The Beanjar

The Wearing of the Taran

2012-01-30T19:12:00.000-08:00

There was lots of opportunity for " The Wearing of the Tartan" recently. We attended two formal Burns Dinners and JR also wore formal attire to the Opera which nearly coincided with The Bard's special day. We wore our peasant outfits to a dinner with Scottish Country Dancing and to a dinner with a kitchen party.Our Scottish ancestors would be proud.

Bucerias

2012-01-17T22:04:00.000-08:00

Bucerias, Mexico was the beautiful, sunny, warm setting for the most wonderful 45th anniversary celebration we shared with all of our children, their spouses and our grandchildren. At Casa Victoria there was singing, dancing, games, stories, reminiscing, and pool fun. A highlight was a lovely catered dinner followed by an audio visual presentation of our 45 years. At the beaches there was surf boarding, boogie boarding, wave jumping, castle building, and shell, tile, and glass collecting. We ate in marvelous restaurants and enjoyed amazing sunsets every evening.It was so special to have everyone together and the week will remain among our most treasured memories.

Boogie Boarding Buddies

2012-01-17T21:54:00.000-08:00

Surf's Up

2012-01-17T21:13:00.000-08:00

Red Velvet

2012-01-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

Mio wore red velvet to celebrate the New Year

Winter Solstice 2011

2012-01-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful series of celebrations we enjoyed over the holidays. With the Calgary grandchildren we attended a stage production of the Wizard of Oz, the Puss in Boots movie, cut down our own tree in the Toby Forest, hung our stockings on the Lakehouse banister, made a gingerbread house,(some) performed Mele Kalikimaka, went cross country and downhill skiing at Panorama, and played hockey. Sipping "Le Marche Proseco", we brought in the New Year with the McDonalds, Bensons, Lorisa and Justin. We were also able to share seasonal cheer with many other friends in "The Valley".

Fun in the Snow

2011-12-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

We had James, Eli and Mio visit for a day, during which we had lots of fun in the snow

'Tis the season to be jolly

2011-12-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season to be jolly and the ladies of my book club, along with our spouses, did just that at a party hosted by Laurie in her beautifully decorated new home.Pomegranate martinis, delicious potluck food, and a "consummable" gift exchange added to the merriment.

Escondido

2011-12-10T17:48:00.000-08:00

What a great week we spent in the sunshine of Escondido with our friends George and Valerie and Christine and Dennis. We golfed some lovely courses, hiked the boulder covered hills and wetlands, enjoyed the museum, frescoes and historic buildings of Temecula, through which the Butterfield stage once ran, and the lovely old mission of San Luis Rey.

Birthday Party

2011-11-28T10:54:00.000-08:00

JR invited five of his special friends to a pool party to celebrate his birthday. They also helped him blow out the candle on the raisin pie he requested instead of a cake.

Alexandrina in Paris

2011-11-23T19:56:00.000-08:00

My niece Ali was chosen as part of a team of Highland dancers from Saskatoon to perform at EuroDisney. What a fantastic experience she had and we are very proud of her.

PA

2011-11-23T19:51:00.000-08:00

JR and and recently enjoyed a car trip to a cold and frosty Prince Albert. We had a wonderful visit with my Mom and shared coffee with Carol and Arvid and lunch with Maureen and Robert. Wish they were all closer!

West Coast

2011-10-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

We made a trip to the west coast to attend a funeral service for my Uncle Don. While this was a sad occasion it was also enjoyable to see all of my Falconer relatives and to spend time with the Norgards who have recently purchased "Island Breeze"and took us sailing

Speakeasy

2011-10-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

This year the CWC President's Gala was a "Speakeasy" We entered down a long dark alley and had to knock three times to be admitted. Everyone was dressed in period costume and dining and dancing in this atmosphere were a lot of fun.

Oxford

2011-10-12T21:33:00.001-07:00

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Oxford with the M'akls. It was wonderful to have time to chat with Lucinda, to give and receive hugs, kisses and love from the boys and find out about Kevin's work. We ventured out on excursions with the boys most days and gave Lucinda time to do some quilting.Jan and Lloyd joined us for Thanksgiving dinner at a local pub followed by enjoyment of pumpkin and raisin pie at Kestrel Lodge. Jan is there for surgery she wasn't able to arrange here! These are precious times we experience only a few times a year.

