Some of the important weddings in my family



My grandparents wedding Dec. 25, 1915... also in the picture are my great-grandparents & a great- great-grandmother










My parents.. Dec. 22, 1945











My wedding June 13, 1970 (I got away from December lol)

Looking through some old photos I have of Tom's family, I came across these. The first one was Tom's family when he was a baby... the 2nd one is taken about 9 or 10 yrs & 3 more children later lol





Back row... Mom & Dad
Middle row ... Phyllis (9), Marlyn (7), Jim (8)
Front row ... Paul (5), Tom (1 1/2), Barbara (6)






Ages are only approximate for this picture.

Back row... Jim (18), Phyllis (19), Paul (15)

Middle row .. Arlene (5), John (7), Ann (5)

Front row ... Barbara (16), Mom, Dad, Tom (11), Marlyn (17)

I thought I'd add a couple of my brother & me when we were young too.



I'll start with Terry since he's 13 months older than me lol








This is me at about a year










Some of my family just before we emigrated to Canada.

Back row.. Grandpa, cousin David, Uncle Norman, Aunty Hazel, Uncle John, Aunty Joan

Middle row .. Grandma holding either cousin Carol or Janet, Mom, Dad, Great Grama Brighton

Front row .. Terry, Me, cousins Barbara, Martin & Robert






Terry & I ... He was around 6 & I was around 5.

When we got home last night, there was a message on the phone from Carolynn... would we like to come over after church for a bbq. Of course we said "YES!"

It was a lovely day. Quite warm, but there was a lovely breeze & it was cool where we were sitting in the shade of the trees.



<<-- Chloe & Marshall, Paige





<<-- Sarah, Zachary








<<-- Paige, Chloe




<<-- Me & Zachary, Christine







<<-- Carolynn, Jennifer




<<-- Tom, Don






<<-- Chloe & Marshall, Sarah & Zachary





<<-- Paige & Tom

Yesterday we went to the retirement party of Tom's former boss & friend, Ben. What a great day we had there. First we had brunch... bacon, sausages, pancakes, fruit, champagne orange juice, (YUMMM), & lots of other things. Later, for supper, we had bbq'd pork tenderloin, wine, bbq'd salmon, wine, salads, wine, desserts etc. It seemed as if we were eating all day lol... something like being on a cruise ship!

Ben & Barb are a great couple & they have many good friends here in Canada. Here are a few of the pictures I took there. I couldn't post some because they were videos & I haven't learned how to put those on here yet. Ben, Barb & their daughters Tina & Karen are all very good singers & they all make up silly songs for special occasions. Ben & Barb, unknown to each other, chose the same song, substituting some of the words for their own. It was a wonderful tribute to both of them & shows the deep love they have for each other. By the time Ben had finished his song to Barb, (the end of it with the help of his daughter Karen) most of us were in tears, it was so touching. I feel very privileged to be included in this close-knit group of friends.




Tina bbq'ing some sausages.








Roya (colleague & friend) learning the ins & outs of bbq'ing






Barb was in charge of cooking
the bacon & the greatest
hostess.









Ben... the reason for the party & the greatest host!

The ceramalite is now up in the mud room.. It looks great & really cleans up the space. I'll probably post pictures of the newly decorated kitchen, mud room & bathroom next week.

Tom got all the new base-board cut.. now it's my turn... painting them. I really don't mind doing it that much as long as I have time. That's one thing that is running out.

I told Tom I want the mud room finished before Wednesday . We are having our small group here for dinner, so I have to make sure everything is cleaned up for that. Pam & Hazen are back from B.C. so we are all getting together to see them before they have to return home.

Tomorrow we have an all day affair at Tom's former boss's house... swimming, bbq, fun fun fun.

Monday & Tuesday we have a couple of things we have to tend to which will leave Wednesday for my grocery shopping (payday is Tues.) & clean-up!! I don't think we will be starting on the living room or dining room before our trip, but you never know what Tom will decide to start or when. lol

No further word about Mom's condition.

Mom saw a doctor yesterday about her other "problem". I'm not sure what kind of doctor he was.. gynecologist, internist or what. At first he was going to send her for some tests, but after talking more, he thinks he knows what the problem is & it requires surgery. With mom's age & medical problems, he is sending her to another doctor who specializes in the kind of surgery she probably needs. I'm sure that doctor will order some tests for her before planning surgery. Don't know when that will be yet, but will keep you posted.

I got the mud room & top of the basement stairs painted yesterday. Tom got the ceramilite cut to fit in the mud room... but he wasted a lot of the day watching golf on tv...grrrrr Last night he said he wasn't feeling well... he sure looked ok. Today he spent most of the morning in bed.. figures!!! Nothing else got done this weekend. At this rate it will be next year before we get the living room & dining room painted lol AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Today Chris & I (& Brianna) went shopping for a formal gown for me to wear on the cruise. There is one formal night, 2 informal nights & 3 casual nights... I'm ok for the other 5. Yes I did find something really nice... & really expensive!!! My heart is still thumping thinking of spending that much on one outfit & I still need to get some shoes to go with it!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!

