Few more 2022 pics

Joe made everybody nice pancakes for breakfast before some of us went for a 5 km walk along Lake Huron. It was a nice belated Christmas day (on Boxing Day) in Bright's Grove.

Reading while cuddling with Poncho (while Hilary explores the South Island of New Zealand). Shayd enjoys spending some time again with his mother and sister.

December events

Parker, the middle son of Marcy & Joe, works as conductor for CN Rail in BC and now misses most of the annual family events. He was over in Ontario for a week and with two of his Sarnia friends stayed over for a night. He stopped to see his grandfather, Opa Vandenboom, who is still looking very good at the age of almost 93.

After the early December Christmas dinner when Hilary and Shayd were here, we had another one with Roos, the older sister of Ralph. A snowstorm prevented us to go to Sarnia that day....

With all the snow, stormy winds and artic cold outside, it was a good moment to start another puzzle, one which was gifted to me by Carly & Mark for my birthday. The different phases of the process starts always with sorting of all the 1,000 pieces and coming up with a system of attack...

All the while with Poncho semi-hibernating under the blankets in his favorite spot. On boxing day (in Holland called "2nd Christmas Day" (tweede kerstdag), the weather allowed us to drive to Sarnia.

Opa in the front passenger seat with me in the back with Poncho bundled up in a blanket...

A third family Christmas dinner this year - this time in Sarnia - and an evening full of card and other games. On to the last few days of 2022; it has been a nice year...

Updates

In Holland, Monique and Marco got officially married (in the presence of Ger, Bert, Sascha and Berry) so to see in a very artful place. For both of them it is their second marriage and together they now take care of four kids; a busy household...

During the past two and half weeks, I have watched almost all the games of the group phase and the round of 16 of the current World Cup Soccer. The men in orange made it to the quarter finals (or the round of 8) and will face the always strong team of soccer-crazy Argentina on Friday....

With Hilary and Shayd taking off to New Zealand for the next three months, Mary and I will take care of their dog Poncho. This morning I walked Poncho over to Opa Vandenboom. Something we will likely do quite a few times as long as the sow is not too heavy...

Hilary and Shayd visiting

Hilary and Shayd are visiting again so we did an extra early Christmas dinner at the house of Susan and Ralph. Everybody was there except for Parker who works for CN Rail and was still in Kamloops, BC. Shayd and Hilary prepared lamb while Susan, Ralph and Mary made several side dishes. Afterwards we played a few games. A very nice family day. Hilary and Shayd will leave Poncho with us after this visit because they will travel to New Zealand and stay three months there. Shayd has not been able to visit his mother, family and friends there during the past four years. Hilary can continue her work on-line; Shayd will do some jobs with old friends, and they were able to rent out their condo in Vancouver. The modern world! We will enjoy taking care of Poncho during that time.