A log about those Silly Folks and their Escapades

THE NEXT FEW POSTS WILL BE WITHOUT PICTURES….. Those will come later when we have a more reliable wifi connection.

So, Early on Wednesday June 29th we headed off on our adventure to Ottawa and continuing on to Newfoundland after Canada Day.
All the Westjet flights were on time and we arrived in Ottawa on schedule. We came out of the airport and caught the Ottawa Transit bus to downtown, it is the fastest and cheapest way to get to the City centre. Well, it is as long as the President of the United States isn’t in town. So, a normal 30 minute bus ride took 2 hours. Oh well, we are here in Ottawa.
After checking in we headed out for a walk and came across lots of people, hundreds of security officers, barricades, etc. etc. Everything you would expect for a visiting dignitary who was speaking in the House of Commons. So, we stood around for a while and along came the President’s 38 Vehicle Motorcade…..yes, 38 vehicles….and we got to catch a slight glimpse of Barrack Obama himself as they sped by.

Later that evening we walked around the grounds of Parliament Hill, or as least as close as we could get with all the work setting up for the big Party tomorrow.

June has arrived and our focus is pretty much all about our upcoming Ottawa and Newfoundland trip.

On June 29th we set the house alarm, head to the airport early and our first stop is Ottawa for Canada Day. We have done a bit of research for Canada Day in Ottawa and have a rough idea of some of the events and venues we want to attend, so that should be a busy fun day.

After Ottawa we then fly to St. John’s NFLD and we have been scoping out some things to see and do in that City. After that we then start driving across Newfoundland and have a tentative route and searched out local events, celebrations, etc. along the way.

As far as activity on the home front, we have been busy with regular stuff like exercising at the “Y”, Line Dancing, bus driving, golf and Kamloops City Strummers practises and concerts.

The last weekend of the month we headed to Kelowna for Oliver’s 4th birthday party. We have made all the grandkids birthdays up to their 4th one; after that Pops and Namma feel that the kids have their friends who they want to invite and have sleep overs, etc. etc. and so there isn’t much sense in us attending after the 4th one.

Anyway, Oliver’s party was at Bertram Park in Kelowna, the weather cooperated and it got nice and warm in the afternoon after a cloudy start to the day. The kids played in the water, kicked balls around, ate pizza and veggies and fruit and of course cake.

Attached are a few pictures.

Earlier in the day we attended Oliver’s graduation/year-end ceremony at Little Owl Academy where he attends pre-school. The kids were all so cute in their Caps and Gowns, plus they performed a few songs for the audience and all received certificates of completion:)

Well the month of May started out kinda routine, but then quickly picked up pace and  raced to the end.

At the start we had regular stuff going on……… Golf, Exercise, etc. etc. plus the occasional School Bus Route to drive.

Then on the weekend of May 13th – 15th we had Sage and Conrad come for a visit. What fun! Sage had a long list of things she wanted to see and do while in Kamloops. Conrad just went along for the ride and both kids enjoyed themselves.

Sage wanted Brenda to help her sew a housecoat for Emily who is her Journey Girl doll. So they measured, cut and sewed and was Sage ever pleased with her result. Plus we were so surprised how well Sage used the sewing machine….. she really did well!

Another activity we did with the kids was build stepping stones for Kevin for his upcoming birthday. They both got to design their own creation for their Dad.

The left over cement was used to fill in a pot hole at the street entrance to our driveway.

A unexpected event during the weekend was we ended up driving down to Kelowna with Sage and Conrad so we could look after Zach and Oliver. Lindsay was in Castlegar visiting her Dad who had a heart event and so she went down for a few days to help him out. Jeff was waiting for us to arrive so he could head to the airport to catch a flight to Burbank CA. for a week of  business.

Kevin and Tamara arrived later in the afternoon to pick up Sage and Conrad and then headed back home.

So, we looked after Zach and Oliver until Monday afternoon when Lindsay got back home.

We then stayed around till Tuesday morning to help Lindsay get the boys off to school before we headed home to Kamloops.

On May 18th Kevin turned 40! Yikes, where have the years gone? Happy Birthday Kevin.

