After 33 Years

4 kids,

1 daughter-in-law and 3 son-in-laws,

5 grandchildren,

25 years of milking cows,

a lifetime of farming,

nearly 14 years of teaching,

visits to 4 continents,

volunteering in our community,

and with God's blessings -

I'm so glad I married him!

Happy Anniversary, Bob!   Love you!! 

As a good friend wrote to us, it's one-third of a century!!  Yesterday morning (our actual anniversary date) as we were flying home, I said to him, "Did you ever think 33 years ago that we would be flying to New York to visit our grandson, or that we'd have 4 married children, or that we'd have lived a life filled with so much goodness? "  And his answer - "I couldn't have imagined where life would take us!  There's  been so much more to it than I ever thought."  And I agree whole-heartedly!!

(picture taken in Central Park)

Ten on Thursday

1.  The Newark airport was jam packed with people this morning!  So many flights had been cancelled yesterday that it created quite alot of mayhem there as everyone came back this morning to try to get on other flights.  Our plane stood on the tarmack for more than an hour before it was airborne.

2.  On my list of things to do next time we visit New York City -

     - a tour of the United Nations 

     - an evening  at a Broadway play

     - a city bus tour on one of the double decker busses

     - another walk through Central Park

     - a longer visit to F.A.O. Schwarz, the toystore

     - a visit to the hospital where Tyler is studying

     - more cuddling with Samuel

I might have to go more than once!

3.  The espresso machine was down at Starbuck's this morning and they couldn't make any hot specialty drinks.   What a disappointment!

4.   We came home to find - 

raspberries - 

zucchini - 

and peas in our garden!

5.  You should see how purple my hands are after picking an ice cream pail full of saskatoons tonight!  There's at least another pail full still out there to be picked in the morning.  

How marvelous it is to have fresh produce in the summertime!!

6.  The first - and biggest - tomato on my potted plant is turning pink!

7.  Heather picked us up at the airport today - the sweetest sound was "Gramma, Gramma, Gramma" and the best gift was great big smiles from Silas, Helayna and Heather!

8.  It is good to be safely home, out in the countryside, where the air is fresh and cool!

9.  I spent a couple of hours during our plane ride home this morning editting some of the 550+ pictures we took.  Pictures like this - - 

Oh, is he ever fun to play with now!!  Grampa really got the smiles going with his little games.  

10.   Using the Her Space My Space His Space prompts for this week:

Tool

Polychromatic (showing many colors)

Key

Today

Today we enjoyed one last day with Mel, Tyler and Samuel in New York City.

Today I baked cookies, cake and blueberry muffins for Mel.

Today we tried to check-in online and found that our original flight had been cancelled!

Today we spent 2 hours helping Mel wash and dry 5 loads of clothes at the laundromat, instead of going to the airport.  

Today we went to the airport 3.5 hours later than first planned for our rescheduled flight.

Today Tyler came home early because his afternoon lectures at the hospital were cancelled.  

Today we ate Chinese dumplings, rice salad and leftovers for a late lunch.  And Bob and Tyler also shared a jar of herring!

Today we paid $75 dollars for a cab ride to the airport.  

Today we tried to check-in at the airport to find out that our second flight had been cancelled too - and there was no way of getting home today!  Electrical storms, high winds and 3" of rain will shut an airport down in a big hurry.

Today we, along with several hundred other passengers, scrambled to find a hotel where we could spend the night and get back to the airport for 6 a.m..

Today we spent the evening watching TV!

Today we set our alarm clock for 4:30 a.m. - insane!!

Today we said good-bye (yes, tearfully!)  to this sweet little one and his mama and papa.  I hope we can see them again very, very soon!!

Today I was inspired by Stacy Julian to journal my day this way :))

Simple Woman #52 - Celebrating One Year!!

For Today . . . July 27, 2009

Outside my window. . . hot, hot, hot and humid, humid, humid!  It's New York in the summertime - the fan is blowing, the air conditioner is pumping out and still it's warm.

I am  thankful . . . that we have had this time with Samuel, Melinda and Tyler in the place they are calling home.  

And I am also thankful . . . for fresh, wholesome food produced without hormones and other chemicals.  

I am praying . . . for a safe flight as we return home tomorrow.  

I am thinking . . . about Melinda and Samuel home alone all day while Tyler is at the hospital.  

From the kitchen. . . fresh strawberries and watermelon, granola from Jill, and some cool delicious salads like Mediterranean Rice Salad and Watermelon - Tomato Salad, fresh corn on the cob and cookies! 

