Goose Goo, can You see it

Sure, we head back to the house, to rest a minute, maybe catch some lunch. Lance sits down at the table, looks back fondly on the creation we are making for the grandkids, and sputters out some fowl language. (Yes, I spelled that right - read on).

He "bellows" (that sounds right) for me to look out at the playhouse we have been working on - I comment that I have never seen a goose do that before, Hubby responds with "what - taking a crap"

"No, I have never seen them fly up to sit on a roof", and I haven't - they are kinda heavy birds and don't usually go perching on roofs.

Lance responds "I bet they are crapping all over the roof of the playhouse!" #%!!#

Well we ate our lunch and went back out to work on the play house and, can you see it......

That was two days ago, and Lance is still ranting! We now have a "Robotic Owl" with motion sensors stationed at the playhouse!

Brain On Vacation

oops, forgot to show off Lances favorite bird house! We are getting older, and some times the brain takes a little vacation from the rest of the body, you know, to be alone. Think about it, as we get old all the parts require more attention, and the brain is the CEO of all those operations, the back is always asking for those special pain relieving endorphins, while the tummy is bellyaching over something we ate with out its pre-approval, then your legs and feet join in the rebellion wanting equal attention from the brain - so the brain takes a vacation, and we , the owner of the brain, end up with a "brain fart" that causes us to forget just what we started out doing! :( , so, without further ado is Lances Bird House!

Progress?

Here are some pictures of our newest project,

busy, busy

We have been so busy - with what, I really have no idea! But I have finally carved out a few minutes to update my blog!

I noticed that my last picture up was of a trip to Alberta in December! My only fear now, is that after watching my Sister-inlaws blog - we will be seeing this same kind of winter-wonderland for our next trip East!!!

It is Spring here, with all that it entails - dozens of trips to the dump with leaves and branches, cutgrass and dandilions, cutting back the roses, and planting the garden. Bringing out the summer furniture and storing the winter ones! Lots of work, that has to be done between golf games, puzzles and assorted other hobbies that seem to fill the days!

Hubby has been building birdhouses, and enjoyed it so much he has taken on the task of building a "Play house". We have been building it for the last week and still have much ahead.

Of note I have discovered that when a wife is working with her husband, in lets say "The manly area of building", that as his helper I have been sometimes less than helpful. I try, but hey, that hammer is heavy, and why the heck do they make the reverse button on the drill so close to the other thing-a-ma-jing! One time well helping, hubby said something sarcastic, so I turned to him and asked if he really wanted me to do what he said, or was he speaking in "Assinese". That took him for a loop, and he laughed, (So no divorce papers are being served.

Things are gonna change!

January is here, and I am trying to keep all my promises to myself! (Hard to believe it is only the 10th, feels like I have been starving for months!)

Have to make one more freezing trip to Calgary before we head south, but we will be in the Sunny south by month end! A little rest period before spring cleanup!

This is Summit of the Pass when we went to Calgary in mid-December and I don't think we will fix our windsheild just yet!

The taste of Christmas

December is a wonderfull month! We start with our Fireworks for light up the last weekend in November, then on to baking, and cooking all those things that my family misses! There are Christmas Concerts to attend, lights, trees, decorations to put up, and family games. Bowling this year as there wasn't enough snow in the mountains for tubing! Making Pinata's with my grandkids (I would have thought they would enjoy putting their little hands in the flour paste!) ending up with the parents finishing them!
Making Cookie houses, gingerbread houses, and having Lance do our annual fireworks! Wonderfull memories and great times with all the family!
Daughter Candi getting engaged Christmas morning, when Jeff proposed through a game she wanted" PictionaryMan". Candi opened the gift, and Jeff had written on the Little man "Will you Marry Me?". He followed it up with a ring engraved with the same question. Very romantic, and even though I was sitting across the room, I didn't know what was happening! All I saw was Candi look like she was crying, and Jeff on his knees hugging her! So of course, way to go Mom, Says in an alarmed voice "What's the Matter, is something wrong?" duh. So congratulations to Daughter Candi and future son-in-law Jeff!
Here is a little clip of Grandson Jason's reaction to the gingerbread house Candi made. Kinda sums it all up for the month of December

Happy Holidays

Christmas Light up 2009

Christmas Season starts with the Christmas Light Up in Summerland.

