Palm Desert

JR has a golf addiction and he certainly knows how to time his escapes to sunny climes. He spent April 3-11 in Tucson with his buddies Pat, Dennis, Tom, Garry, Gerry, Stu and Rick and today left for Palm Desert with his curling team of Wayne, Al and Kevin. The photo shows what the poor golf widow sees from her window as she reads her book in front of a crackling fire!

Garry becomes a sexagenarian

Garry has celebrated his sixtieth birthday in grand style. Barbara organized a little get together of eighty friends and relatives who enjoyed refreshments, delicious food, great conversation, a lot of hugs and a lot of laughs. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of a "sexual rocket launcher" for the older sexually challenged man. Garry read the list of instructions aloud, and the crowd offered comments,both resulting in gales of laughter. The culmination of the evening was one of Barbara's famous carrot cakes.

Spring

We have had reports of spring arriving in Oxfordshire, Saltspring Island and even Saskatchewan and now it is finally in Alberta.This week-end we went for our first bike ride, JR went to the driving range and we did a lot of yard work. There was much clean up to be done this year. The leaves were still on the deciduous trees when the snow arrived after fall clean up. The evergreens shed a lot of cones. The grass had been left long for the winter. Some bricks in the driveway had to be levelled and edged.That has all been dealt with and we can now enjoy the sunshine. I think spring is my favorite season for I love the delicate pale green of new sprouts, the freshness of the air and the sound of birds twittering in the trees. We have a pair of delightful little house finches in the front bushes, perhaps making a nest there and the pair of red breasted nuthatches who, last year made a nest in a knot hole in the siding on the southwest side of the house, have returned. Hopefully I have discouraged the magpies who are my least favorite birds. Davin and Owen learned how to climb spruce trees at the Waldorf School they attended and taught me the technique which I was able to employ to dissemble three nests in our trees!

House Finches

Friends

I enjoyed lunch today with girls with whom I worked in the research laboratory in the early 1980's. Donna Bodie now lives in North Vancouver. Claire Gradeen and Joan Miller both live in Calgary but I see them very rarely. We shared so many good times in and out of the lab and it was so much fun to reminisce and to discuss current interests and activities which, interestingly enough, remain much the same as they were 30 years ago. And we remain kindred spirits!

Easter

I had the privilege of sharing the Easter Holiday with Ryan and Brennan at the Lakehouse. The weather was a bit blustery but we did some hiking,biking,"playgrounding","hot pooling",shopping, and dined out several times so we did not spend the whole time at the house. The boys had fun dressing up and being silly, "decorating" the deck with bicycle tire skid marksand hunting for Easter eggs. Lorisa joined us for the last few days which meant I drove back to the city alone. It was a glorious day and all of my favorite mountains were so beautiful. Music by Mozart played as the scenery unfolded - just like a live CBC documentary.I'm still in an extremely uplifted spirit some hours later!

Deck Deco

Upside down pyjamas

Castle

Rundle

Cascade

Three Sisters

Yamnuska