Friday, August 24, 2007

Sixty-one years later....

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Mom still has the circlet feathered hat, in a saucy coral pink with olive feathers here and there. The white satin peplum suit didn't survive a year, Mom cut it up for a slip! I think she looked like a movie star; so glamorous, and Dad in his double breasted pin striped suit was pretty Hollywood himself. I wonder what he is carrying in his hand...I'll have to ask him later.

This morning Dad brought Mom a bouquet of lilies the color of her wedding hat, and they'll be going out to a fine restaurant for dinner. They are celebrating: Dad asked her if she would marry him again after all these years, and she said yes she would in a minute.

Boy was Dad ever surprised she said yes when he proposed both today and 61 years ago.
I think Mom still has all her faculties, no dementia...so I think she meant it....just kidding, of course she did!

I just got back from Canada last night, have stuff to do, so I'll be sharing my pictures and memories tomorrow.
Meanwhile, try to imagine what the world will be like when you are married 61 years, should you be so blessed!

Monday, August 20, 2007

Canada Adventure: Day Four August 19 2007

A quick recap: Saturday evening we attended a wonderful church service at Terry and Lovella's church. Such enthusiasm for worship, and testimony from a man whose life had been so changed by encountering Jesus. The best!
After that Becky from Random Pondering and her husband Ray join us at Lovella's home for dinner: a fabulous spaghetti sauce that has permanently altered my definition of what spaghetti sauce should taste like; her all day prep recipe is simply out of this world delicious, and I learned a new trick about using papaya seeds!

Sunday morning we headed to Starbucks for a visit with John and Hilda and Becky and Ray. As usual, the guys sat together talking boy talk while us ladies leaned in for girl talk. Same the world over, eh?
(Thought I'd slip in a little Canadian talk there...)
We scurried home, grabbed a few things then headed out to Tim Morton's the "everywhere" in Canada meeting place for a good nosh. The chicken sandwich was tasty, and I got to try the classic British Columbia treat...um...how was that spelled again...anyway, it was delicious although Becky and Lovella shook their head mournfully that my introduction to the treat was not Lovella's excellent style, and that I was having to just make do with Tim Morton's ordinary.
I guess I *would* have had a good visit to Canada if that detail had been right, now all hope is lost...and I clearly will have to visit again for her to have an opportunity to make amends for that little oversight (just kidding!)

The weather has been very co-operative. Becky, Ray, Terry, Lovella and I next headed over to Vancouver, to visit Gas Town and see the sights.




A JADE version of the Itsuk, the symbol of the upcoming Winter Olympics.






A motorcycle show was in full throttle...colorful bikes and riders everywhere!
All over BC I saw such beautiful hanging baskets. It was difficult not to stop and snap a picture of each and every single creation.




A Royal Canadian Mounted Moose! Guess things are so quiet up there now, the Mounties have turned over duties to large stuffed animals...



...and wooden cut outs. Wonder what the real deal guys are doing with their time?


(Just kidding! They are still around, but just not wearing the flashy jackets while they perform their ordinary duties. More's the pity, don't you think?)





Orange...I'm telling ya....it is everywhere!




I was fascinated by the steam powered clock...






It took quite some time to see all the cycles, hanging baskets, and people. People watching is always fun.
We then headed over the bridge to Granville Island, where we wandered into the fabulous Granville Millinery Shop. Canada has lots of very talented and creative milliners, and I had seen the Granville shop on line years ago.



When Lovella and I began to communicate via blogdom and email, I asked her if she had ever visited the shop, and a soon as she had a chance she popped over to the Island and took a look around. Her post on that was delicious, and she looked so good in all the hats.



Naturally we had to take a trip there while I was visiting.

Becky is clearly a HFP girl too..

(HFP: Hat Friendly Profile!)

What a hat!

I loved that one on her!

It was such fun to see the girls trying on hats, and I picked up a few ideas too. The store carried many Canadian milliners, and it was wonderful to see the Lilliput's label again. I do so admire Lilliput's hats, such as the one above.


Wasn't this just the most gorgeous setting with such a handsome couple across from me? The view the other was was great too...Becky and Ray are equally smart looking. Oh, and the mountains in the background and the sail boats bobbing in the harbor at sunset was pretty spectacular too.

Salmon with blueberries for dinner: YUM!

Wedding for the boys with the groom/bride in a stunning navy blue straw with elegant blue face veil: I do so love a veil. I'm not so sure I'm such a big fan of a veil on a guy though. (try not to think about it....)

THEN we headed over to see The Bard on the Beach's version of the Taming of the Shrew, done western style! Hilarious, and such great acting! The male lead had a Matthew McConanghe (you know who I mean, Laura...) look about him. Not bad, not bad at all!

The heaven's opened up and thankfully we were in a large tent so the show continued without a pause, and the weather toned down to just a light sprinkle as we headed to the car and on to home.

I must have done something good to deserve so much fun in all in one day!

Today, we are off to the mountains to meet another blogger....see ya later!








Sunday, August 19, 2007

Canada Adventure: Day Three

Whew! We have been having SO much fun, and doing so much I have not had time to even call Bernie!
Sorry honey...I love you!
Terry and Lovella are running to the store before we dash out of town to Vancouver to see Taming of the Shrew as part of Bard on the Beach tonight.
So this is just a quick catch up post using some of Lovella's pictures from along the way so far.

Above: Terry disciplining Indee by doing doggie time out.
She is quite a head strong teen age girl, but so cute it is hard to stay mad.

If you go over to Lovella's blog you will be able to see more of our trip to Minter Gardens, but this picture captures my fellow bloggers and now dear friends Becky from the Random Pondering and Julie from Pearls in a Nutshell.
Isn't it fun that they both wore green?

Beautiful Minter....I'll post a web album later...

We all had such stories to tell about roses that we had tried or liked or remembered...it took quite awhile to get out of the just the rose garden area! You can see in this picture how much we were laughing and enjoying each other.