#53 Nov 2014 Remember

During WWII my father was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force and my mother a dental assistant in the Army. Neither of them was overseas but I grew up very aware of the people who served at home and abroad.

Ralph’s parents were farmers and provided the food for our service people at home and abroad.

I was born in Edmonton but we moved to Wainwright AB when I was 7 years old. The adjacent Army Training Base is still a major part of that community and my understanding of military life and personnel.

July 1, 2013 our granddaughter, Lindsay, was part of the celebration of Canada Day in Ottawa.

November 11, 2014 we watched the Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.

Two faces of the capital of our country.

The dangers military personnel face every day were forefront on people’s minds as they mourned the two soldiers killed on Canadian soil just days before.

Since moving to Surrey we have always attended the Remembrance Day Service in Cloverdale. Each year the crowds are larger with more young adults and children showing their respect.

Even when we can’t see or hear most of the service we stand and remember.

The flyover is always thrilling as we recognize the rigorous training required.

November 11th we celebrate the end of one war and the hope for peace.
December 25th we celebrate the birth of the “Prince of Peace”.

November 11th is a somber time. It starts a few days beforehand then is quickly forgotten as people jump into the Christmas rush.

Statistics say less than 30% of homes include a nativity scene. When decorations do include a nativity often Santa Claus is more prominent than the manger.

Where is the Christ Child in Christmas?

#52 Oct 2014 The Beauty of Nature

Halloween in this park is colourful and fun. At this time of year there are seldom any children around but adults enjoy the decorations just as much.

The local black cat stakes out his claim to the puddle.

This is the beginning of the rainy winter season and mushrooms flourish.

The fall leaves keep park staff busy.

Chuckanut Drive in Washington is one of our favorite drives along the ocean.

The evergreens are loaded with cones ready for next year.

The arbutus trees shed their bark and show off their red trunks.

Serpentine Wildlife Management Area is a peaceful oasis in the middle of Surrey.

The ducks cruise along.

A secluded tunnel beckons.

Signs warn visitors about invasive plants that disturb nature’s balance.

Blueberry fields show off their Christmas colors.

A rainbow promises that life continues as the seasons change.

#51 Oct 2014 Work??

In September while we were wandering the displays at Truxpo, Ralph checked out the BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology) and VCC (Vancouver Community College) booths and started chatting with instructors that he knew from 11 years ago. At that time Ralph did some substitute instructing in the heavy duty department at both colleges. Now, when Ralph said that he was retired they immediately started talking about the shortage of substitute instructors. Well, that idea had not occurred to us but started some serious discussions. We knew we would be in Surrey for a few months and Ralph would enjoy the outside stimulation.

October 9th Ralph spent his first day at VCC instructing the Fundamentals class which is an introductory class for prospective heavy duty careers. In October he worked seven days at VCC and got into the swing of teaching. The calls can be planned in advance or last minute when someone is sick. He enjoyed getting out in a new environment with new people.

Ocotber 10th Dave and Danica headed for Surrey to celebrate Thanksgiving and October birthdays, Danica the 10th and mine on the 20th. Saturday morning they met us at Fort Langley for the Cranberry Festival. The vendors and entertainment have grown considerably. The fire truck was very popular as kids could sit in the truck and then use the fire hose to knock over pylons.

The dunk tank drew attention as the manager of the Remax office climbed onto the seat still dressed in his suit. We pooled our cash and met the challenge with 23 dollars and 50 cents for Danica to throw 5 balls. She came close and there was much cheering all around us. He did eventually get dunked in his suit.

“Cranberries are delicious, but bacon makes everything better” was the slogan for “Well Seasoned” a gourmet food shop in Langley that tempts us with many useful/decadent/unusual items.

We all love Granville Island Market. The birds may not love being chased by the kids but they certainly come back hoping for food.

Danica wanted bread crumbs to feed the birds but no one sells bird crumbs/crusts. When we went into a bakery they gave us the crumbs and end pieces from the slicing machine. We saved our bread treats for home but Danica was anxious to use her crumbs.

She was even more popular when she shared her bag of crumbs with other kids and the birds hardly knew which way to turn.

Everyone was sad when the bag was empty.

The cement plant on the island has entered into the festive feel of the island.

Climbing the White Rock is always a challenge.

Balancing on a log is even more challenging with outside help.

Beyond the White Rock, the Peace Arch at the US border beckons.

Snowy Mount Baker keeps watch over the two countries.

We enjoy looking at the snow and ice but are very glad it's many miles away.

Crabbing is popular from the dock.

We had a great family weekend and and continued to create memories and celebrate birthdays.

#50 Oct 2014 The Ocean goes on Forever!

After the Winnipeg downpour and flooding our summer was very hot. By the end of September the rain started in the Lower Mainland. Nooky sadly watched the rain come down in sheets.

Our canopy is designed to tilt one corner when it reaches its maximum water load. The weather has tested that theory and it usually works.

When we are at home the canopy stays out to keep the steps drier. When we are away we retract it just to be safe.

During the summer we explored the Surrey Night Market and chatted with the owner of a “Spirit Tai Chi” studio in Surrey. Ralph and I have individually attended Tai Chi in the past but were intrigued with the distinction of “Spirit” Tai Chi.

The complete form of Tai Chi consists of 108 moves but there are different methods of instruction. This one emphasizes listening to your body and heart, not just learning the moves. Early September we both started attending twice a week and are very impressed with the instructor and learning about our inner physical selves.

We attended the “Snowbird RV Sale and Show” for two days. When we attended last year we had not been using our Class A RV enough to apply many of the presentations. This year Ralph attended seven seminars, mostly providing technical/mechanical information that was very useful. I attended two seminars and wandered through many types of RVs. I still like this one better than anything in the show, which is great since we plan to use this unit for many years.

When we bought this Georgetown XL motorhome we were still working. Ralph chatted extensively with one of his suppliers about the Georgetown that he and his wife own. Rick and Carol live near Seattle and invited us to join them for a few days to really see one another’s units.

October 5th we headed for Ocean City on the coast of southern Washington. We were fortunate to have a clear view of Mount Ranier. It is a sentinel in the area, much like Mount Baker in the Lower Mainland (Mount Baker is in Washington but we claim the view from here).

It was a six hour drive and we arrived just before suppertime. We were welcomed with a lovely salmon dinner and instant new friends. Another couple, Phillip and Jean, was setup next door and we soon became fast friends. The two couples know the area well and showed us around.

A five minute walk across the sand dunes took us to the endless ocean – nothing for thousands of miles west.

This coast is a very popular resort area with many paths to the beach. Each trail is marked with a unique post because the sand goes on for miles and it’s very easy to lose track of which path leads home.

The ocean “breeze” provides great kite flying opportunities.

Birds wait for the tide to recede and leave their next meal.

A sign posted in the resort office warned of a dead whale on the beach. It asked visitors to leave the carcass alone and let nature take its course.

This beach is part of the state highway system. All kinds of traffic is permitted from horses (tracks in the foreground) to ATVs and even Canadians.

There were hundreds of birds along the shoreline.

And in the air.

There must have been schools of fish moving with the tide and pelicans were watching carefully.

The feeding frenzy was spectacular.

When a neighbouring RV pulled in I had to catch these lovely shelties. They were all rescue dogs and very well behaved.

Sasquatchs must surf as well as leave mysterious tracks in the snow.

The resort is divided by this river, which is crossed via a one lane wooden bridge.

Altogether, we had a wonderful visit with new friends and new experiences.