Archive for the ‘Events/Concerts/Family Fun’ Category

Pop was the center of attention for his birthday week and loved every minute. We started celebrating on June 9 and didn’t stop until June 16! Crystal bought the grass umbrella and ’someone’ had the brilliant idea of attaching it to the back of Pop’s electric scooter. Not only did it provide shade for him, but it identified him easily in the crowd and looked very festive.

We had 33 people stay the weekend in 8 motorhomes, 3 tents, 5 boats and 1 airplane and another 88 arriving just for the big day. 121 people took part in the festivities, including a fishing derby arranged by cousin Keith, a hula hoop contest, badminton and water gun shooting, along with enough food to feed a small army.

Wednesday afternoon my sister-in-law Ann and I painted signs our friend Emily drew for us. There were 6 large sheets of plasticized foam which welcomed the Griffith family and friends to our 2008 Luau/Birthday party.

The setup was started on Thursday after we gathered all the picnic tables from the campsites. Pop ran the John Deere lawn mower, pulling the trailer and Mike & Gus loaded the tables. Many people hosed, scrubbed and moved tables into place. Thursday evening most of us went to the Backeddy Pub for dinner and a few drinks. Friday evening we enjoyed a potluck dinner outside at Pop’s.

Saturday started out with a pancake breakfast by Lee-Ann and Jonathon, then fish chowder by Kent, for lunch. People arrived all day long and Mike, Dorhn and Alan barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers around 5 pm. Many people made potato salad, appetizers and desserts and Graeme boiled corn on the cob as well. I don’t think anyone went home hungry!

It was difficult for me to find jobs for everyone who offered to help, but I delegated as best I could and I must say many people didn’t need direction at all but pitched in to make the whole day a huge success. One really nice touch I found out about the next day was Tracy and Rhonda went around to each table and sliced the pineapple which had been part of the decor before dinner.

Lee-Ann made a lovely birthday cake for Grandpa - white cake with white frosting and strawberries - his favourite! Sean and Crystal made a huge sash of scratch tickets for Grandpa to wear around his neck. He will be scratching for weeks!

I’ll let the pictures tell the story of family and friends joining together to celebrate 95 years! You may see more photos and a write up at cousin Judy’s blog.

Party plans are coming together!

Ann, Kent and I loaded Kent’s truck with another load of scrap iron yesterday morning while Pop watched to make sure we didn’t throw out any of his good stuff. I think there was only one little spat about ‘how long HAS it been since you needed that?’. Whatever, he’s officially 95 and if he wants to keep something, he can have it. We swept out the gas shed after re-organizing, then went to work in the ‘big shop’.

Kent moved the heavy stuff, Pop sorted, discarded and organized while Ann and I swept, then loaded Pop’s truck with a load to go to the dump.

We left about noon, stopped briefly at the museum to discuss the ‘Griffith Family Re-union’ plans and a few ideas I had. I took their garbage and away we went, stopping at Pender Harbour Diesel to drop off two old batteries. The $4.00 they charge goes toward a bursary fund - so that’s a great way to help others.

The dump was closed - grrrrrrrrrr….. we missed it by 20 minutes. Kleindale Nurseries next for Ann to choose a birthday present of a Rosemary plant for Pop. We hope the deer will hate it and it will help protect the rose plant she bought him two years ago.

While Ann ordered a hamburger and fries for our lunch, I grocery shopped. We ate our lunch in the truck, then we picked up the beer and wine for the party. The Vet’s office was the last stop in Madeira.

We totally missed Joyce’s quilting day which she hosts every Tuesday, but we stopped in to say hello anyway and Bill and Joyce agreed to meet us at the Pub for Pop’s birthday dinner which was a day late as he wasn’t feeling very good yesterday. I guess turning 95 can do that to a person!

Next, was the museum again for a brief confab with Beverley, who told me Kent phoned to say Emily phoned and wanted to make the party signs today if possible as she and Greg were going camping in Granville Bay for a couple of nights. I dropped the cans and bottles at the Thrift store then stopped at the Pub to see if Emily was still there. We missed her but she phoned half an hour later when we were back at Pop’s.

We barely had time to get the beer and groceries put away, get the sign material out, and Emily arrived. She, Ann and I worked on the signs until 6 (with Kent critiquing and supplying beer and being our ‘gofer’).

Emily drew out all the lettering and hibiscus flowers and showed us how to paint them, so we’ll complete the 6 piece signs today!

I have to go back to Madeira today with Pop, to the dump then stop at the museum to pick up brochures and invitations for the ‘Griffith family and friends’ to visit the museum Sunday morning at 10:30 to noon for coffee, donuts and FREE admission. Nice huh? I hope lots of the guests will!

Kent is leaving for town this morning as he is involved in a golf tournament tomorrow and has an appointment Friday morning, then he’ll be back to join the party.