I am wearing . . . black shorts, black and brown tank top, bare feet.

I am reading . . . just finished The Book of Negroes  and ready to start 

I am hoping . . . to buy some postcards of New York and mail them today.

I am hearing . . . Samuel cooing to Grampa and his Mommy.

I am creating . . . a list of things to do the next time we come to NYC - so much to see and do here in The Big Apple!

Around the house and yard . . . Naomi reports that the raspberries are starting to ripen and there are lots of saskatoons ready for picking.  

One of my favourite things . . . visiting fresh markets and seeing all the produce lined up.  (We're going to Brooklyn's Chinatown tomorrow for a little reminder of our Taiwan experience 3 years ago!)    

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . going with Melinda and Samuel to his 2 month checkup (just a little late), seeing a few more sights in NYC, flying home, sleeping in our own bed (!), getting organized so the guys can go hiking in the mountains on their annual trek.  

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you . . . Samuel trying out front facing in the Baby Bjorn - and loving it!  We met Mel's friend, Tarynn, downtown while the guys went out together, and we went to Trader Joe's (a great grocery /  specialty item food store).  Then we lugged our very heavy bags up and down the subway stairs and finally got home at 10 p.m.!

And to celebrate my one year anniversary with Simple Woman (which I have loved!), if you can tell me what famous New York City landmarks these are, I'll enter your name in a little New York giveaway!

#1

#2

Thanks for playing along-

and 

for being faithful readers and online friends!

Hanging Out with Samuel

I guess it's been a few years since we've been in a very hot, humid place - but New York is that place right now!!  The humidex today was 31.4 and all of us were melting.  The air conditioning at church made quite a difference and the breezes and trees in Central Park kept us cool there but here at home, it's quite another story!

So what do the guys do when it's that hot?  Basically they wear as a few clothes as possible - and hang out next to the air conditioner or fan!

Arm wrestling with Mom -

talking to Gramma and smiling at him - 

and doing some serious thinking keeps Samuel quite occupied!

A First

We left the heat and craziness of New York City behind and headed off on a little road trip this weekend.  Mel figured that her Dad might like to see some farmland so we headed  to Pennsylvania.    And it just so happens that I have a blogging friend who lives out that way - so it was a perfect excuse to contact Jill at MamaLoaf and stop by to say hello.

Google Maps said it was 166 miles - and should take 2.4 hours but it didn't account for Friday afternoon traffic and a 2 month old baby!!!  Let's just say that we got there a few hours later than we wanted to and Victor (her little boy) and her beloved chickens were already in bed.   It was marvelous to see her home (just like her pictures show), meet her husband and some of his family, and visit for a little bit.  I told her that we'd be back again - for a much longer visit next time.   It was my first experience with meeting a blogging friend in real life and it was even better than I imagined.  Thank you so much, Jill and Brian - see you soon, we pray!

And to copy the MasterCard ad of a few years ago:

1 tank of gas - $36.00

supper - $46.84

bridge tolls - $34.45

meeting Jill and Brian - priceless!!!!!!!

Ten on Thursday - from NYC

1. Samuel is just as sweet as he was a month ago - but now he's cooing and smiling and responding - and it's even more fun to hang out with him!

2. It's hot and humid in NYC - 30 degrees C and relative humidity of 88%.

3. Fresh markets here are so much better than at home! We found amazing shiitake and baby portobello mushrooms,, great deals on blackberries, sweet potatoes and squash for 59 cents a pound and bunch spinach for 99 cents. Not quite as cheap as Poland but way better than Alberta!

4. Tyler flew home to Nova Scotia tonight for his friend Rob's wedding this weekend. We all miss him :((

5. It's really hard to take any pictures when it's raining outside - but rain does cool things off!

6. Have you ever been in a Costco store that's 2 stories high??? I had my first experience with that today. But we only 20 minutes until closing time so we had no time for browsing.

7. My husband is a very good builder / setter-upper / helper around the house - especially when his girls need his help.

8. Samuel and I read Clifford the Big Red Dog today - and he was mesmerized by the big red shape on each page. It was so cute to watch!

9. We saw the family medicine clinic that Tyler is working at during this part of his family medicine rotation - but I didn't get any pictures of it - see #5 above!

10. A fan makes all the difference in the world when your house is hot!!

I apologize for no pictures - hopefully tomorrow!

The Big Apple

After a quiet morning at home with Samuel (and trying to catch up on our sleep after taking the red-eye flight), we helped Melinda pick up some shelves for their bedroom at IKEA and then took the subway downtown to meet Tyler.  

