Archive for the ‘Daily Living’ Category

BC is bursting out in buds!

Hugo and I walked the dyke today, twice, to the marina and back. It was a lovely, warm, sunny day and the flowers were showing off.

Even the dyke looked rather attractive and enticing!

At the marina this morning there was not a breath of wind, but by afternoon a slight breeze picked up, making the air very chilly. The ducks didn’t seem to mind.

We’re having a canvas enclosure put on the command bridge and it’s nearly completed. The canvas man has been sewing and fitting for a week and it’s taking shape. Power boating in BC is quite challenging at times with the amount of rainfall. With the new enclosure, we’ll have another lovely warm area to sit, out of the wind and rain and best of all, we’ll be able to leave the hatch door in the pilot house open for fresh air - even when it’s raining, as the canvas roof will cover the area.

When I was a young Mommy… No, wait - I am still a young Mommy - just not so ‘young’ any more, but once a Mommy always a Mommy. Doesn’t matter how old your kids manage to grow or how many years pass by, you’re still Mommy. When you’re given that title for 20 plus years, it’s going to stick!

There was nothing more I wanted to do when my kids were young, than stay home, to be there for them when the school called to say a tummy was upset, or to go on the field trips, or to help out on hot dog day. I wanted to be in the kitchen with fresh baked cookies cooling when they ran in the door, home from school with a million things to tell me.

I knew I wanted to write, but I also knew the only way that would ever pay would be for me to freelance for a newspaper. I did consider it seriously as I always had lots to say, but the thought of spending hours in a library, researching, meeting deadlines and still being there for my kids was enough to make me realize that wasn’t much better than getting a regular job with regular pay.

I absolutely love the fact SocialSpark gives this huge opportunity to earn income ‘at home’, especially to Mommy Bloggers. Some of the most interesting Mommy’s I meet in the blogosphere are incredibly intelligent, usually opinionated (which is a big help if they are asked to write a review of a product) and a generation more ’street smart’ in today’s ‘instant life’.

SocialSpark offers Mommy Bloggers (and others of course) the ability to work from home, be with their kids when necessary, AND to earn money doing something they already love to do - write. Now, how do you get started?

Sign up for the SocialSpark newsletter as a first step. You’ll be in the loop and invited to join just as soon as the new site opens to the public. And, it’s coming - soon! It is in Alpha testing now - and I was one of the first 10 testers with a Golden Ticket which allowed me early access! I’m here to say - SocialSpark is going to be awesome and will provide innovative ways to earn money blogging - while doing the job you love - raising your children.

Come on Mommy Blogger’s, this train is about to pull out of the station. Jump aboard - SocialSpark is looking for YOU!

Pop is at home in Egmont! He’s not alone - Sylvester is with him for company. And, he has a lovely neighbour lady who looks in on him regularly and phones.

I drove Pop to Egmont Sunday, unloaded all his ’stuff’ and spent the night. Pop drove me to the Earl’s Cove Ferry Terminal to catch bus Monday morning. The sun was shining and I snapped a couple shots.

This is ‘Fast Cat’, the resident pussycat who the Ferry employee introduced to me. He was a little skittish, but interested to see if I had any food.

The ferry was on time, so I said goodbye to Pop, he drove off and I flagged down the bus. $40.00 to ride the bus to Vancouver - can you believe that? Just to ride the bus - there’s no charge for the return ferry trip. Great, now I was down to one lonely nickel in the bottom of my purse. Oh well, it was a lovely sunny day and I dozed in the window seat, feeling slightly carsick from the swaying of the bus as we wound around the windy curves.

When we reached the Langdale ferry terminal I asked the driver if there was a bank machine in the terminal. He ‘thought so’ so I quickly ran over to see. Sure enough there was, so now I wasn’t destitute any longer. The ferries do not offer debit card service aboard - which wouldn’t have been a problem as I could have used my credit card to buy lunch… but I wasn’t so sure of the rest of my trip home.

I bought a sandwich and was heading to the bow of the ferry to sit, when I decided to stop at a counter to cut the sandwich in half. There was one spot between a woman on the left and a man and woman on the right. I moved in on them and the lady on my left moved her belongings into her own space and welcomed me. We chit chatted a bit and she seemed very nice.

The couple on my right were talking to a man on the other side of the counter who seen them as he walked past and stopped to talk. I overheard the words ‘concert, rockstar, Mick Jagger’ and started to listen. The passerby man said something about not knowing what women saw in Mick Jagger and that it wasn’t him they were going to see in concert, but someone else who’s name he couldn’t remember. Oh, yeah - it was Bruce Springstein - well, the couple sitting next to me were heading to ‘town’ to see him as well. I had to butt in at that point to say as a woman I could tell them WHAT there was to see in Mick Jagger! The woman next to me agreed and we all had a bit of a laugh.

