I miss something in the past or is this something new when the candidates who are involved in a very critical and serious political race take time out to play in skits that make fun of themselves and their campaign. I love it but I wonder if it's helpful to the candidates in the end.

Of course Palin has the easiest time...she just has to be herself to be uproariously funny. Her being taken in by those Quebec comics was hilarious although it is a little scary to think she didn't have a clue she wasn't actually talking to Sarkozy.


McCain pokes fun at campaign in 'SNL' visit - CNN.com

Aging explained

Happy Halloween!

I love this spiderweb on the door display across the street!

Someone having fun at Willows

Walking along Willow's Beach the other day and someone had built these structures out of driftwood. Pretty impressive.






This one rather looks like a person with bent knees don't you think?


Seems to be the beginning of something here...I'll have to drop by and see what develops.

It's official...fabulous autumn colours

Lots of people have been noticing how wonderful the colour of the leaves has been and it seems it isn't our imagination after all...sunny days, cool nights, and no wind.

March of the Penguins

We're getting some indoor painting done and one area is the little bathroom off the second bedroom upstairs. I couldn't resist this fabric for the window curtain!

Retirement explained

And the last of fun with food...

More fun with food...

Fun with food!

I loved these creative sculptures.

Thanks, Chris!

Our neighbour, Susan, headed off to Fiji this weekend for her annual "Girls' Away Week" and a client left her some roses just before she left so Chris brought them over for me since he "couldn't use them"...thanks, Chris.

Looking forward to hearing about the sun and sand of the south seas....






I imagine Susan is swimming up to a bar like this just about now...

What a fabulous weekend!

This was certainly a weekend to remember for weather. Jim got the storm windows up in the front where I always perch so no cool winds to disturb my comfort.

The cat across the street was enjoying the sun as well...it looked perfect lying there between the two pumpkins.

Tell me it ain't so, Joe.

This from the Telegraph. I love Mr. Kipling products when we're in Britain...how can people stop buying them!

"Premier Foods, which manufacturers a host of store cupboard favourites, from Branston pickles and Hovis bread to Bird's custard and Oxo gravy, saw its shares plunge by 54 per cent at one stage.

It has been hit hard by the economic downturn as shoppers ditch upmarket brands and "trade down" to supermarket own-label goods. It has also suffered from the dramatic increase in the cost of commodities, especially wheat prices.

The company was forced to issue a statement to the stock market saying it was not having problems paying back money it owes to its banks."

Reading seen as crisis relief

This was the heading of an article in the TC lately. Booksellers are hopeful that burying your head in a book during the crisis might be what people want to do. I hope they also want read newspapers again although according to John newspaper readership has gone down tremendously.

I can't imagine starting my day without the comfort of a newspaper in the morning even if it is mostly bad news these days. I've started to read The Desert Sun online lately. We really enjoy it when we're in the desert. It's nice to know we'll be in the sun and warmth before long.

From John's blog to go with the photo:

1967 — In the 1960’s almost everyone subscribed to a newspaper as it was the only way to get news. The rule for a Saturday newspaper was 50 papers per bag and judging from the thickness of the newspapers I can see I bet this picture was taken on a Saturday so the young women with the wagon had very close to 250 subscribers on her route, not unusual for the west end of Vancouver then. I wish it was the same today. In the 1960’s the circulation of the Vancouver Sun was close to 250,000 and a few months ago despite a ten fold increase of population the print run is as low as 148,000.




John's Photo Blog
Miscellaneous photographs


MyDesert.com | Palm Springs Today's Newspaper | The Desert Sun

Happy Birthday, Richard!

Have a super birthday today, Richard!

Being such a baseball fan I guess an annual birthday present is the World Series. We don't follow baseball that much but we got looking at the game between Tampa Bay and the Boston Red Sox. I always liked the Red Sox when I was a kid collecting baseball cards and everyone loved baseball. I think I was attracted to the red socks....

Anyway, Tampa Bay would have gone into the World Series if they won and were up 7-0 in the seventh inning. Fans in Fenway Park in Boston were leaving but would be regretting it. The Sox came back to win 8-7. Way to go Boston!


Richard practicing his pitching skills.

Richard will be proud of me...

At my son's encouragement and prodding I decided to vote in this boring, waste of money, bunch of bums running election. The only good thing is we don't have the wide extremes of opinions like in the US.

How to Salvage an Undercooked Turkey

This would have come in very handy last night except the power went out all over the south Island at 5:40! It came back on in about an hour so Monique and her niece from France, Annelise, were able to get out of the garage, the Curlings just missed getting stuck in the elevator, weird things going on with the turkey, and I managed to drop a glass dish of cranberry sauce on the floor...thanks Richard and Jim for cleaning it up.

How to Salvage an Undercooked Turkey | eHow.com

The Curlings just sold their truck and camper yesterday so we could have used their oven and stove. The Bings fired up their bar-b-q so we might have been able to heat the gravy at least. Chrystal and Colin were having an especially big group too. We both came out on our front porches at the same time and threw up our hands.

I think I have cooked my last turkey...raclette for Christmas!