London

2011-10-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

We stayed in a flat near Kensington Gardens belonging to a friend of Beth and Den and walked to see Buckingham Palace, Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey,Big Ben, The Eye, The Tower and Tower Bridge, The Globe Theatre, St Paul's Cathedral
and took a boat trip down the Thames to Greenwich.We were able to get tickets to see Warhorse which is a very touching story and the puppetry of the life size horses was incredible.

Loire Valley Cycle Tour

2011-10-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

We stayed in lovely little chateaux or boutique hotels and cycled through corn and sunflower fields and vineyards, through charming little villages along the beautiful Cher, Indre and Loire rivers, stopping to visit beautiful Chateaux and overindulging in exquisite French cuisine and our own rather delightful picnic lunches.

Paris

2011-10-12T17:44:00.000-07:00

Paris was as wonderful as it presumes to be! We stayed in a little hotel near L'Eglise de la Madeleine and Place de la Concorde and walked down the Champs Elysees where we serendipitously happened to meet Dawn and Glen,climbed the 250 steps of the Arc de Triomphe and the 700 steps of Le Tour Eiffel, saw Sacre Cour and le Grand Palais,visited the Louvre and Notre Dame, walked le rive gauche and le rive droite of the Seine, and spent an evening at the Crazy Horse Saloon.

Apple Harvest

2011-09-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

Monday with Mio

2011-09-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

We now get to spend Mondays with Mio - and to spoil her a bit.

2011-09-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

Have just spent three glorious days hiking in beautiful Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park

Coffey Reunion

2011-08-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Although the Hakls, Norgards and Jr. McDonalds were unable to join us, all of the rest of the Coffey Clan were reunited at Emma Lake,in total thirty persons and three dogs. Friday evening we enjoyed a lasagne meal and visiting together then Saturday morning Lorisa led a yoga class. This was followed by division into teams designated by the color of bandanas sported (in a variety of fashions) and then the much anticipated canoe race, won by Team Pink! After a hot dog lunch,a leisurely afternoon of beach activities was followed by ceviche appetizers( prepared from a Nunavut recipe by Marc from a pickerel caught by Jamie )and a steak barbecue. A draw made for the afghan made by Ina, was won by Shauna. Sunday morning a mini-olympics was held on the beach. Events included a sack race, 5-legged race, over/under string relay, golf ball/spoon relay, frisbe relay and a run/swim around the dock relay, all of which provided keen competition between teams and much hilarity.At the final burger lunch, recognition was made of Grandma Ina's 90th birthday and the "reason for being" of all of us.

The Wedding

2011-08-09T08:59:00.000-07:00

The sun shone brightly on Panorama mountain for the wedding of Dean and Amanda. Hot pink gerber daisys and lime green crysanthemums featured in bouquets and in vases made specially by Barbara and lime green satin adorned the bridesmaids and in wide ribbons on the white satin chairs. In the beautiful greenspace, this was magical and our family much enjoyed the celebration.

Tri-Birthday Party

2011-08-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

Friends

2011-08-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

Emma

2011-08-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

We had some lovely weather for the McDonald family reunion. Besides the great meals, fun on the beach,sailing, skiing, surfing,and wake-boarding, the Lions pancake breakfast was a hit, moving the yard shed was a feat accomplished, The Guedo cousins visited and Mio and Buddy became fast friends.

Boom Lake

2011-07-24T12:02:00.001-07:00

On our way back to the city we enjoyed a pleasant hike to Boom Lake and shared a lovely dinner with the Wilson's in Canmore

Bullriding in the Rockies

2011-07-24T11:52:00.001-07:00

We happened to be in the Valley for the annual "Bullriding in the Rockies" event this year. A great dinner of beef, beans and bannock was served in the curling rink. This was followed by a rodeo in the lot directly behind the rink. There were events for children, then cowgirls heralded in the riders from Canada, US and Australia and we watched them ride, ride, ride. A dance to the great western music of the "Scarecrows" followed in the rink. Yahoo!

Pseudograndchildren

2011-07-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to have the Wilsons visit in Inveremere. Jackie, Rosie and Isaac all became brilliant boat drivers with some guidance from Grandpa JR.