The passerby male was staying to talk, so I asked him if he knew how Bruce Springstein got the nickname, The Boss. Nope, he didn’t have any idea but said his wife is a big fan and he’d go ask her. He came back a few minutes later with the information that Bruce was ‘The Boss’ of his band. I still don’t know ‘HOW’ he got the nickname… but whatever. Meanwhile, his wife came over and she talked to the other couple. I heard her say ‘mother’ and ‘hospital’ and looked at her. She seemed familiar.

So, the two men were talking and the word ‘herring’ popped out of the conversation at me and I knew instantly these were locals. Now, I’d already decided the one next to me was very near in age, but I hadn’t seen him face on, only his profile. At the word herring, I turned to him and asked if he was a ‘Harbourite’. “Yes”, he said and I said, “What’s your last name?” “Munro”, he said. “Heather, is it you?” he asked, as I said, “Ian????” We were both stunned - well, I know I was stunned and I had to turn away for a second to gather my composure! I said to the lady on my left, “What were the chances I’d sit down next to my high school crush, whom I haven’t seen in nearly 40 years?”

We hugged, we asked about each others lives, wives, husbands, kids, grandchildren and he introduced me to his wife. “She looks like me!”, I blurted out. “Uh, huh”, he said. We tried to catch up on when we’d last seen each other - he said MayDay, I said school re-union. I don’t know which of is right, but whatever - its’ been many years. He said, “You just disappeared”. I said, “Yes”.

Meanwhile the other lady who’d come over to join her husband and this couple looked at me and said, “Did I hear your name right? Are you Heather?” “Yes, who ARE you? You look so familiar.” Well, it was Marion who used to be Smith, who used to be Kent’s dance partner in school, who used to be Kent’s ex-wife’s best friend, who looked after my Mom in intensive care in St. Mary’s hospital in Sechelt, who knew my sister-in-law who worked at St. Mary’s, and who now knows my cousin who works there. She is also sister to a woman in Kelowna who machine quilts my quilts, she is daughter to a man who was friends with Kent’s parents for many years and a man who I knew through a previous job. She had just looked after Ian’s Mom in the hospital. Small world, huh?

I gave Ian our boat card with my email address and blog address, so I’m hoping he’ll keep in touch. I also asked the name of his boat, as he is a commercial fisherman and no doubt keeps his boat in Pender Harbour where we stop at least once a summer. ‘Wind Walker’ is the name. I like that and it seems familiar. I’m sure I’ve seen the boat around the harbour. The 45 minute ferry ride ended far too soon and I was back on the bus to reality.

Funny isn’t it how the bus ride from hell (I haven’t ridden on a bus in, ummmmm…. years) turned into a chance meeting with 2 old friends, who brightened my day!

Riding the bus through Stanley Park was lovely - it was very relaxing and interesting. The daffodils were nodding their bright yellow heads at me, there were dads pushing strollers, moms chasing their toddlers and as we drove through downtown the tourists were taking photos of the mountains, a hooker in her high heeled red pleather boots was standing on a corner, business people were walking off their lunches and I was in a strange world.

The bus driver announced over the intercom the next stop was the closest we’d get to the Skytrain, so I gathered my belongings and exited. I had to ask him where the skytrain station was - he must have thought I was green as grass - the building was right across the street and had huge letters which said ‘THE STATION’. But, how would I know it was THE Skytrain station. I followed along with the crowd and put my money in the machine. Of course I chose the machine which wasn’t working and had to go on to the next one, finally buying my $5.00 three zone ticket, then followed the signs to the Skytrain. I did hesitate for a minute when I saw the sign which said ‘Sea Bus’. That’s a ride I’ve never done and always wanted to, but my suitcase was heavy and I still was a long way from home.

The Skytrain ride was interesting, the people were interesting, even the advertising was interesting. The first I heard of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival was when I looked up at a pink sign and read the winners of the Haiku contest. “I’m late for work, cherry petals, stuck in my hair” was one I liked.

My phone battery was nearly dead so I called Crystal. “Mom, where are you?”, she asked. “On the Skytrain.” “OHHHHHHHHH!!!!”, was her reply. “Can you come get me at Surrey Central Station?’ I asked. “Okay, but I’m out jogging with Hugo right now. I didn’t expect you so soon”, she said. “No problem, it’s a sunny day and I’m not in a hurry”, I said.

I hung out for half an hour at the Skytrain station, with the other bums, enjoying the sunshine. The only difference was I was eating Lindt chocolates and my ride zipped into the parking lot with the top down and the wind whipping her hair. “Wanna go to the pub, Mom?”