The small town really goes all out, and it is so nice! Plus they have "mini-doughnuts!"

8 by 10 glossies

We scurry around trying to get all our Christmas shopping done while we are in the USA, hauling load after load back to store in our motorhome. (yes, load after load, because our hauler is a mini!) We usually concentrate on the grandkids, cuz they are "Fun" gifts. I spend hours on the internet, locating, price shopping, etc. then off we go!
When we are done, I list everything on a spreadsheet, to take to the border crossing, because we are always "Over". I print the spreadsheet and attach the receipts.

Well, this year when I was asked to come in to pay for the overages, I handed my "Sheet and attached Receipts" to the Customs Officer, and he looked at it, then at me, then back at it, then said to me " are you telling me you do up a spreadsheet, with catergories and totals of all the items you purchase in the US?" he didn't look very happy when he asked, and I also thought it was obvious, as he was holding it in his hand, but I answered "Yes", wondering just what kind of trouble I was in!??

The Customs Officer replied to me; "Are you kidding? You do up your own spreadsheet to give to us? Do you mind if I take this in to my Boss's office for a minute?" I responded "No", cause, really what could I say, and I still didn't know if I was in trouble for Something!

The officer crossed the floor and went in an office, then a couple more Officers went in that same office, they shut the door. I waited watching that door. Then I heard it, muffled laughter, coming from that office.

The Officers all poured out of that office, each one sneaking a look at me, with a grin on their faces. My Officer returned and said to me" I have never in my entire time as a Customs officer seen anything like this!" and he then smiled, and all I could think of was that "Arlo Guthrie" song with "the 8x10 photo's," with the "circles and Lines"!

Gramma, a special name

While away, my Daughter called to ask me to "Video Call" my Grandaughter when I got back to the motorhome. We had been gone about three weeks at this point, and our Grandaughter needed to see and hear me.

You see, a little girl friend of hers had just told her that her own "Gramma had just died". Our granddaughter got an awful look on her face and asked her little friend, "Does your Gramma have blond curly hair?", the little friend responded with, "no". Then our grandaughter told her friend, "then its not my Gramma".

We all share the same name "Gramma", anytime any of us go shopping and hear some little voice yell for gramma, we all turn our heads to look, and smile at the "grandchild", because we miss our own.

Thank goodness for technology that can quell the fears of a five year old, and allow you to share special moments!

( During the video call all my grandaughter said was she loved me, and missed me, but there was a big smile on her face to see my blond curly hair!)

Great Trip South

We had a great trip south! Visits from many family and friends made the time pass very quickly! Dad and Mary, Jim and Delena, Denise and Clark, Penny and Wanye, Dan and Jane, and Richard and Lynn! Wow, I think we saw as many people this trip as we do in a summer month. Could it be because it is a warmer climate? Actually, while we were in Vegas it was only a few degrees warmer than home! So of course we took a side trip to Parker AZ, and caught a golf game at the beautiful "Emerald Canyon".

The golf course never fails to amaze me with its views, and contrasts!Truly the most beautiful course we have been on. There were no holes in one, but it was a great trip and nice visit. (Liked the "pink" cactus off Dad and Mary's Deck!)

November

November was a busy month! We arrived in Vegas with no problems or weather stories! As a matter of fact, it was kinda boring following Lance with Dad and Mary's car. My daughter asked when I got back "why so many photo's of the Motorhome going down the road?", (cus, I had nothing else to look at!)

Lance came up with a great label for the back of the "Mini"; "Caution! I am PUSHING as hard as I can". Kinda suits the above picture!