Tornado at Emma Lake

2011-07-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

We have just learned from Barb and Garry and Carmen and Jim who are currently at San Souci II, that a tornado struck Sunnyside beach last night. The Gordon's dock was thrown onto ours, the fishing boat was blown onto Thorpe's trampoline, The "clothesline tree" was uprooted and cast upon Thorpe's shed, narrowly missing the guesthouse, electicity is out and other downed trees are blocking the road but everyone is fine and enjoying another sunny warm day.

I Nostri Amici

2011-07-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

Our Italian friends, Berta and Irene, were visiting Pasquale and Adriana and they were all able to join us for dinner and some great comradeship.

Hobart Breakfast

2011-07-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hobart Rd Breakfast

2011-07-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulDnzfWP7Jg We were pleased to be invited to the Hobart Rd Stampede Breakfast again this year. We look forward to the great food that Lorisa and her neighbors prepare and the music and dancing in the street which Graham and his friends provide. We were able to follow this with a trip to the grounds with Ryan and Brennan where we watched the rodeo, did some rides, had our traditional hot dogs and pop and then watched the grandstand show and the fireworks. What a great day!

Stampede

2011-07-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

Goldeye Lake

2011-07-14T20:30:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful three day hiking trip in the Nordegg mondane.Twenty six of us stayed at a delightful lodge on Goldeye Lake and hiked Baldy peak, The Colloseum peak,and trails along the North Saskatchewan and Siffleur rivers.

Haida Gwaii

2011-07-14T20:23:00.000-07:00

JR and his friend Tom had a successful fishing trip in Haida Gwaii. Besides having a lot of fun they brought home Coho, Chinook and Halibut which are very tasty.

Birthday Celebration

2011-07-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Eli's sixth birthday in Invermere. Carmen put so much love and time and effort into preparing a specially requested "sailboat" cake which we all enjoyed. Eli was thrilled with the whale he received as a gift from Nana and Papa Protti

Canada Day

2011-07-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Canada Day at the Lakehouse with Jim,Carmen, James, Eli, Mio and John and Krystal. We watched the parade, listened to all the entertainment at Kinsmen Park and watched the boat races and played at the beach. What a fun time!

Rhythmic Gymnastics

2011-06-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

We finally got to watch Beverley perform her rhythmic gymnastics along with the three other Alberta clubs who are representing Canada at the 14th World Gymnaestrada in Switzerland.

Farewell

2011-06-26T15:52:00.001-07:00

In one of the few sunny windows of time we have had this year we hosted a neighborhood barbeque to bid farewell to our neighbors Shelly, Pratt and their sons Tyler, Joe, Cole and Luke, who will be moving to Houston. It was fun to reconnect with some of our "Close" friends whom we generally see just in passing.

Emma Lake Workout

2011-06-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

We have just spent eleven days at Emma Lake with Barb and Garry working 12 hour days to get the cottages ready for summer festivities. This year involved more work than usual for we had to demolish all the fencing and decking, remove the old hot tub, haul all the rubbish to the dump, build a new deck, install a new tub and gazebo as well as the regular maintenance of putting in the dock, getting the water flowing, leveling buildings, trimming trees and grass, clearing all the leaves, pinecones and reeds from the beach, repairing screens, cleaning gutters and removing cob webs inside and out. It rained parts of every single day but we pressed on nevertheless! We did stop for a bit of R&R however. Jim and Mary Ann Cross invited us over for meals and to watch the final two Stanley Cup games and with the Robert and Kevin Donalds we celebrated Mom's 90th birthday at Zorba's Restaurant.

Sensational

2011-06-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Owen is sensational on the skateboard and can also pogo with no hands on the stick!

Guitar Recital

2011-06-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

We had the great pleasure to hear Davin and his friend Sasha perform at the Acoustic Planet Music student Recital.Amazing!

Saltspring Island

2011-06-08T10:03:00.001-07:00

On Saltspring Island, Davin and Owen led me on a wild goose chase to an island created when the tide was out. They did find what we assume to be a goose egg! We watched the boys play soccer,enjoyed sunshine and music on the deck with their friends Wendy and Grant, listened to Lee Ann's presentation entitled "Line and Form in Nature" at a Pecha Kucha Night at the home of their friends Yves and Daniella and enjoyed dinner with the Fisher family.

