I'm a Newfie!

Hi again

On Sherrie's computer now, so I can put up some photos I've found:

Isn't this gorgeous? It's from a Crow I think.

That's me at the Peace River annual Newfie Screetch - a party where twelve lucky people (me included) get 'screeched in' and are therefore honorary Newfies. It involved reciting some Newfie speak, having a shot of some very strong 'screetch' and kissing a fish. Yes, you heard me. So I'm a Newfie now!

The mule deer are everywhere in the winter - that's our lawn.

Sadie loves skiing now! (this is last winter by the way)

Me and Sadie on the slopes

This is one of the towns I rode through on my way to Ontario - That brown 'mountain' behind the buildings is timber - about three stories tall! It was so impressive and novel I had to take a photo.

Another view from my drive across Canada - the lakes were picturesque and many. Z and I stopped to swim often.

Amy and Erin came with me to pick up my mom in Toronto. That's them in Matthew's apartment enjoying the view (can you see Skydome/the Rogers Center?)

Sherrie loves holding babies - Here she is with little William, Brad and Crystal's son. She loves the vomit.

Ice cream with Nana at the marina in Westport this summer

We had a couple of lovely trips to Ottawa this summer. One highlight for me was hanging out with Z while the girls went into the National Gallery. Can you see him swimming in front of the Houses of Parliament?

Nana visited last Christmas. This is her mini golfing with the girls in the West Edmonton Mall.

That's all for now - take care!

September 2011.

Ok. So here's the thing: I've been using my computer a lot lately, as Sherrie usually keeps her mac at work now. I've been uploading photos in the past couple of years via the bluetooth on my phone, to Sherrie's mac. I don't have a cable for my phone camera to connect it to this computer I'm using now. That's why I've been so tardy at getting posts up. Well, I'm going to make a concerted effort to get my photos up now. I need to go buy a cable to communicate with this computer, so I will. Please forgive the sparseness of the posts up until now, I'm working on it.

Here's a news update sans photos for now:

• Had a fabulous summer! My band opened for Trooper at a festival in Athabasca so we began our holidays by going there. The festival provided us with a lovely cabin for a few nights. I'll put photos up later. After that I drove the girls to the airport in Edmonton and then Z and I drove across Canada to the cottage. It was a lovely adventure with much swimming and some downright terrifying weather. Made it to the cottage by 3am on the night of day 3.
• The girls loved the cottage as usual too - and now even Sadie (5) jumps off the jumping rocks at the lake! so cool!
• We're back in Peace River now, getting a routine down again. Sadie is in kindergarten in the mornings so I've got some time to get things done now - already the house is looking better and I'm feeling more fit. Have just finished my application to be certified to teach in Alberta, so will start subbing soon.
• unfortunately due to a lack of venue there will be no gymnastics this year. Fortunately the girls have all found things that they're interested in doing: Erin's starting ballet tomorrow and Amy's first session at musical theatre begins tonight! Sadie just wants to swim, so I'm going to sign her up today.
• While on holiday many friends from around Peace River were texting us to make sure our house was ok - torrential rains bombarded PR for a few weeks, and there was a flood scare. All's well, though, and our house was fine.
• We bought a fire pot for the back yard and have enjoyed a few marshmallow roasts in the evenings now. Some neighbours have come over and enjoyed our fire with us too.
• Went camping with some friends up the smoky river via jetboat this past weekend. Unfortunately it rained and rained at night (after a beautiful warm day of swimming and playing on a gorgeous beach) which shouldn't have been an issue, but in the morning we woke up to find that the kids' tent's rain fly had blown off partially and they never thought to come and tell us, so they were soaked and very cold in the morning. I felt so bad for them! It was still raining quite heavily when we all got up, so we threw the canopy on the boat and the moms rushed home ( a 45 minute ride) with the kids - didn't even bother getting them dressed - I think all of their clothes were wet anyway. I stayed behind with two others and we packed up the camp. About twenty minutes after the kids left, it got sunny and beautiful again! I made a lovely fire, made coffee, we got warm and dry and enjoyed a wonderful day at that beach. My friend in the boat came back in about two hours (ran some errands back in town I suppose) but upon returning realized he didn't really have enough fuel for a ride back. The solution? we drifted for about seven hours to get home. Thankfully it was a gorgeous day and we had many provisions and a guitar, so it turned out to be a highlight for me!

