I Wonder Why . . .

I wonder why the garbage can sitting out at the curb had somesort of alarm ringing in it.  Walking back home and hour and a bit later, it was still ringing, but I didn't dare open it up to find out!

I wonder why we go from the hotest weather direct to rain, with no in between transition weather?

I wonder why out of the blue my Lexmark printer stopped printing but still scans, thankfully but yet, I can't reload it?

I wonder why, also computer related, when my computer reboots I now have to: F1, Escape, and Enter to get to my wallpaper?

I wonder why we have these weird soft grey bugs plaguing us lately and only at night.

I wonder why there are such things as moles, and I no longer wonder where the saying, don't make a mountain out of a molehill comes from!

I wonder why I complain to my beloved about not doing anything and yet when he suggests something, I say, no let's not do that today!

I wonder why my car fob up and stopped working even with a new battery.

I wonder why coffee always smells so much better than it actually tastes.

I wonder why I read the Big Brother 12 spoiler alerts and still end up watching the show!

I wonder why I spend so much money on lottery tickets and am still "not a winner"!

I wonder why our poor apple tree drops all of its' apples before they are edible.

Lately everything makes me go huh, I wonder why?

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Memories

This afternoon my beloved and I drove back to the place where we began our family, Richmond.   We moved to Richmond in July '71 just before Cathy was born. 

Being back there feels so foreign to me now.  In five  short years the place has changed and in the intervening time, it is no longer home, but it holds so many memories, the best being our three daughters were born there, grew up there and moved away from home to begin their wonderful, full lives.  Today's blog is about these sisters three.

It all started with Cathy, pictured here.  She was only 9 days old.

Then, April!  Although Cathy could walk, she wanted to play in her walker, just like her baby sis.

And, exactly three years to the day of Cathy's birth, along came Amy!  This is my all-time favourite family portrait taken outside of our condo.  Note the our little green VW behind us.  However did we all fit into that little beetle-bug?

Three little bathing beauties, Manoah Village Days

Our three little beauties standing under Aunty Marilyn and Uncle Shiro's newly planted tree.  I was so proud of them and the outfits they were wearing, I actually sewed them!

Yes, that is the sunshine.  The kids were dressed up for a Sunseeker's community programme day of fun. For better or worse, I sewed these costumes too.

Valentine's Day on Rosamond Avenue.  Just love the looks on all three of their faces!  I would love, love, love, to take a picture of them today looking just like this!

The three little girls along with most of their dolls, went to visit Granny and Papa on the Fraser Highway in Langley.

Springtime-Rosamondian Daze--note the poser in the middle, surrounded by Hubbabubba bubblegum blowers!

Two future cheerleaders, April on top and Cathy on the right!

Enough said!

This one cracks me up, because our neighbour Gary Coey popped himself into the picture too!  I know when the girls see this picture again they will be laughing too.

That car was a boat on wheels, and yes that's the VW in the background too. 

A little known Motor Mouth Fact:  I didn't learn to drive until I was 30, before that I was chauffered around by friends and of course by my beloved.

After I learned to drive and got my license I had nothing to drive, so my beloved found this big beauty for me to cruise around in, a '65 Impala.  Only trouble was, it was so much bigger than the compact car I learned to drive on.  It was a wild ride for the first little while but I managed, and I really loved this car.  My first set of wheels. 

Black Bear, Black Bear,what do you see?  I see three beauties laughing at me!

This picture was taken on a fairly disasterous family holiday to Peter Hope Lake. I loved it there, but the girls along with their Dad not so much.  This may have been the only time we saw smiles on the whole trip!

This is, I think, the most recent picture I have of our three beauties together, taken at Aunty Marilyn and Uncle Shiro's annual BBQ.  (I know, I know, you've seen it before), but I don't care!  Look at those faces!

These three daughters of ours have brought my beloved and I so much to our lives.  Looking back at the pictures I know I would go back in a heartbeat if I could and do it all over again.  We have been well and truly blessed.

Monday Memories are made of this!

Wordless Wednesday

Backyard Randoms

After our four mile walk this morning I remembered that there was a lone apple blossom blooming on our tree, so I took the camera out to snap it. 

After this hot spell our yard is looking pretty careworn.  I managed to shoot off a few pictures of interest in spite of it.  Hope you like them.

 No little blossom you will never become a red apple.

Our Granddaughter Abby has this awesome Alphabet book and each time I see apples on a tree I think of it..."A Was Once An Apple Pie".  We came close to losing the tree this year, so many leaves dropped off with the end result that the branches are very barren and the majority of the apples just drop to the ground.

Even if this apple was sitting on a bed of four leaf clovers it wouldn't do this apple any good!  This has been the sad story of our apple tree this year.  Not even sure we will be able to bake an Apple Pie Abby!

When Cathy and Cliff and Silvana and family moved, I was given this plant. I was so sure it was going to be a Black Eyed Susan, but surprise, surprise, Euchanasia instead! (Don't know if I spelled that name right!) Only two flowers this year, can't wait to see how much this one will multiply in the years to come!

