Tonight's sunset...

Too exhausted to go to the photo class tonight and hadn't done my "homework".  Tonight's sunset.

Joined the Vancouver Aquarium today.

I always loved the penquins at the old zoo Stanley Park had and now the aquarium has penguins.  No more orcas but there are the belugas and my beloved sea otters.  Very cool jellyfish display at the moment.  Lots to see and lots of activities....good for rainy days especially I think.

jellyfish

 beluga

 penquins

 otter

 sea lion

dolphin

A few photos of the apartment....

 We put this bistro set in front of the window since we had the space and were missing that particular close up view of the seawall and all the goings-on.  It's a great little area sit.

 Part of living room into the dining area.  We made some separation with bookcases and they make my little desk area more like a den for me.

 Other side of the living room,

 My desk area.

 Dining room and my art studio.

A friend sent this comment today about clouds so I will stop apologizing for all the photos of them and hopefully will take better photos as I learn to use my new camera.

"I love clouds too. I love the changing "landscape" of the sky. I have received my greatest inspirations from looking at the sky. (I know it sounds odd, but I have also received answers to complex problems that way--symbolically, of course.)"

A perfect day....

From our balcony last evening...I do promise to take more than photos of clouds from our balcony soon!

Lunch outside at Las Margaritas,  hit some golf balls at the University Course so Jim could try out his new clubs...he loves them!  Soon an evening walk along the seawall.  Almost went for a swim at Second Beach Pool but a bit windy.  A number of people went in the ocean today and didn't completely rush out so can't be too bad.  Perhaps we'll get in the ocean in June this year if the weather holds.

The Great Gatsby

We went to see the movie yesterday and we both felt it worked very well.  Yes,  the beginning was a bit over the top but the point is to depict the excess of the jazz age and the frenzy does contrast nicely with the quiet ending scenes.  Di Caprio was meant to play the role....perfect.  I really liked the Nick Carraway actor as well.  He did an excellent job.  I had forgotten the ending since I hadn't read it since university.  Jim picked it out from our bookshelves and I look forward to reading it again.

Funny to think of Di Caprio playing as a child with Laura Huxley's adopted daughter in the yard of the place in the Hollywood Hills where we visited Laura.

My new camera, Jim's new clubs

This free camera course is taught by an extremely nice man who is willing to help these 6 senior women in the course with the most basic things...he's printing up manuals from the Internet for some of those who don't have them,  getting some special software to retrieve a photo one of the women erased by mistake....didn't know you could do that!

Although it was billed as an DSLR course,  I'm the only one who has one...the others have point and shoots.  Didn't faze the instructor.  I imagine he is used to this.  His father was a professional photographer and he seems to be a wealth of knowledge and has absolute patience.

So far just taking photos from the balcony but now that we're pretty settled in and the big to-do list is crossed off I'll get out and take some more photos of other scenes.

Jim left his clubs in Palm Springs and went out to Sports Junkies and got all the clubs he needs and great brands like Taylor Made Burners for around $175.  He was thrilled.

We get so many great cloud formation views...can't wait to learn how to capture these better and experiment using my tripod.

Just about at the end of moving in

We got all our artwork etc. up yesterday except for what is going in the second bedroom/Jim's office and got rid of some of the framed posters Richard was storing for us and we won't have room for.  A little sad to see these go but we did enjoy them over the years.  We made a decision not to buy artwork and just buy posters related to our travels.  Good decision now that I'm painting....there is just so much wall space!

I took photos of the ones we decided not to keep.

Got the summer tires on yesterday so while waiting had them drive us to Commercial and had a great lunch at Carthage on the Drive.  We always really enjoy our meals there.  Jim had the meat trio of lamb chop, merguez sausage, chicken and I had the fish duo of salmon and snapper (wonderful sauce!)

Just sat and watched the sunset and the lights.  Took a few photos on auto setting.

All from our balcony.

This photo from my iPhone...quite a difference!

Richard loves my new camera and it makes even us old folks look not too bad.

 Wonderfully appropriate that when I went to take my first photo the English Bay water slide was being put in place by a tugboat.  My mom slid down this slide as a kid and was taught swimming by Joe Fortes along with her siblings...they weren't supervised by adults so probably saved their lives learning to swim.

Richard took the rest of the photos.  We all had a great time at the Sylvia Hotel for dinner tonight.  It turns 100 this year...great article in the Sun about its history.

 Moi

 Emily

 Jim

Richard

My new camera...!

Yes,  Don,  I finally did it...bought my camera!  It's one of those newly released Canon Rebel Eos SL1 that is more lightweight than the others.  Not as lightweight as my iPhone or my first digital camera that was a "keychain" camera I bought while waiting for the train in Paris.  Those two were always with me.  This one won't be obviously but I am looking forward to learning how to take better photos.

Even though we're both pretty tired today I picked up the Spring program guide for the three local community centres  as I was renewing our Residents Only parking permit and saw that at Barclay Manor (great old heritage house a few blocks away...super place for a community centre) is offering a free course for Seniors on using your DSLR camera starting this Wed and going to June 26.  Too good an opportunity to miss!

 This was quite an amazing sunset but the iPhone doesn't really capture it.

I don't even know how to put on the camera strap.  Richard and Emily are coming over tonight so they'll get me sorted out.

Amazing progress today but we're both tired.

We unpacked and got rid of all the boxes (around 200) except for the two picture boxes...whew!   Is beginning to look like home and we're very pleased to have taken our dining room furniture.  We took everything that was in the dining room and it's all providing great storage and we also took the corner cabinet that was in our living room.  It is fitting in great and more great storage.   That was my parents' cabinet and I'm just about to dig our my father violin and put it on it.  My mom's china all survived and looks great.  I know "brown" furniture isn't in these days but there are a lot of memories here.  And Don Curling's parents Victrola cabinet....so glad we brought it all.

Was going to post some photos but once again they aren't there even though they are there....!

Here now.

You can see a bit of my art studio...quite a large space.

 Mom's china...from her "hope chest"...lots of sacrifices to buy this as a lowly telephone operator.  We visited the factory in Worcester when we were there.  The pattern is "The Duchess".  Funnily enough my mom met a woman who hand painted the finishing touches on this pattern.  I'm sure she was making even less money.  Women working for B.C. Tel did get a union eventually.  My mom had moved on to being a receptionist at Burnaby General and I'm very proud to say that she was instrumental in getting a union for the office workers there and was elected their first shop steward!

 My wonderful father's violin.   We played duets at Christmas time....about the only time I ever enjoyed playing the piano!

Here's my desk area just in-between the living and dining room.  We made a bit of a divider with two bookcases back to back.   Two large one bedrooms were put together to make this space and it wouldn't suit everyone but it's perfect for us.

Yippee....the money's in the bank!

Nuf said!

Vancouver....mon amour

I just love this city so much and especially where we are.  As with Victoria,  we just focused on a couple of blocks.   Such a wonderful, wonderful evening....wow!

The last leg...

Today went perfectly and we can't say enough about this company and these particular guys.  It's all going to fit in the end and is looking good even with all the boxes at the moment.  Enjoying the sunshine with a well deserved scotch.  I think in a week we'll be pretty much sorted.

Well...was going to post some photos but they don't seem available....weird things going on with our iPhones.

Ok...there they are...finally.

 Binky enjoying her forest.  Saw Ian the day before the big day and pleased he could use the TV we bought last year....you know,  when we were going to live in Victoria...

 We had a tremendous number of boxes but still not too bad given the space available.

Our fabulous moving guys...last thing was the cabinet we were worried about but no problem with these guys.