Then on the weekend of May 21st we drove to Princeton for a surprise birthday party that Tamara had planned for Kevin. There were lots of family and friends there and Kevin was caught off guard and had no idea of the party.  

On Monday May 23rd the Rube Band played the prelude for Harry Lidster’s funeral. Jerome Lidster (Harry’s Son) is the musical director for the Rubes. Harry lived a good life to the age of 92!

Near the end of the month on Tuesday May 24th The Kamloops City Strummers performed at The Shores Retirement Residences.

Whew! That was a busy month…….. just wait till June!

April started with us trying to get back into a regular routine after two fabulous weeks in Hawaii with our family.

Brenda is back in to her regular work out routine at the YWCA with her “Gal Pal’s” and I am back driving bus with time to fit in the occasional game of golf.

We volunteered at Sagebrush Theatre early in the month……… the play “Habib’s Unforgettable All Night House Party” was a “snoozer”. We also volunteered near the end of the month at The Pavilion Theatre for a play called “In A Blue Moon”….. Yawn!

This month we had our Hot Water tank replaced and a lot of the old plumbing upgraded; it will give us “better peace of mind” when we are travelling.

We have also booked and made all our arrangements for our trip to Ottawa and Newfoundland.

On the April 16th weekend we made an overnight trip down to Kelowna to visit everyone. Kevin, Sage and Conrad also came for a visit, but Tamara was unable to as she has just started a new job that requires her to sometimes work weekends.

The big news of the weekend was Jeff and Lindsay getting a new camping trailer. So, Kevin came and gave Jeff a few tips about trailering, driving, etc. etc. The kids had a blast playing with each other and reconnecting after Hawaii.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.   

Stay tuned for May it’s going to be another exciting one!

March has arrived and in just 9 days we are headed to Hawaii for a family vacation.

March 3rd the Kamloops City Strummers performed for the Royal Inland Hospital N.L. 610 Radio “Foundation Radiothon”. Definitely a new experience for our group; performing while there was a Radiothon Fund Raiser going on.

However the major event in March was our Hawaii Family Vacation!

On Thursday March 8th we drove down to Kelowna to stay at the Kelowna Airport Sheraton prior to all of us flying to Hawaii. Kevin, Tamara, Sage and Conrad arrived about 15 minutes before us and they were all over excited. After a few minutes getting settled in they headed to the swimming pool and had a bunch of fun:)

Friday morning was an early one, we all got up at about 4:50 a.m.. Jeff, Lindsay, Zachary and Oliver arrived at the airport just before 6:00 a.m. and then we all boarded the plane to Vancouver with a connection to Honolulu. This is a great picture of Kevin leading the way to the baggage claim area of HNL.

The flight to Honolulu was 6 hours and the time went by fairly quickly; plus due to favourable winds and we arrived in Hawaii a few minutes early. Once we got to the Aqua Pacific Monarch Hotel the kids and their parents quickly changed and they headed to the beach; since it was just before 3:00 p.m. local time.

Friday March 11th was a big day as it was Conrad’s 8th birthday. Happy Birthday Conrad!

There were so many things he wanted to do and see for the day and he got a lot accomplished being “Boss for the day”. In the evening we all got together for a birthday grab bag party and celebration. What a lot of fun and laughs.

On the first Sunday we went for a family photo shoot out at Magic Island which is part of Ala Moana Park. We are still sorting through all the photos the photographer shot and we may post a couple here once we decide on the ones we are getting.

Getting to Ala Moana Park involved catching the City Bus and here are a couple cousins pretty happy to be sitting together.

After this we settled into a regular Hawaii vacation which included time at the beach every day.

Generally nothing really planned and a pretty free flowing schedule for everyone. We are so fortunate to have all our family here and able to see everyone and spend some quality time together.

Saturday March 11th was a Honolulu Celebration with a parade. The parade was supposed to be about an hour or so, but it was so poorly planned out that there were 2 block long spaces between the entries, we finally gave up and went back to our rooms. However, that evening they had a fireworks presentation that is definitely the best fireworks show we have ever seen……. WOW !

Monday, all the ladies went and made flower leis at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Aren’t they all beautiful!