Despite the hot weather, or maybe, for all I know, in spite of it, this is the very first year I have had second blooms on my clematis.  The flowers are quite a bit smaller, but still every bit as lovely!  I liked the view from the back looking through to our yard.

This is my all-time favourite picture from the ones I took today.  The left behind "pod" of the first blooming clematis.  I love this picture so much it is now the wallpaper on my computer.  If you like it, you too may use it.  Feel free.    So organic and sculptural.

We have been waiting to sample these tastey little morsals. Tomorrow my beloved and I will pick them!

Monday Memories

Today's Monday Memories focus mainly on my dear Dad.  After a lovely visit with my mom, I asked her where was that box of photos?  I found it, but oh my, so many memories, so little time to persue them!  My beloved was waiting for us to call him about a late lunch, and late it was.  I was fortunate enough to find these few before we rushed off.  I can't wait to get back to that boxful of photos!

I had seen this picture many, many times, but I was really unsure which little gaffer was my daddy!  I've got it straight now, and when I looked closer, the answer was there all the time!  My sweet dad, with the lovely smile, in fact I think the nicest smile of the bunch is standing at the back on the left. 

I love how my Nanny is standing off to the side "directing" her adorable children.  My dad is on the left beside his older sister Martha, my future God Mother.  In the front, my Uncle Ernie who sadly died 9 days after my dad, and the last of my uncles.  When I looked closely at his face, (I had previously thought this was my dad), I can see my Great Nephew Jacob. I'll never forget the day I first met Uncle Ernie.  We were on our first visit to Winnipeg when I was 8.  I couldn't believe how much he and my dad looked alike.  What an awesome discovery that was for a little kid who had no relatives living nearby.  To discover family and family that looked so much like mine! Wow.  Standing beside Ernie, is the youngest brother, Alex.  It looks like Alex and Ernie had the same barber, probably my Nanny or Papa, my dad I notice had a "bigger boy's haircut".  Missing from this photograph are Uncle Charlie and Aunty Lena "Lee".

I must add, that this is my mother's favourite picture of her "Ralphie" and I can sure see why.

This next photo actually relates to my previous blog on Picnics.  Here's my dad, no doubt on a well-deserved day off from the Navy.  Dad stationed in Newfoundland, wrote the following on the back of the photo.  Bowering Park, NFL, July 10/45.  Left to right-Me-Nick-Grant-Tommy. I wonder who took this picture?  They all look so smart wearing their partial uniforms, sleeves rolled up in my dad's case, and wearing their ties.  I hope they had a wonderful day.  I'd give anything to come up to them and sit down for a chat.

After dad's time in the service, he had to travel to Victoria for his dispensation papers, so he took my mom along for a holiday.  It was on this trip that they decided that this was the place to move to.   It was October and no big winter parkas were required-bliss!

This was part of the Winnipeg crowd in Vancouver: old neighbours, and smack dab in the middle, my Uncle Alex (wish he were looking up!), a mutual friend to all of them at the table, not just my uncle, and of course my beautiful Mom and Dad!  This picture is in a yellow folder and on the left of the folder it says"  Souvenir of W.K. Chop Suey House "Vancouver's Smartest Chinese Restaurant", 127 Pender Street East, and two telephone numbers,  PAcific 0455  and PAcific 6642.  One telephone number must have been for the English Toffee Shop at 816 Granville Street.

A Little Known Motor Mouth Mom Fact:  My mom is expecting me in this photo!

Here's a picture of my dad taken at our house on Chamber's Street in Winnipeg.  Taking a break from raking leaves, contemplating life and probably the move to BC, if that's me in that baby carriage.

This last photograph was taken at mom and dad's place on the Fraser Highway, circa, 1974.  This house was the all time favourite of the Grandchildren. They all have so many wonderful memories and stories about this house.  Look at my dad surrounded by 4 little girls.  Amy our baby, was at home with us, and the girl's cousin, Bobby was still living in Orillia, Ontario.  Cousin Bryan was just a dream in my sister's mind.

All the little girls eating breakfast with Granny and Papa (Grandpa).  I'm so glad my mom took this picture!  Can you imagine having all of these little chicks sleeping over in one bedroom?  How did my mom and dad do it?  They were both still working at this point, so it was more than likely a weekend sleepover.  I love the little tupperware glasses and without a doubt, porridge (that's what we called it in the olden days), oatmeal to the new generation, was in those bowls!  I remember we bought or was given the little arborite high chair from my beloved's friend, Willy Wagner.  When I look at April sitting there, I can still feel the cuddles with  in her little redblanket sleeper.  Now that I can see ahead two generations, April and her as-yet-to-be-born-cousin Bryan's son, look a fair bit alike.  Perhaps it's simply the bowl haircut (there's that cut two generations ahead too!)

Foreground on the left, Riki, and in the high chair, April.  On the right in the foreground, Riki's sis, Andrea and beside her Cathy.  I love my dad's smile in this picture.  It says it all!

Monday Memories are made of this!

Wordless Wednesday, but Happy Birthday Sis!

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Memories

Writing this blog today on a holiday Monday, BC Day to be precise, brings to mind a lot of memories of Summers and Picnics.  Family picnics, picnics with company's, picnics with friends, small and impromptu and planned with games for kids and adults alike.  Here are some from my memory lane.