Victoria

2011-06-08T10:00:00.002-07:00

In Victoria we had a lovely lunch with George and Valerie and enjoyed afternoon tea with my Uncle Don.

Vancouver

2011-06-08T09:53:00.001-07:00

We spent a delightful few days in Vancouver sharing gourmet meals with Krissy and Derek,Donna and Ernie, Florence and Andy, and Mona and Ted. Also experienced the downtown excitement of Canuck Fever.

Piano Recital

2011-06-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Ryan performed two solos at the Michelle Taylor student recital and also performed in two rhythmic ensembles. For his own composition entitled "Monkeys in Mexico" he received a fourth place award in the Western Canada area.Bravo!

Recital

2011-06-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

Brennan performed two solo numbers and participated in two rhythym ensembles.

Dread Soccer

2011-05-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

This photo of Lanny, which appeared in the local paper, was taken during the Victoria Day Tournament on Saltspring Island

Children's Festival Field Trip

2011-05-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of escorting Brennan and his classmates Clara, Elyse and Lucas, accompanied by all of the other grade 1 and 2 students and teachers from Ecole St Gerard and several mothers who also volunteered, to the Jack Singer Concert Hall for a performance of "Physical Music". Entertainers played unusual instruments upon which they simultaneously performed some amazing gymnastics. Amazing that some 50-odd children were so well behaved and truly delightful!

The Queen's Birthday

2011-05-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

The Queen's Birthday provided a most memorable week-end for us. En route from Calgary to Invermere we admired bear and moose, as well as the usual deer, sheep and goats. The weather was beautiful and we were able to do some boating with the Taits,play a round of golf with the DeDominicis',Urquharts and Perrys, and share short visits with the Wipflis, Wilsons and Trimbles.

Another Sign of Spring

2011-05-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

Another sign of spring: putting up the trampoline.

A Toast

2011-05-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

A toast to Krystal's health! She has thankfully been released from hospital after an eventful week.

Spring

2011-05-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

Spring must finally be here because there are crocus flowers in the park!

May Birthday

2011-05-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

Lucinda and Jim recently celebrated their birthday. Lucinda was exploring castles in France with her family and Jim enjoyed an amazing cheesecake prepared by, and shared with his family. Since he is a passionate entomologist, it featured a collection of candy bugs and worms crawling in what looked like earth but was, in fact, ground Oreo cookie.I spent the day digging in my garden, as I had on the morning of May 07, 1973!!!!

Season Finales

2011-05-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

Jan and I enjoyed the last Lunchbox Theatre production of the season, the hilarious "Shopaholic Husband Hunt", then treated ourselves to a delightful celebratory lunch atop the Calgary Tower. JR and I also enjoyed the last opera of the season, Mozart's comic "Cosi Fan Tutte".The upcoming "Eagles" concert will end our CPO season so now the golf course, hiking trail and bicycle will provide our entertainment

Sarah

2011-05-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

My friends Irene and Bernie and Mary and I attended the world premiere of Jean Grand Maitre's brilliantly choreographed ballet " Fumbling Toward Ecstasy" featuring the music of Sarah McLachlan. It was sooooooo beautiful!

Fascinator Party

2011-05-01T12:57:00.001-07:00

Lady McDonald hosted a party for some of her specially privileged fiends to view the Royal Wedding of Kate and William and to enjoy tea. The quests included the Duchess of Sass,Lady O'Connell,the Marchesa de Dominicis, the Contessa de Protti and Lady Mio, Lady Garland, the Vicomtessa de Gusa and Lady Perry. Guests were provided with fascinators in a variety of colors, Lady Di rings, commemorative bracelets, and small Union Jacks for the event. With tea, guests enjoyed sticky toffee pudding, scones with strawberry jam and Viscount Biscuits, These beautiful witty ladies had a smashing time!

2011-05-01T12:22:00.001-07:00

Easter in the Valley

2011-05-01T12:10:00.001-07:00

The Taits and Wipflis joined Bean and JR for the Easter week-end in the Valley. We all enjoyed a great hike on the Hoodoo Wetlands Trail, some cycling and spashing in both the Radium and Fairmont Pools.

