Penticton, British Columbia

Mary and I visited Hilary and Shayd for a week in their new (temporary) place in Penticton. The view over the lake from their place is spectacular and we were able to relax in the sun most of the day. We celebrated with Hilary her 33rd birthday, made walks and swam in the local community center pool.

Hilary works from home which is most of the time very convenient. They plan to stay in Penticton where there is also always work for Shayd in the construction sector. They are in the process of sorting it all out, and Mary and I are looking forward to more visits to the beautiful Okanagan region. Joe and Marcy visited during the same week their son Parker who works for CN Rail and lives in Kamloops, about three hours from Penticton. They came together for two days to visit us in Penticton. There was some family pickle ball happening again....

Travel around the globe

Susan and Ralph are making a four week around the world trip with the first two stops in Iceland and Sweden. Now in Korea visiting their daughter Fiona who is teaching English for one year at a private kindergarten age school (the Korean well-off parents spend already thousands of dollars for their kids education at that very young age). The fourth country on their trip is Japan, where they will visit a few old friends from their years in Japan teaching English (1988-1990).

In Sweden Sue & Ralph spend a week in Uppsala together with friends from Fonthill whose twin kids are both in Sweden (one playing professional volleyball and the other doing her Master Degree). In the meantime we are now almost out of the winter, but I like this last photo of our tropical plants in the window with the piled up snow outside. Next week five days in BC to visit Hilary & Shayd to celebrate Hilary's 33rd birthday.

Winter time

The past 10 weeks or so have brought us constant winter weather with very cold days and regular snow, more so compared to the past 2-3 years during January and February. But the past few days really brought down quite a lot of snow, bringing our neighbor Kurt two Sundays in a row out with our snow blower (so nice to have him handle that machine). Inside we have however nice flowering plants; one needs to appreciate the small things in life.....

Our young nephew Wil studies in northern Ontario from where he sent us last week a photo of his team during an outdoor ice hockey tournament. A very Canadian kind of event.....

Opa Vandenboom would have turned 95 a few days ago. He had a last good couple of years here in his retirement home in Fonthill, so close to his two daughters. Remembering the many games of Rummikub played with him after bringing him his favorite cup of Tim Hortons coffee. And it would have been my father's 105th birthday this month as well. Also already 12 years ago that I spent a year working in Colombia. Recently shared with somebody this photo of a weekend in the coffee zone.

Around the world

Hilary send us a photo from the view of their place in Penticton during a sunset. Mary and I just booked a short one week visit in late March to visit them in late March when Hilary will turn 33. Further west in Korea, Fiona is already almost half a year there working at a preschool English program. This week she has some holidays and send us a nice photo.

Last week during a monthly PROBUS meeting (retired folks entertaining themselves) I met a 90 year old lady with a lot of energy and humor. She gave me a book made by one of her sons based on old notes and photos of her husband. They met shortly before he embarked on a trip to Peru starting in the Niagara Region in 1960, and made it their honeymoon. The photo on the cover of the book (see above) was made in Ecuador in front of a monument indicating the equator line. I visited that place in 1983. Their book is an entertaining read. Much changed in places like Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru compared to when I was in those place during the 1980ies and certainly again now some 65 years later. For me now not much travel anymore. I try to heal my groin injury which takes time and my sweet patience. Making another jigsaw puzzle is as much exercise I get these days, but it is always fun to do and good for the grey cells...

Costa Rica

Mary loves playing scrabble on the internet; here even while in the pool at a resort in Costa Rica where she has been this week with Hilary. The two of them also went on a guided drive in an ATV along the beach to see a bit on the environment.

A good week of relaxation and natural vitamin D through sunshine away from the cold of Canada for Hilary and Mary. On their way home again tomorrow.

Start of a new year

Hilary and Mary are a week in Costa Rica as Mary's present to Hilary for completing her Master Degree in Nursing last year. They picked a good week because here it is a pretty cold and snowy period. They have nice weather and relax in the sunshine plus enjoy the beautiful sunsets over the pacific Ocean....

And while they are entertained by the pre-historic Iguanas eating food of guests from the resort, Poncho and I are in Fonthill real lazy but comfortable buddies.....