A little known Motor Mouth Fact:  Almost each and every Labour Day weekend my beloved and I watch the movie, Picnic with Kim Novak (way too old as a teenager) and William Holden (also, way too old be be cast as a teen/college kid!!)  I just love the footage of old picnics.  Neewollah....Halloween backwards.  You'll have to watch the movie!

Pure schmaltz!

Gyro Beach in Kelowna.  My Grandparents were visiting from Winnipeg.  The little girl beside my Grandfather is Judy and the little girl in the middle between my sister and brother is Kathy Swordy, my very first girlfirend.  When you go to this beach today you go via Swordy Road.  See the house in the background?  Kathy's Uncle lived there and I believe he took care of the park and beach for years and years.  When he died they named the entry road to the park after him.  This park is still unbelievably popular today!  As children we were so lucky to "grow up" in Kelowna with a population of under 8,000 people. Small town, fresh fruit off the tree and the beautiful lake. It was a great life for we kids.  Jump in the lake, play there until lunch time, head home and get back out there until dinner.  No worries about the ozone layer.  Just, wait one hour after you've eaten before heading into the water again, that was the rule of the day!

Oh yes, the old egg and spoon race!  My Mother-in-law is just behind the lady in the dark dress!  Picnics were much more classy in those days.  Can you imagine wearing a dress to a picnic now?  I sure can't!

A foot race for the men between the ages of 25 and 40.  The man with the "x" over his head the back of the picture says, was my father-in-law's "boss".  Again, look at how the men are dressed, I almost expect to see ties on them!  Both of these pictures were taken at a McMillan Bloedel company picnic, July 1956.  It says, Memorial Park, but it looks like our famous Stanley Park.


Then one day....my cousin Geraldine and my sister-in-law suggested, that we should have a family picnic.  Picnics are almost impossible to plan ahead because of the inclement weather.  I don't know how many were planned and then cancelled, but eventually the Hume Park location became an annual event!

The pictures in the group may have been from the very first one when our daughter Amy was just a baby.  Summer of '75

I thought I was doing well keeping Amy in the shade under the huge trees, so you can imagine my utter dismay to see that she was actually burned on her face.  I shudder thinking about it.  Here she is attacking her Papa (my dad!).

Our sweet Cathy on her Papa's knee.

Our sweet April.  Check out our yellow umbroller stroller by my dad and Uncle Bob!

 

I love this picture of our April Sunshine wearing her Granny's hat!  Now April's daughter Abby wears the hats in the family.

This is a picture of Cathy, taken at a family supper down at Locarno Beach in Vancouver.  We would often pack up the two little girls (pre-Amy's arrival), throw supper in a box and head to the beach for dinner.  While Cathy and her daddy played in the water, I would lean against one of the huge trees like the one behind Cathy, and nurse April.  Summer of '73

Random photos from Hume Park Days.  The children grew, we grew,  the families grew!

 

My cousin Geraldine, one of the movers and shakers to get us together, with her nephew and nieces.  If you look closely, you will see our (green) VW in the background.  My Aunty Emily (Geraldine's mom), my Mother-in-law, and Geraldine's twin brother, Gerald are standing watching.  Amy is back there too with her back to us and I am holding Cathy on my lap.

Amy takes up the front, followed by April and Cathy and cousin Amber

The Three-Legged Races!  Cathy in yellow.  Amy and her cousin Bobby.  I love the looks on their faces!

April in the foreground and Cathy waving, with their second cousins

Holly and Cathy with her hair flowing, running the race

My handsome cousin Gary talking to my beloved.  Check me out in pink shorts and shirt!

The Gunny Sack Race!

Our friend John B. his two children and perhaps a friend for Brad, the only boy in the group.  Taken out at Golden Ears Park one summer day.

Look how blond they all were!  The sweetie on the right is Andrea B.  These two pictures were probably taken in '76, at Golden Ears Provincial Park picnic ground. 

Years and years went by and for so many reasons, family picnics became just a sweet memory.  There were always threats of organizing one but nothing happened, so Cathy and I decided it was time to take matters into our own hands and try again.  What a success it was.  All of the kids had grown and were bringing children of their own, or were dreaming of having children of their own.  We met at a "Sequoia Park in Surrey, in 2003 and 2004. And while they were a huge success, the honest truth is neither Cathy nor I, really felt like organizing everyone, so we decided to confine it to just our immediate family, and even that was hard enough to organize! 

Amy with Tyler, Cameron and Claire.  Everyone was lounging on the hillside to watch the race organizer-me try to recreate memories of games gone by!

April and her Dad winning the Wheel Barrel Race.  Check out the action in the background!  They were falling like flies!

Cousins trying to figure out the best way to win the "Ski Race".  Frankly, I don't think anyone figured it out, but it was fun trying. Left, Right, Left, Right!

The Water Balloon toss!  Now everyone take a step back! splat!

And another year, the family photo ops!

And from last  August, a family picnic at a Langley Park.  The whole glorious fam-damily!, that is until Hudson and Colby came along!

Ah, Monday Memories are made of this!