I'm sure more has happened, but that's all for now. Will be sure and put up photos soon.

Hi everybody. Just so you know, I'm working on getting some photos for another posting - can't seem to find anything new in the computer other than some shots from a professional photographer of the girls - so here's one for you. Yup, they're getting bigger.

The news, in point form:

• a good friend here passed away two weeks ago. The funeral was lovely - and huge - people were overflowing into the basement of the Cathedral, and there was a huge party at the banquet hall afterwards. I played in bands with him, and he sort of got me my start here in PR doing that. I was in the choir band for the funeral too.
• Sadie's riding her two-wheeler without training wheels now. It was funny - her first day practicing was just her screaming and crying the whole time. The next day she was fine, and the third day she was riding.
• Beautiful weather here - almost all of the snow is gone around town (down at the river) but the ground's still covered at our friends' places up out of the valley.
• Sherrie's busy as usual, not traveling this week, which is nice. She's looking into getting a masters' degree, which would mean we're staying here for a while. We're happy here.
• I'm about to apply for substitute teaching for next year, something I can do while Sadie's at school in the mornings.
• We're looking forward to our trip to the cottage this summer, as always. I'm going to be driving out after my concert in Athabasca. Sherrie and the girls will fly.
• Just fixed an old broken guitar that was given to me as a thank you for fixing someone else's guitar. It's pretty nice! I'll put up photos soon.
• Amy's doing very well at school - top of her class, I think. Her best report card ever.
• Erin's excelling at any sport she tries; She's a natural, apparently, at skiing now. Funny, because she's the one who was most reluctant to go. Now she loves it. She's quite the rollerblader too.
• I'm heavier than I've ever been! I thought I was losing weight, but I guess I just have to stop eating so much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAIRE!

Hi Claire, my lovely sweetie pie! Happy Birthday (on the 8th, that is)

I hope you have a great year!

See you in the Summer!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Hi Everybody! Ok; You're about to see another posting with the same title - I sort of goofed up. Never Mind. Enjoy the photos!

Sherrie took this one on one of her work trips, I think.

Sadie enjoying cookies and hot chocolate at our friends' place - we have a weekly skating party, when the weather's permitting.

Nana visited at Christmas time, and Erin and Sadie got "Build a Bear" stuffies as their presents from her. Here are some shots of them in the shop building their new stuffies:

My mom relaxing while Sadie eats a snack

Somewhere at the West Edmonton Mall, Nana getting a kick out of how much Amy reads. The speed with which she devours books is inspiring to say the least!

The girls decorated gingerbread houses again. My geodesic dome was again a failure. Next winter I'm making a more conventional structure, but I'm sure I'll impress.

Sherrie did some baking as well...

Here's Sherrie helping Sadie skate. I even skated! I even played hockey! First time in my life.

Sherrie Sadie and I at a school assembly.

Late January saw a huge dump of snow. Here are some shots of the girls playing in it:

That fourth girl is our neighbour, Polina. She's new to the area, but has quickly befriended our girls - she's lovely!

Now if you continue down the page, you'll see the first posting I did today, with more photos.

Take care guys!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Thought I'd give you all some photos:

I have no idea when this was, but it's not too long ago, at the playground by our place.

dinner one night when I was feeling particularly hungry.

The girls at Lake Louise.

Just thought I'd throw in an oldie: Sherrie with Amy and Erin back at our house in Sai Kung, Hong Kong. It was Chinese New Year 2004.

Erin's Halloween costume this past year.

A few friends of mine at the costume party we went to on Halloween. That's Jerome, who's in the Folk N Blues Society I started, on the left, and Ron, guitarist in the band I'm in, on the right.

Earlier in the fall, we got a kick out of 'curling' with real stones on a frozen river while walking Z. It was particularly fun throwing heavier stones and watching them embed themselves in the ice, stopping suddenly and sticking in.

Erin at West Edmonton Mall

The girls on the bumper cars at the West Edmonton Mall. We go there for mini vacations from time to time. Going again for Sherrie's Birthday! This was the first time Sadie was allowed on the bumper cars.

Two of my lovelies on a walk before the snows came.

This is neat: our carbon monoxide alarm went off, so the fire dept. came and checked out the house - turns out we just needed a new alarm. Sadie got a kick out of the fire engine, though...

Sadie's cool halloween costume.

The girls had a blast in the architecture display at the AGA (Art Gallery of Alberta) - those are giant building blocks.