Thursday March 17th was St. Patrick’s Day and another parade. This parade was a little shorter and a little better organized…. No evening fireworks though.

In the afternoon we visited Dukes Lane with Sage, Conrad, Tamara and Kevin. It was fun watching the kids amongst all the trinkets, stalls and many coloured displays. Conrad was trying to “photo bomb” every picture we took….. what a guy!

Friday, March 18 was the day selected for a tour around the island. Kevin and Jeff picked up the vehicles early and we were all on the road by 8:30 a.m.. First stop the Dole Pineapple Plantation. The day started out a little drizzly so it worked out great to spend time in the car. No, that’s not how we transported them around the island:)

Once at the Dole Plantation we rode the train and toured the site. The Dole Plantation staff was moving on Island Time but we finally got back on the road again and headed to Haleiwa for lunch.

After lunch we stopped near Bonzai Beach to watch the huge surf come in. It is very impressive. No surfers today as the wind and waves made it too choppy and uneven for the good guys and gals to get out there. We also stopped at some road side markets for fresh coconut, fruit and other Hawaiian treats.

From here we headed to Waimea Valley and a hike to the waterfalls and swimming hole. It was a pretty long hike and all the kids did real well with only a few “piggy-back” rides required to get there and back. Here are some great pictures of those brave enough to get into the colder water to swim in the pools and to the falls. You’ll notice everyone was required to wear a life jacket, they were handed out by life guards.

After this adventure the rest of the days kind of melded together and everyone got into their own routine whether it was off on another adventure or just sitting at the beach.

The final night the kids treated everyone to a family dinner/last night gathering at our room. Lots of Silliness, lots of laughs, lots of smiles and whole bunch of fun.

We had an absolutely amazing vacation and wonderful time with all our family.

We are so blessed!

Stay tuned for April adventures.

February started and there we were roughing it in a top floor condo in Yaletown. The view was fantastic and the condo was well outfitted for a week long getaway.

Check out Spectrum 31 https://www.emrvacationrentals.com/vancouver-bc/property-details.ihtml?id=500

On Monday we took the Sea Bus over to North Vancouver to meet up with our good friends Fred and Barb. We had a great lunch at The Tap and Barrel which is located near Lonsdale Quay. Plus we got all caught up on grandkid activities and adventures:)

For the most part our stay in Vancouver was a little overcast and rainy, however we still went for lots of walks and always had an umbrella at the ready. On one walk we headed towards Stanley Park and about half way around the Seawall. Part of our adventure included finding the statue of Lord Stanley who the park was dedicated to. Lord Stanley was Canada’s 6th Governor General and he was the one who donated the Stanley Cup which was later passed on to The National Hockey League. Whaddda ya think? Is this about as close to the Stanley Cup that Vancouver is going to get this year?

We also found some wild Crocuses coming out, few early Cherry Blossoms and a very large Western Red Cedar tree.

Also, somewhere during the week we found some really big pieces of Lego and built a Vancouver Killer Whale 🙂

The weekend after we got back home Jeff, Lindsay, Zach and Oliver visited for a couple nights. It was great to see them. Plus Jeff helped me set up a Web Page for the Kamloops City Strummers. Check out this beauty http://kamloopscitystrummers.ca/

Then the next weekend our nephew from Prince George/Fort MacMurray visited for a few nights. It was a chance for Blake to get caught up with all his family in Kamloops.

The remainder of February was planning and coordination with Kevin, Tamara, Jeff and Lindsay for our upcoming family vacation to Hawaii in March.

So, stay tuned, March is going to be exciting.

Happy New Year

Yikes……… another year has passed!

January started out quietly with regular day to day stuff; not much exciting happening around here.

Early in January we made a quick overnight trip to Kelowna to look after Zach and Oliver while Jeff and Lindsay headed to Sparkling Hills Spa for a night away.

January 12th we celebrated our 42nd Anniversary. We contemplated going out for dinner, but in the end we cooked a gourmet meal at home, had an extra glass of wine and enjoyed reminiscing about the past 42 years:)

The Kamloops City Strummers continued to practice on a regular basis, plus we played a gig at Pinegrove Retirement Residence.