Can you guess what Rock and Roll Super Star I’m trying to impersonate? Oh, come on - you have to use your imagination - just a little! Long, black hair, 70’s, female part of a duo…

On the ferry this afternoon, I was minding my own business, eating my lunch, dozing in the sunny corner, and who do you think walked past me? I mean, within 2 feet? She stopped at the window to look at the tug boat pulling the log boom, and admired the snow capped mountains glinting in the sunshine. I heard her low, melodic voice as I’ve heard it hundreds of times on TV. I think she fell in love with beautiful BC as it was picture perfect, sunny and warm. Many celebrities come here to Hollywood North, but never see the real beauty of our province. I wonder why she was on the ferry…

So, she turned away from the view, glanced at me for a second as though she was about to share the moment, then hurriedly walked away. “OH”, I said, “YOU dropped something!”. She didn’t hear me and kept walking. I ran over to pick up the wallet with the G’s all over it. “Wait, wait, WAIT!”, I called to her but she was out of sight and hadn’t heard me. I walked quickly to the Purser’s office and had them page her. Sure, as though she was going to just walk on back through the crowd which gathered when the purser called her name over the intercom. Duh, Heather… no star in their right mind is going to fall for that trick.

Well, I could turn the wallet in, with all her ID and 2 front row tickets to the Bruce Springsteen concert tonight at GM place, and be absolutely certain she’d never get it back, or I could devise a plan to take it to her! Okay, I needed to go shopping first to pick up a few ‘props’, a black wig, dress, high heels and some makeup - oh and a few suitcases for special effects. Hotel Vancouver had everything I needed in their exclusive stores. Her credit cards obviously had no limit and I had a lot of fun! A rented limo and my friend in crime, Cleo, in tow, and I was ’show biz’ all the way - money was no object and there were a few trinkets I HAD to have as well - you know, the bling, bling you need to wear when attending a concert. I KNOW the hotel where all the stars stay, so checking in was no problem - they were expecting me.

I think I do a very good impersonation, and obviously security at GM place thought so too, as 4 men dressed in their red jackets and navy slacks ushered us backstage, through the deserted hallways, just before showtime. One of the guards unlocked the door to the pre-show room and there was Bruce, surrounded by the who’s who of Vancouver.

Cool, I’m all for the star treatment, grabbed a glass of champage and was ready to rock and roll. I didn’t need much to impersonate her - I WAS her. I had all her ID and no one was going to question me. Now, where was she? Could she convince everyone who she was without her ID and con them into letting her in? This would be a test! Really, I was only there to make a point and I only wanted to give her the wallet I had taken so much trouble to secure since she didn’t have lifelock protecting her identity against theft and impersonation …

“Sixteen, 16″, I heard over the intercom and awoke to realize the ferry was nearing Horseshoe Bay and it was time for me to board the bus for my ride to Vancouver, make a transfer to the Skytrain, then call for a pick-up by my daughter, arriving home in time to throw in a load of laundry and make dinner!

My 5 year old granddaughter Kaia came to visit Wednesday evening. Auntie Crystal and friend Morgan prepared dinner for 7 of us (friend Trevor came over as well) and we all gobbled up the ground moose burger fahita’s with all the fixin’s, and tater tots - YUM!

Once dinner was cleaned up, I started melting a chocolate mixture in the microwave, using up old chocolate chips, squares of semi sweet chocolate and even some of my Bernard Callebeaut stash to make a special Easter treat - Bird’s Nests.

Kaia, Crystal, Morgan and Trevor broke the rough edges off shredded wheat cereal and pulled it apart gently, until we had a bowl full of ’sticks’. Kaia was tired of doing that task in no time and asked 14 times if she could mix the chocolate before it was melted! Finally, I poured the chocolate into the bowl of shredded shredded wheat and everyone took a turn gently stirring with a fork until the sticks were coated.

We then filled paper muffin cups about 1/2 full, in muffin tins (you can do it without the paper cups by very lightly spraying the pan with oil), spreading the mix up the sides and making an indent in the bottom. They look like little bird nests at this point!

The correct method would be to let the nests dry for a few hours - but who has patience when you’re working with 5 and 26 year olds! We sprinkled brightly coloured sprinkles in the bottom of each nest, placed 3 to 5 mini eggs in each then a fuzzy chick on top.

OH, they are SO cute!!! The ‘kids’ and the nests… I love doing crafts and making memories with my family and friends when they so obviously enjoy being together and having fun!

Who had the most fun mixing? Trevor - he was very intent on doing it carefully so as not to crush the sticks.

Who had the most fun forming the nests? Crystal - she made 6 in no time.

Who had the most fun adding the eggs? Kaia - she ate as many as she put in the nests. Here is her plate - notice how many chicks, eggs and sprinkles she used!!!

Who had the most fun overall? Definitely Morgan - she’s a teacher and is excited to do this small, easy craft with her students next Easter!

Who did the cleanup? Well, me of course - after all this was my project to make memories with my Granddaughter, Kaia. It turned out to be a ton of fun since the older ‘kids’ were involved as well.

Happy Easter!