Our destination was Rockefeller Center - and The Top of the Rock.  From the observation deck up here you can see all around Manhattan.

including Central Park in the north (that green space with 2 lakes) - 

and the Empire State Building in the south.

We had supper at Mother Burger and then walked through Times Square.  What a lot of people and bright lights!

I thought it was cool to see these guys patrolling the streets.

And to see some interesting landmarks like the M & M Store - 

and the show theaters.

It was a great walk - so what I expected for this city!  It was spectacular at night - I had a great time with my camera :))

And the Her Space My Space His Space word of the day was celebration - perfect for Tyler's 28th birthday today!  We went to Coldstone Creamery and had 'gotta love it size' (12 oz.) sundaes to celebrate.  Happy Birthday, Tyler!!

Safe and Sound

We are here in New York with Melinda, Tyler and precious Samuel!  He has grown so much!!  The little bassinet that he sleeps in is nearly filled up now.  

I just snapped some random photos as we drove home from the airport.

Of course the toll booth was along the expressway!  Mel paid $20.20 total today - adds up fast!  And she drove less than 50 miles!

Over at Her Space My Space His Space, the word of the day is receptacle - to hold or contain something.  Here is my take from the airport:

I'm going to try to keep the daily word in my mind as I wander the streets of NYC.  Thanks for coming by today!

Simple Woman #51

For Today . . . July 20, 2009

Outside my window . . . a sunny summer day, +25 degrees C, grass is freshly cut, garden is weeded .

I am  thankful . . . that I don't have to worry about yesterday or tomorrow, God has given me today to live, with all its beauty and goodness.

And I am also thankful . . . for sisters!

I am praying . . . for safe travels as we head to New York to visit Melinda, Tyler and Samuel.

I am thinking . . . about an application I have to fill out.

From the kitchen . . .  the first fresh young potatoes from the garden!  We are taking some to Darrin and Kelsey and some to Heather and Jonathan.   We had chicken salad sandwiches and fresh fruit today.  

I am wearing . . . jean capris, a yellow striped tshirt and black flip flop sandals (not much different from last week!!).

I am reading . . . The Book of Negroes - still working on this one - it's an awesome read.

I am hoping . . . to meet an online friend this week!

I am hearing . . . CBC radio "As It Happens", one of my favourite radio  shows.  

I am creating . . . precious little other than memories and photos these days! 

Around the house and yard . . . everything's weeded, watered and otherwise cared for.  

One of my favourite things . . . visiting our children and their families.    

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . seeing Darrin and Kelsey tonight, an overnight airplane flight, seeing Heather and Silas before they fly home tomorrow, getting to cuddle Samuel again, doing a little sight seeing around NYC, taking a drive out into the country and thoroughly enjoying Melinda and Tyler again.   

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you . . . one more picture from the World Wide Photo Walk!  These are the cement coils on one of the dragons in the Chinese garden.  I like this picture alot!

Next week will mark the one year anniversary of my Simple Daybook project!   Watch for a celebration :))

World Wide Photo Walk - part 2

Some people went on the Photo Walk with the goal of shooting a particular type of shot but I just snapped wildly at everything that caught my fancy!

I thought this sign was perfect - the Photo Walk was a special event!

I like how the way the buildings and road curve around here.  The sky was cloudy for the first part of the morning and it made for great sky photos.

Esther and I want to go check this place out!

Classic shot of the North Saskatchewan River, the Convention Center (low white and black building just above the trees), Canada Place (red building) and the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald (castle like on the left side).  I like the reflection.

Carved in the bridge railing.

Just pointed down and shot as he passed me.

Resting on the picnic table, oblivious to all who spoke to him.  One of the guys in our group got an amazing photo with lower light - the light is coming through individual hairs of the beard. 

Chinese Bridge

In the Chinese gardens. 

Photographers at work!  A Chinese couple was in the pagoda and their photographer was taking pictures of them, while we took pictures of all of them!

I think the title might be "Going Up Together" - again just snapped off as they passed by.  I'm amazed at how straight I got everything. 

Esther had quite a chat with this man, after she reassured him that she wasn't "another damn reporter"!

Another photographer at work under the Low Level Bridge.  Do you recognize the tree from yesterday - last photo I posted, I think?

On the bridge - thank you for railings or I might have been too close for comfort!

Fairmont Hotel MacDonald 

Canada Place and the Convention Center, seen from the other direction.

Thanks for looking!  I took 276 pictures in 2 hours that morning!  It was a great morning spent doing 2 things that my sister loves - walking and taking pictures.  This was our time together in honour of her birthday - love you, E!!