As far as winter travel plans, we originally had planned to head south to Palm Springs for a couple weeks. But, as the CDN$ sank against the US$ we reevaluated the trip and decided to have a B.C. “staycation”. We figured that Palm Springs was going to be there another year and that we really had no specific reason to visit beyond just sneaking away from the cold.

So to start our “staycation” we headed off to Sun Peaks for 2 nights and stayed at The Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and got in a couple days of snowshoeing. The pool and hot tub were marvellous to soak in after a day snowshoeing?  

After Sun Peaks we headed to Vancouver for a few nights in downtown Vancouver. We rented a Condo on the 31st floor near Rogers Centre and it had a view from Canada Place all the way to False Creek…….. Amazing.

We arrived Saturday afternoon and then on Sunday evening we had George and Tammy over for dinner. It was great to catch up with them both.

More adventures to come in February!

December started with a bit of a cold snap and then by the first weekend it warmed right up to above average temps !

Daily life continues with exercising, bus driving, Ukulele Jam Sessions, etc. etc.

Brenda and I volunteered at Sagebrush Theatre for the final weekend of Mary Poppins…….. what a great play this one was; probably one of the best. This is measured by Larry’s ability to sit through an entire performance without dozing off or leaving his seat.

Brenda had her girlfriends Christmas luncheon; which Lynda hosted this year.

Unfortunately sometime during their luncheon Brenda’s friend Roxy fell while going down some stairs and broke her right ankle and sprained her left ankle. So, she is out of commission for Christmas, but is on the mend.

Also in December Tamara and Lindsay both had birthdays……. Happy Birthday ladies!

On Christmas Eve we headed to Princeton to spend Christmas with Kevin, Tamara, Sage and Conrad. We were so lucky to be able to spend Christmas with them again this year………… Christmas really is all about family and especially the kids.

Tamara’s Christmas dinner was excellent and very yummy! However the person in charge of the camera (that’s me) messed up the settings while trying to figure out the self-timer. I had it set on long exposure so some of the pictures of Christmas Night are a bit grainy.

The following are a bunch of random pictures from our Princeton visit.

“Bum Slide” to downtown Princeton from their yard.

Opening Stockings while waiting for Kevin to return from a fire call.

Yummy! Yummy! Christmas Dinner.

From Princeton we headed home for one night to check on the house and make sure everything here was okay. When we left Princeton the sun was trying to get through but about 15 minutes outside of Princeton it started to snow and did not stop all the way to Kamloops. In fact it snowed all that evening but it did slow down enough for us to leave the next morning to head to Kelowna. It’s to be expected, it is winter in the Interior.

In Kelowna we celebrated Lindsay’s birthday and also Christmas. Once again it was a fun time with family.

Then we headed outside to let the boys play in the snow.

Sliding on the snow pile in the front yard

On Monday evening we had a group dinner with our friends from North Vancouver Fred & Barb, their son Ryan, his wife Jen and grandson baby Max. It was great evening to reconnect, we haven’t seen Fred and Barb in at least a couple of years.

Plus Oliver got all dressed up for the party………… what a cutie.

Final picture with Fred & Barb and their grandson Max………. great friends and a great evening.

Happy New Year !

November was another busy month……. however, which month isn’t busy?

So, why even say that anymore?

Let’s just say that it is life as usual and move on!

Early in November was everyday routine stuff. In the morning, Brenda was off to the YWCA to exercise with her group of girlfriends and then sometimes go for coffee. I am driving school bus on a regular route until one of the driver returns from a leave of absence.

At some point in the day we meet up for a walk and before you know it the day was over.

November 10th was Zachary’s birthday and he turned 5 years old. Unfortunately he was not feeling well on his brithday so the party was delayed a few days until the weekend.

Remembrance Day of November 11th it was warm and sunny. The Rube Band performed at the Cenotaph, The Canadian Legion, The Eagles and The Rocky Mountain Rangers Amories. Every year there are less Veterans from the wars, however there are more people in attendance at the Remembrance Ceremonies.