Egg Roll

2011-05-01T11:58:00.001-07:00

A highlight of the week-end was our traditional Scottish Egg Roll which symbolizes the rolling away of "the stone from the tomb". We all colored and decorated our eggs and then, attempting to keep them uncracked, to roll them with the least number of throws down the hill behind the Lakehouse. Ryan was the winner with one of his three eggs in tact after eleven throws!

Outdoor Eating in the Sunshine

2011-05-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

After our Egg Roll we were able to enjoy a picnic lunch of egg salad sandwiches made with the relatively intact eggs which survived the roll and the next day Happy Hour on the deck with the Woods and Connells

Amanda

2011-04-19T10:41:00.001-07:00

Karen recently hosted a bridal shower for Amanda who will be marrying our nephew, Dean,on August 06. Hot Pink and Lime Green decor and delicious appetizers paired with excellent wines,set the background for the entertaining stories told by family and friends and conversations with all. It was wonderful to meet many of Amanda's family, including her step-sister and step-mom pictured here.

Aida

2011-04-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

After enjoying a gourmet dinner at Notables with The DeDominicis we "experienced" Verdi's powerful operatic masterpiece, Aida. The set, and music were wonderful but the chorus was most outstanding. Brava/Bravo to each performer!

Darwin The Dinosaur

2011-04-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

Ryan, Brennan and I shared a delightful lunch downtown at Milestones before attending an exciting play at Vertigo Theatre which featured neon costumes and a mimed story presented in the dark

The G-8

2011-04-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

The G-8(Golfing-8) spent a very warm, enjoyable week playing courses on the Robert Trent Jones Trail in Alabama

Three "Mouseketeers" in Disneyland

2011-04-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time with Brennan, James and Owen in the Magical Kingdom. Their favorite rides were Astro Blaster(X4) and Toy Story Mania(X2). They were very brave and adventurous trying some of the more exciting rides(and forcing us to do so)as well as the more gentle ones. We had lots of treats and delicious(but not so nutritious)meals, and we had to report a lost child only four times!

Davin Days

2011-03-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

We have been privileged to have Davin with us for a few days. We were able to spend a day skiing at COP, some time playing in the snow in the back yard, playing a board game which he won, and bowling and swimming at the CWC. We were also able to spoil him with candy, ice cream and slushies as only grandparents can.

Miss Mio

2011-03-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

Miss Mio at seven months of age

Samba Dance

2011-03-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

Lucinda, this is especially to show you that Samba dancing was part of the parade. Sorry about all the waving arms and cameras but that was part of the total experience!

Other Highlights

2011-03-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

Also want to share photos of the amazing forest of cinnamon-barked arrayan trees on the Quetrihue Peninsula in Lago Nahuel Huapi and of our exciting zip-line experience

South America

2011-03-09T15:30:00.001-08:00

We have returned from yet another wonderful trip. In Mendosa we tasted wines paired with the seven courses which comprised a lunch we shared with our new best friends Delores and Andreas. In the Andes we hiked far enough to glimpse Aconcagua, highest peak in the Americas. The lake crossing from Chile to Argentina provided spectacular scenery and a chance to experience a zip line through the rain forest canopy. Bariloche afforded more hiking and breathtaking views of many of the lakes. Rio was so much fun! Exceeding our expectations were the Cristo Redentor, the Copacabana, Ipenema and Barra beaches and the view from Sugarloaf.The highlight was the Sambaparade held in the huge Sambodrome with dozens of unbelievabley intricate floats and thousands of dancers in the most elaborate costumes.

sledding

2011-02-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

Busytown

2011-02-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been very busy. Bob and Carol and JR and I attended the world premiere of a wonderful new Canadian opera titled "The Inventor". Lorisa and I enjoyed the Lunch Box Theatre production of "Rory and Liza" and a nice lunch following that. Donna hosted a lovely luncheon meeting of my book club when we reviewed the delightful "Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ". Another friend, Donna, with whom I worked at the Med School, visited from Vancouver and we met for coffee and a great chat with Cy Frank who directed our research there. Karen accompanied me to a CPO performance featuring Ian Tyson. Tom and Bev and JR and I enjoyed the current Theatre Calgary production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Christine and I have been seeing a lot of movies, determined to see most of those nominated for Oscars which we hope to watch in Argentina. We have had a several good dumps of snow and have been able to snow shoe, ski and sled in the Edgemont Ravines behind our house. Richard Scary could paint quite a picture!