Mom's appointment with the eye doctor was changed to Thursday. The doctor seems to be satisfied with Mom's progress even though she doesn't see too much out of that eye right now. The bruising from the fall is now down through the eye & below... she looks like someone gave her a shiner!!

I went with Mom & Dad to that appointment. We went to lunch first then to the office. It was all Mom could do to walk from one place to another. She was so winded that she had to stop to rest quite a lot even though it wasn't really all that far. Her feet are so swollen she can hardly get her shoes on. I had to help her with them today. She has next to no feeling in her feet which adds to the problems walking. I think her heart is starting to fail her too. Breaks my heart to see her like that. She is failing both mentally & physically.

Apparently she had another fall last night but didn't wake Dad to help her get back into bed. She spent the night on the floor. Dad has said that she has done that in the past too. Once again she was trying to either get to or back from the bathroom without using her walker. One of these days she is going to really do some harm & end up in the hospital again.

Tonight Tom & I discussed some of the excursions we want to take when we are on our Alaska cruise next month. I can't believe the time has gone so slowly now it's going quickly lol. I have to get a couple of outfits for the 2 formal dinners that we will be attending. Thank goodness Tom has a new suit he can wear. Booking the excursions has made me start to feel excited about going now. I've managed to stay calm so far by not thinking too much about itl

Mom saw the surgeon yesterday as planned. Everything is doing ok. She has to see him again on Tuesday. She has a deep purple bruise on her forehead & around her eye from the fall at the hospital. She says it's very tender (no kidding!) but apart from looking awful, there is no other damage.

She had another fall earlier this evening. Dad called me to go over & help get her back up. Of course I'm in my old painting clothes, but off I go without changing anyway lol She is falling quit a lot, but she keeps trying to walk without her walker & down she goes. We keep trying to impress on her that she needs to use her walker ALL the time, but I'm sure she forgets. She didn't remember when or how or where she fell tonight even though it was less than a half hour before. She couldn't find her dentures & she & dad thought maybe she had lost them in the hospital.. they were in her denture cleaning container in the bathroom. Dad didn't think of looking there.. Mom had seen them in her purse, taken them out & put them in for cleaning, then forgot all about it.... **Sigh**

We started in the mud room today... I got the pocket door painted & Tom painted the ceiling & patched the walls. Tomorrow we hope to get the walls painted & the ceramalite up. Thankfully the paint is drying pretty fast so we should be able to get 2 coats on the walls tomorrow.

Mom had her cataract surgery today. Everything went well... until we were leaving the hospital. As we were getting into the elevator, Mom fell & hit her head. Needless to say we had an extended stay in the emergency room, making sure there were no broken bones or bleeding into the brain. She has a large purple goose egg on her forehead now, but at least she is ok. Not sure exactly what happened as I was already on the elevator holding the button to keep the doors open for Mom & Dad to get on. Mom is at home now & hopefully resting... not that she is able to do much nowadays anyway.

We traveled to Ohio for a family gathering on the weekend (& a week of golf & pinochle). Six of the remaining 7 brothers & sisters in Tom's family (& some of their children/grandchildren) were able to make it for the weekend. What a great time we had, thanks mostly to our host & hostess, Jim & Muriel. Here are some of the pictures I took while there.

Our kitchen is finally finished... it looks pretty good.. I'll get photos posted later (after the mud room is done lol)

What a great day it was today. Our church had a baptism at 50 Point Conservation Area. We had our service first then walked down to the lake where the 10 candidates were baptized. I'll tell you one thing.. I wouldn't want to be in that lake.. too doggone cold for me!! There were a few shivers today too lol.
Here are a few of the pictures from today.






A few of the ice cubes.. I mean.. candidates, being baptized. Poor
Pastor Rick was in the water the whole time.







Some of the people in attendance.

Tonight the girls got babysitters & the 7 of us went out for dinner & a movie. We went to the Fool & Flagon. Great food!!! Even better company. We tried to get over for the early movie at 8 but they were sold out by then. We didn't have long to wait for the next time slot though. We saw Pirates of the Caribbean, World's End. Good movie, but I think the first one was still the best.






Here we all are at the Fool & Flagon.

I got a surprise delivery this afternoon.

Today is our 37th wedding anniversary. We met July 13, 1968 at my brother's wedding, & have been together ever since. We have had our ups & downs, (mostly ups) raised 3 children & have the privilege of seeing our 5 grandchildren often. Unfortunately we have a small group meeting tonight so we won't be able to do much today to celebrate, but we will do something special as soon as we have a spare moment. Hard to do when we are in the middle of redecorating & remodeling etc. However, no matter what we are doing or where we are, as long as we are together it's special.

Brianna's rose buds have opened up. beautiful blooms.









This is another of the perennials I have in my garden, but I can't remember what it is called. Anyone know?

In the past few days, things have bloomed in the garden. The buds on the catalpa trees have opened to reveal these lovely white flowers. Inside the flowers are purple stripes. The flowers will probably last about a week or two before dying off & forming long seed pods. I already have
a couple of new trees growing lol.. anyone want one?




This is the catalpa blossom