Claudia, Richard, Annelise, & Jim


The Curlings, Ian, and Monique in there somewhere.

One bloody disaster after another! I didn't think this new Java log I bought was burning very well...they were fantastic last year. I noticed it was still smouldering just about 15 minutes ago today. So that means getting it out of there and then the smoke really comes. We used the turkey roaster for the ashes...I won't be using it again. Then hosing it down outside. What next?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wish all my blog readers a joyful and tasty Thanksgiving!

Since this is the time when family gathers I thought it particularly appropriate that I post this photo of a bedspread that my grandmother made. I've been in a cleaning out mode and don't use the bedspread my grandmother made for me or the one she made for my mother. Crocheted things just really aren't our style. Fern was delighted to have the bedspreads and kept my mother's (the one in the photo) and gave mine to her sister Lynda who was also delighted to have it. I've kept the tablecloth she did as a memento and I have displayed it from time to time. Seeing them and knowing they are enjoyed gives me a lot of pleasure as my memories of my grandmother almost alway include her crocheting one of these squares. She made bedspreads and tablecloths for both her daughters and her three grand-daugthers and for perhaps even her two daughters-in-law...not sure about that.

We're having a larger group than usual and I'm really looking forward to it. Richard and Claudia are coming over from Vancouver. Monique and her niece from France are coming as well as the Curlings and Ian.

I"ll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down

Seems to sum up McCain's debating skills at his favoured town hall meeting format. I see CNN's commentators gave McCain a report card of C,C,C,C,B and Obama A,A,B,B,B. I would agree with that.

McCain looked like a cornered Bantam rooster about to be slaughtered most of the time. Apart from his dreadful ideas McCain didn't appear physically or mentally fit to be dog catcher let alone President of the United States.

Presidential debate report card - CNN.com

When I posted this over 38,000 CNN viewers gave McCain an average "D" grade and Obama got an average "B" grade.

Hurrah for Tina Fey!

Just thought I'd post these Sarah Palin spoofs in case you missed them. Apparently she did a very funny one yesterday along the lines of "If you want a candidate that drops their "g's" then vote for me. Doesn't seem to be on YouTube yet.

Itty Bitty Book Review: The Private Patient

"The Private Patient" by P.D. James

What a treat to have another novel by P.D.! Sounds like this will be her last...inspired by being a patient herself recently with some heart trouble apparently. Vintage P.D. but then I am a great fan and not a great critic but I think most people would agree it's up to her usual standard and perhaps even better. I devoured it in our stormy Autumn weather...perfect weather for a mystery.

My new toy!

I have been wondering what to do with over 10,000 digital photos that I have on my computer. Of course I do print some up especially those with people in them and I do post a lot on my blog but I was thinking of a way to enjoy them without fuss or muss and the digital photo frame seemed to have possibilities.

I'm really delighted with this technology and have just put all the photos from our four months in 2005 in France (and Brussels) and our trip to France last year in June 2007 on a USB stick that can be inserted into the frame and you can watch these cycle through. It even plays little films you've taken with sound and you can put music with the photos if you want. You can also put in your memory cards from your camera but I have erased these after I uploaded them to my computer. Now I will erase the photos I don't want and keep them for the digital frame.

I've installed the frame in my kitchen window and our plan is to have it on during the day. It's really great to see these memories as we're preparing meals, washing up, and just going through the kitchen for one reason or another. It's given us a lot of pleasure already.

This is a great additional way to enjoy your photos so think of giving it a try!



The photo on the screen at the moment I took this photo is of the Thursday market in our wonderful little village of Carqueiranne. This is a display of dry saucage. I figured Don would love it.

Autumn has arrived

I rather enjoyed the rain last night while I was reading my new P.D James. We had our first fire and it was highlighted by these wonderful flowers Tim and Bronwen brought! It was a really fun evening and we had a lot of laughs.

More great views from the Curlings condo

Enjoying the views from Don and Elaine's condo has made me realize I would want a view if we moved into a condo. And they have the added bonus of these wonderful Garry Oak trees in front so you have a real feeling of being in a park as well. The enclosed sunroom is a wonderful idea and I can see why they eat all their meals there looking at the view and having the outside balcony just makes it perfect.

The credit crisis is standing between Americans and their cars - Telegraph

The credit crisis is standing between Americans and their cars - Telegraph




Now here's a real car!

Isn't Photoshop great!

John sent this altered photo of our new car...love it!




Now, for those of you who are giving us a hard time about buying a "gas guzzler"...please remember how we use this car. Jim drives one mile to work and we take it out for the odd Sunday drive. Gas and carbon footprint aren't worth considering so why not have something fun to drive for the small amount we do drive!

And the government actually paid us in the "Scrap-It" program to get rid of our old car. The LeBaron was rated at 21 MPG Highway and 16 MPG City. Heck, the Mustang is 23 Highway and 17 City...progress.

I know some people who regularly drive from Dunbar in Vancouver to Abbotsford and to Saltspring Island. I won't mention names. Now, that's a gas bill and carbon footprint worth worrying about...*smile*