This is the gingerbread house Kaia, Grandpa and I built in early December. Look at Kaia giggling when the gingerbread man and Santa fall down… Costco sells these kits for around $10.00 - how can you go wrong - they provide too many hours of fun and aggravation…

PPP

Our son Sean and granddaughter Kaia stopped in for a few minutes this evening. I could see Sean had something behind his back and Kaia had a little smile on her face.

Nosy me had to ask what he was hiding. Sean asked Kaia what he was hiding and she said, “Nothingggggggg”. “Oh, yes he is”, I said. “What is it????”

With a huge grin on his face he pulled out his BRONZE MEDAL to show us. First medal ever and is he proud of it? YES!

Sean enrolled in a freediving course at UBC after having watched a freediving demonstration last year and again this year at the Vancouver Aquarium. He would have taken the course last Spring but it is quite expensive and he had to think about it for a while. It’s exhiliarating to watch and think about but it scares me to think of actually doing it - the pool is one thing, but in open water in BC it sounds scary to me - even though I used to Scuba dive. Sean isn’t afraid of much though and he loves the water.

The ‘Freediving Breath-Hold Diver-Apnea’ course is taught by Performance Freediving International from Coquitlam.

Freediving or breath-hold diving is a type of advanced snorkeling and water adventure that allows enthusiastic men, women and youth to experience the sights, sounds and challenges of the most natural of underwater experiences.

Of course Sean has excelled in the course and enjoys it very much. All the students were invited to attend and take part in the Western Regional Competition held this last weekend in Vancouver at the UBC Aquatic Centre.

Friday night he entered the ’swimming underwater on 1 breath, for maximum distance’ event and did very well but was disqualified as he forgot to say, “I’m okay” when surfaced. He remembered at 18 seconds but 16 is the maximum. He would have placed second and was a little disappointed, but hey, you have to have a goal to strive for…

I’m a detail person and had to ask how, when, where, etc., as it’s hard to comprehend without having seen. The divers start in the water at the edge of the pool - each in a lane. There is a countdown and the events are timed. 3 safety divers were in the pool along with 2 judges. The divers are watched very carefully in case of problems and one diver passed out underwater and another passed out when he surfaced - there’s a lot of stress entering any competition and this is even more difficult as it involves holding your breath and strenuous swimming. One of Sean’s competitors, who took the gold medal was from Oahu, and impressed Sean with his superb ability. Next time Sean goes to Hawaii he’ll have a buddy to go scuba diving and free diving with!

Sean didn’t get back Saturday for the competition but Sunday he attended and certainly did not forget the rules. He entered the ‘Dynamic Apnea with Fins’ event and swam 59 meters underwater, on one breath and won the bronze medal!

He will be on the Canadian Association of Freediving and Apnea website and ranked on AIDA - the international association.

Hey Sean, your Dad and I are VERY proud of you - Congratulations!!!!

Placing in the Western Regional Competition is just the start - soon the whole family will be heading off to the National’s and ultimately the ‘World’s’ if I know Sean!

Crystal came running to get me today. She said, “Mom, hurry. The neighbour just found Grandpa on the ground and he’s worried and wants me to stay with him. AND, bring your camera - hurry!”

I knew what Pop was doing, but it had really worried the neighbour seeing Pop lying on the road with his head under the back of his pickup. I grabbed my camera and ran out to catch the action of this nearly 94 year old.

Look how methodical he is - he put a towel on the ground to lay on so he wouldn’t get his good pants dirty. He wasn’t interested in pictures but wanted me to bounce the pickup truck box to see how loose it is in the back end. Then I had to get down there and have a look to see what he was talking about!

The local Ford dealership did some engine repairs and we picked the truck up this afternoon. Apparently the mount which hold the spring which holds the box onto the frame has rusted completely away and the tech at the dealership advised he really shouldn’t be driving it - other than directly to a different shop to have it repaired.

Ya, right - Mr Fixit needed to check it out himself to determine if it was driveable enough to get it back home to Egmont where he and Kent could do the repairs themselves this Spring. After all they have the necessary tools and skills - and of course Pop has the knowhow and the will, just not the physical mobility to DO. He’s 93 9/12 in age but not in spirit. Besides which, he’s been driving it this way for nearly a year and it’s been fine!

Since I’d gotten dirty already lying on the ground, I decided to look under the other side to compare. “Um, Pop - this thing just came off in my hand - is it an important part do ya think?”

Uh, oh - now both sides seem to be rusted away. One side of the box is being held up by the spring, the other is still being held on the piece that hold ‘this’ mount - or whatever… I don’t know the mechanical terms but I do get it - there’s nothing holding the box to the frame and um, it could be very dangerous if the truck was in an accident.

Pop is still determined to drive the truck to Egmont on the 9th of April - hopefully he doesn’t lose the box on his way… but I’ve seen trucks being driven without a box - Rednecks do it all the time and it doesn’t seem to be a big problem.