Unbirthday

2011-02-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

Everyone has been most considerate of my wishes not to celebrate a birthday this year. Barbara and Garry were kind enough to host a lovely gourmet dinner and invite a few of our closest friends to attend an "unbirthday" party, at which the Urquharts presented me with this tee shirt!

Slopestyle Snowboarding

2011-02-05T15:44:00.000-08:00

James and Eli and I watched the Burton Slopestyle Snowboarding Men's and Women's Championships at Canada Olympic Park and were amazed at the 1080's, flips and cartwheels the young competitors executed so seemingly effortlessly,

Mio

2011-01-31T13:43:00.000-08:00

Mio continues to charm her grandparents

New Generation of Curlers

2011-01-30T18:13:00.000-08:00

In a close match, Brennan, Graham and Bean defeated Ryan, Lorisa and JR in an exciting game of curling.

Septugenarian/ Sexagenarian

2011-01-30T17:48:00.000-08:00

Jan and I were born two days apart. This year she turned a year older and had a special birthday. I, on the other hand, and very miraculously, remained the same age and had no birthday. I did, however,help her celebrate!

The Wearing of the Tartan

2011-01-29T23:29:00.000-08:00

For the functions we attended this week honouring Robbie Burns, we proudly celebrated our Scottish heritage by "The Wearing of the Tartan" and much enjoyed the haggis and neeps and tatties.

The Good Old Hockey Game

2011-01-29T13:42:00.000-08:00

We love watching Ryan and Brennan playing " The Good Old Hockey Game " with Lorisa coaching the "Lions".

Snowy Cold Saskatchewan

2011-01-20T18:03:00.000-08:00

I have just returned from a visit to snowy, frosty and cold but sunny, beautiful and enjoyable Saskatchewan. I was able to visit almost all of Clan Donald at Sarah's 16th birthday party in Wakaw, share a dinner celebrating both Carol's and my birthday with her and Mom and Arvid at Zorba's in PA, and Mom and I travelled from PA to join Maureen (traveling from Wakaw), and Carol and Arvid (traveling from Hagen) at the Phantom Light Restaurant in St Louis. We enjoyed a tasty lunch and learned all about the ghosts in the area. It was as cold as minus 43 but Mom and I still ventured out to shop and to see a movie. She is so active, bright and fashionable, it is hard to believe she will soon be 90!

IWW

2011-01-07T13:15:00.001-08:00

In the summer my "Ice Water & Wine" (IWW ) group go cycling on Thursdays, during which time we consume lots of "Ice Water" , then enjoy a nice picnic or restaurant lunch accompanied by a lovely "Wine". In the winter we walk on the many wonderful cycle paths or through different neighborhoods in the city. Depending upon when and where people are traveling there can be between 2 and 40 members. This week Bryanne, Arlene, Joan and I shared a great day walking through Confederation park and lunching at Boccavino.

Winter Solstice 2010

2011-01-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

Our winter holiday at the Lakehouse was a fun filled, action packed "happening". We went downhill skiing at Panorama, played hockey on the lake and in the garage, went cross country skiing and sledding at Nipika, soaked in the hot pools at both Radium and Fairmont,shared time with the Taits, jr McDonalds, jr Bensons and sr Bensons who stayed with us and the Colleaux, Trimble, GE Perry, GA Perry, Urquhart, de Kleine, McIntosh and Clare families who visited us.

Oxford

2010-12-17T11:44:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed a few short days in Oxford after visiting Jordan and Syria A highlight was riding on Thomas the Train with Bryn and Ellis to see Father Christmas.

Middle East

2010-12-17T11:20:00.001-08:00

What a wonderful array of sights we found in the Middle East: the rose red rock dwellings and tombs of Petra, Crusader and defending Islamic castles and fortresses, the Euphrates river and the Cradle of Civilization, Greek and Roman engineering masterpieces. We were able to share all of these and more with a wonderful group of travelling companions.