Fall has fallen

The leaves are changing, and blowing through the yard,

every where you look, you can see the changes. At least fifty Quail have taken to eating the berries left on the trees, while a passel of ducks are feeding off the lawn. Mushrooms have sprouted, that Lance is constantly trying to eradicate, but he isn't winning!

It must be time for us to take our fall break to the south, to allow the leaves to fall and the mushrooms to grow in peace!

Busy, busy

Just finishing Grandson Tyson's and great neice Abigayle's blankies, when my sister calls to say she has another grandchild in the oven! That will make 9 grandchildren for her, and I will have to start up the needles again for our trip south!!

oops forgot the bedroom

On the Road Again..

These are some pictures of the new Land yacht

The boys, in an earlier time

Jason

Tyson

This is from WAY Back, Ricky holding Robbie!

So I guess what goes around, comes around! ( Picture of Jason (1st Grandson as a newbie, and our latest addition Tyson)

Kids say the strangest things..

The Eyes tell all
A couple of days ago my oldest granddaughter (5) is sitting in my front seat, and I look over and all I see is the white of her eyes! As any Gramma would, I say "what are you doing", my Granddaughter responds with " I want to See inside".
"Inside what?" I respond.
"Inside my body" my granddaughter answers.
Thanks a lot Health class!

Guess Who

The Summerland Montessori school publishes a monthly newsletter,in which they include the "Lighter side". This is an excerpt that involved Kenzie as the student.

Quote of the Week

Student from Ms. Jenny's Class:

When a student came to school wearing a new hairband, she was so excited.

But worried no one would recognize who she was, so she said:

"I'm sorry Ms. Jenny you probably don't recognize me! It's the new hairband, but don't worry it's still me..... see"

(As she carefully removed the hairband to prove her point!)

Motorhome or Recreational Vehicle..

After our last trip to Calgary, and having a problem with our shower, well what can I say. When our nephew called to say he needed to sell his latest purchase, I originally said "
No" to Lances "Don't think so". But as would have it, Our Recreational Vehicle, failed us yet again, so en route home we took our nephews offer of a trade!

Yes, our old unit had become a "recreational vehicle". I believe the definition of "recreation" is activity, hobby, exercise. Well that fits the old units name. We were very actively employed by it, chasing all the defects from falling speakers, fridge door coming off when I opened it, overhead fan falling on the bed, oh and lets not forget the "got You" steps that would sometimes stay out while driving, or close when your foot was on them. Oh there are so many memories, it is hard to pick just a few! What about the shower grey water that didn't go to the tank and Lance took up plumbing as a hobby!

With all those " amusements", It is kind of like when Jay Leno does the advertisements. I don't think we will forget the time the Drivers side slide wouldn't come in so we called the dealers service office to find out what to do. The Service guy responded with, "..he couldn't tell us over the phone, we would have to drive it in". Oh yeah, I can see us driving down the Deerfoot with the drivers side slide out, the other drivers won't be expecting that! There are many more episodes, but I am thinking of writing a novel with them!

Everything came to us when we cleaned it out and had a moment of perfect clarity - we were leaving just the items from the manufacturer, well - there was a jar of "putty" in the matching wood colors of our unit and that jar said it all. The jar had written on it "paty" in a very childish handwriting an black pen.

Well, now its out with the "recreational vehicle", and hoping the new one is a motorhome. (I believe the definition of "home" is "a place where you feel you belong".

The picture is of our new home away from home.

(We will see!!)

Jason & Tyson

Welcome to new Grandson, "Tyson"

He looks big, but he actually weighed in at just over 8lbs, and 51cm long.

He is beautiful! and one day old in these photos. Number 1 grandson Jason is only 19 months older and is anxious to play with his new little brother! Sarah and Rob will have their hands full trying to explain that Tyson is able to play yet!

Jason looked like a little man next to his brother but he's still a toddler! The time just flys, and the grandkids grow quickly!

Rob and Sarah stopped at Granny Johnston's enroute home from the hospital to introduce her to her latest Great Grandson.

We had a great visit, only marred by a leak in our motorhome of the grey water - so no shower! (And some of us needed it!!)