In Holland again

I arrived on Wednesday January 28 at the same place where I stayed the last three visits in Holland: at the guest suite of the apartment building where my sister Han lives. The next morning I woke up to a bit of a white world, so I guess I brought a bit of the snow from Canada. No comparison with what we have at the moment in Niagara though. The main reason to come this time of the year is Han turns 80 coming Sunday (Feb 1). Just a short visit of one week, but still room to catch up with others as well...

Tonight 8 of the group of 15 university friends came to Soest for a meal together. We spent a lot of time together during the 1974 - 1981 period, so good laughs about old silliness together, but also good to catch up on current affairs. A few of the others live in other countries and one was on vacation this week plus one had a bad cold these days. Two of these lifelong old friends were best men during the wedding of Mary and me in 1990 + organized a fun party week later in Amsterdam for Dutch friends & family.

Lunch today was fresh fish purchased of the street vendor who visits my sister's building once a week. Opa Vandenboom would have loved this kind of a meal...

In the meantime back in Niagara, Mary visited Fiona who started her new job in early January. She works as a volunteer coordinator for a regional organization assisting new immigrants.

Winter 2026 updates

Hilary is a few weeks in Ontario to visit friends (who all have young babies) and show us the growing baby in her belly. Three more months.... Winter hits again after a few mild spring kind of days...

The puppy dog of Mark & Carly, who is part huskie, is having a riot in the snow. Poncho, who visits us again with Hilary, does not like the snow at all. Can't blame him with his short legs....

Back in Holland my sister Ger and her husband Bert try to stay fit throughout the winter under the instructions of their oldest daughter Monique. Bert had bronchitis, so no fun. I will visit them in early February when my other sister Han celebrates her 80th on Feb 1. Just a short visit this time.

Joe & Marcy are visiting Ecuador while their two older sons Spencer and Parker are still roaming around in South East Asia, leaving their youngest Wil "home alone' in Sarnia. Wil is back at school on his way to get another diploma. Marcy and Joe send us a few pics from Quito in the Andes mountains and the giant turtles at the Galapagos Islands. 

Two months BC

Mark made these two photos on the peaks of the Revelstoke area ski mountains. He felt it was the nicest skiing he has done in his years so far. I wish I could have gone with him, but my body just does have too many aches & pains to do the deep fresh snow skiing. I have to do with my many good memories of the amazing skiing I was able to do in the Alps among them the weeklong tours past huts in the remote areas of those sensational mountain ranges. Glad Mark and the others could enjoy the Revelstoke skiing and Mary and others had fun snowshoeing one of the days...

After the skiing, boarding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling we had a sauna session before one of the dinners. Then it was back to Penticton (four hour drive past some of the beautiful lake areas), where we stayed one more day before flying back to Ontario, leaving Hilary & Shayd back in their regular ritme. Mary and I had two very nice months in BC. One more walk along Okanagen Lake and one more look from up on the mountain in the Crooked Tree apartments. A few more days and it will be 2026...

It is a boy!

On Christmas Eve a cake brought the surprise news that Hilary is pregnant with a boy! An original way to let the family know about the gender of the baby. April will be around the corner even though Hilary might argue differently....

Christmas together in BC

Sue, Ralph and Fiona came over to stay with us in the Crooked Tree apartment for a few days before Christmas. Mark and Carly also came and stayed in the condo of Hilary & Shayd. Marcy, Joe and Wil came a few days later and went straight to Revelstoke to spend the days with all of us during Chirstmas. In Penticton the gang went skiing on Mount Apex and we enjoyed a floating sauna with polar dip.

Revelstoke is one of the prime ski resorts in the Canadian Rockies. The gang had good fun with lots of fresh snow to ski and snowboard. A wonderful way to spend this Christmas together....

Arrived at the 7th floor

My 70th birthday has come and gone. Somebody in Niagara told me: "Now you have arrived at the 7th floor"; one way to look at it. Hilary and Mary baked me a nice carrot birthday cake, and we went out for a lovely dinner. Afterwards hang out at the rental place of Shayd and Hilary. A nice day during which Mary and I also explored a beautiful walking trail along Okanagen Lake amidst various vineyards.

Almost every day we walk a short up and down circuit near our rental place on the mountain. The views from there never tire. Two more weeks and we will be back in Niagara and will miss this walk and the views over the lake. Life is good to us....

Winter wonderland

Winter weather has arrived here in the mountains surrounding Okanagen Lake. It is a beautiful sight from up here around 1 km above sea level. Yesterday a few local deer were wandering past the place where we stay these two months.

Mark send me this photo of him working in his home office with their puppy Macy being comfortable on the couch. Mark and Carly love their little but fast growing pet. Back in Holland my university friends gathered for our 51st annual reunion dinner. I hope to see some or all of them again when I go to Holland in late January - early February around the Feb 1 birthday of one of my sisters....