J&K Wedding

2010-11-13T21:08:00.000-08:00

The John and Krystal wedding on the Mayan Riviera was wonderful. The accommodation at the Azul Sensatori resort was incredible, food delicious, activities abundant, varied and lots of fun for all. The bride was beautiful, ceremony touching, dancing wild, and friends and family entertaining. It was special to have four of our little boys (and their parents) together though they really "gobbed " me in a whipped cream fight on the beach!!!

President's Gala

2010-11-13T19:11:00.000-08:00

Arlene and Jack and Barb and Garry joined us at a gala event welcoming the incoming president of the Calgary Winter Club. Scrumptious food, great dance music and socializing with the many friends present, made it a most memorable evening.

Mona Lisa Mio

2010-11-05T13:51:00.001-07:00

Mio gets cuter every day. Here she displays a "Mona Lisa Smile"

Las Vegas

2010-10-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

JR and I recently spent a week in Los Vegas. It was most unusual for us to travel somewhere without a group of friends but we quite enjoyed each others company. We stayed in a lovely spacious condo in the Jockey Club which was nestled in between the Cosmopolitan and the Bellagio hotels, right in the centre of " The Stip". We were able to go to the gym or the pool in the morning, visit one of the many attractions in the afternoon, namely the famous welcome sign,an aquarium,dolphin pool,white tiger park,Titanic exhibit,"Bodies" exhibit, the top of the Eiffel Tower, an erupting volcano, dancing fountains,and dueling pirate boats. Then we enjoyed a delicious dinner in one of the magnificent hotels and attended a show in the evening. We saw The Jersey Boys, Cher, The Beatles, "O" and Mystere, all of which were totally awesome. It is like a Disneyland for adults!

Thanksgiving

2010-10-25T18:54:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving at the Lake House with the Taits and Wipflis. The weather was pleasant enough to do this "Hoodoo Wetlands" hike as well as many other outdoor activities. The Urquharts joined us for a traditional dinner and of course we all stuffed ourselves with turkey and pumpkin pie. We are thankful that we have such wonderful family and friends and that we are able to share times like this with them.

Showering the Bride

2010-10-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

Barbara and Karen hosted a lovely bridal shower for Krystal on a gorgeous sunny Saturday afternoon. They had six stations set up , each featuring delectable delights accompanied by complementary wines. Assistant hostesses described the delicacies to be enjoyed at each station and much interesting conversation accompanied our tributes to the bride.

Born in the USA

2010-10-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

James is in school all day now that he is in grade one but Eli attends kindergarten mornings only so I am able to fetch him from school and have him spend Tuesday afternoons with us. Since we have had a bit of sunshine lately bouncing on the trampoline is the activity of choice.

Golfing

2010-09-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

JR is making the most of the few sunny days we are now experiencing. He is golfing at his Country Hills Club almost daily, determined to play thirty games there before the snow flies.

Mio's New Hat

2010-09-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

Mio has been receiving the cutest outfits from family and friends who are excited about the arrival of a little girl in our family.Her closet is full of darling things, this hat being one of them.

Sunny Day Hike

2010-09-19T19:05:00.000-07:00

Lorisa was able to join the CWC hikers on the one sunny day we had in a 3-4 week period for a hike I led in the Sheep River area. We had a great day, culminating with a stop at the Black Diamond bakery for coffee and treats.

My "Close" Friends

2010-09-19T18:58:00.000-07:00

The ladies on Edgehill Close meet once a month for lunch and conversation. This is the group attending our most recent luncheon at a local Chinese restaurant.

Anna

2010-09-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

Sadly, Anna passed away on September 02 at the age of 93.We will miss our ambitious, energetic, organized matriarch who dedicated her talents to teaching the children in her life and kept us all together, enjoying her beloved Emma Lake.

Family

2010-09-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

We were very privileged to have the entire McDonald family and most of the Hakl family together at the Lakehouse for a few very special days at the end of August.We were delighted to become acquainted with Ellis and Mio who have arrived since the last time we were together and to share time with all the others.

Calgary Wanderers in Invermere

2010-08-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

The Calgary Wanderers Hiking Group spent an enjoyable three days hiking in the Invermere area.The most memorable hike was that to the Lake of the Hanging Glaciers, a lovely teal blue lake with numerable glaciers hanging on the surrounding
mountainsides. The happy hours, dinners and conversations on and off the trail made the excursion lots of fun