The Kamloops City Strummers continue to practice and perform through the month. I got a real short notice call for a request to play a Church seniors luncheon. Everyone could make it and we had a great time……. a very appreciative and interactive audience. We also performed at Berwick on the Park, an upscale seniors residence in Kamloops. Nicolette Eadie (Vic’s partner) joined us for a selection of 3 Hawaiian songs; including Nankuli Ea.

Brenda spent most of the 3rd week of November down in Kelowna helping out Jeff with the boys while Lindsay was at a conference in Austin Texas.

On November 20th we lost a friend and long time member of the Rube Band. Mike Sofko passed away after battling brain cancer 🙁

These two pictures are from the last big trip the band took to Hawaii in September 2014. Mike is wearing the Gladiator Costume and is standing behind the Bass Drum on the right hand side.

November 25th was Sage’s 10th Birthday………. Yikes, our little granddaughter in growing up.

The last weekend of November Kevin, Tamara, Sage, Conrad and Dogs came to Kamloops for a quick visit and to celebrate Sage’s 10th birthday.  Lots of presents and surprises and screams and hugs and smiles from the birthday girl 🙂

After present opening we all went to Sagebrush Theatre to see the matinee performance of Mary Poppins and then out for Sage’s birthday dinner. What fun!

Finally, at the end of the month Jeff turned 37……. another birthday yikes!

Check back in for December highlights 🙂

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Okay……… so who stole October and where did you take it?

October started with a quick visit from Kevin ,Tamara, Sage and Conrad. What a treat to have them visit 🙂

Kevin, Conrad and I trimmed, hacked, whacked and cleaned up the juniper and cedar hedges out back. Kevin was safely and fully suited up for using his chainsaw. He made quick work of the hedges while Conrad and I hauled away branches. He really knows how to use that saw and we got done in a few hours a bunch of work that would have taken Brenda and I many weekends.

Meanwhile the girls were off shopping and getting stuff needed for their home. However, once the girls got home from shopping they really helped out to get the last of the debris loaded up. In the end we took 4 full pick-up truck loads to the City compost facility.

One of the highlights of their visit was that Sage played her Saxophone for us….. she is really doing well.

The following weekend Jeff, Lindsay, Zach and Oliver came for a visit. Jeff was able to solve the computer mystery as to why some of our Web Blog photos were not being displayed on our blog. It took him about 30 seconds……. he is so good at technology stuff like that.

We had GGMA and GGPA for dinner which is always fun with the grandkids here.

The next weekend on Friday night Brenda and I went to a local bar/pub to listen and dance to a CCR Tribute Band called “Willy and the Poor Boys”. This is the same group that performed at Sunpeaks and they are fantastic. The leader who’s name happens to be Larry remembered me from meeting them at Sun peaks, he was very friendly and engaging. What a great performance they put on.

Also, in  October Brenda had a luncheon with a lot of the group that attends Zumba on a regular basis. It’s kind of a final get together before many of them head south for the winter.

The Kamloops City Strummer continue to practice and perform. Our performances this month included a gig at The Shores Retirement Residences where GGMA and GGPA live and a show at Chartwell Renaissance Residences. The Shores job we only had three players as Barry was still on vacation in Italy.

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Near the end of  October Brenda and I drove to Bellingham to attend a Jake Shimabukuro Ukulele performance at The Mount Baker Theatre. The show was amazing as was the theatre. We first saw Jake live in concert back in April 2014 in Spokane. His music and performances are unbelievable. The key learning was that we need to see him in a smaller venue if possible and be as close to the stage as possible. In Spokane the theatre was about 800 seats and we were 2 rows from the stage. However in Bellingham the theatre held 1500+ and we were in the balcony 6 rows back. So, you missed his facial expressions and finger work on the ukulele. However, in the end the music, the performance, his professionalism and his humbleness was amazing.

After the show he met everyone who wanted to say hello and get an autograph. I got my Martin Ukulele signed and dated a second time. WOW!

Finally the last week of October the Kamloops City Strummers performed for the residents at The Renaissance retirement residences in North Kamloops. We had our full group and it’s great to have everyone back.

Check the site near the end of November for future updates.